It’s wild to think that Brad Holmes, the man now credited with rebuilding the Detroit Lions into NFC contenders, almost started his career in Detroit… more than 20 years ago. In a recent interview on the Field Talk Podcast, Holmes shared how close he was to joining the Lions in 2003—before a last-minute twist changed everything.
Back then, Holmes wasn’t the front-office guru we know today. He was just a young guy grinding for a shot, working as a PR intern with the Atlanta Hawks while trying to break into NFL scouting. He’d sent applications to every team in the league with no bites—until he finally got offers from two teams: the Detroit Lions and the St. Louis Rams.
He initially accepted the Lions’ internship. But then he started digging. He noticed that the Rams had a reputation for hiring their interns into full-time roles. The Lions, under the struggling Matt Millen regime, didn’t have that same track record. That little detail convinced Holmes to switch course and join the Rams.
And that decision changed everything.
Holmes quickly moved from PR intern to scout and spent nearly two decades climbing the ranks in St. Louis and then Los Angeles. He eventually became Director of College Scouting, helping build a Super Bowl-caliber roster. His experience there became invaluable—something he likely wouldn’t have gotten in Detroit at the time.
Fast forward to 2021: Holmes aces his second interview for the Lions’ GM role (he called his first one a total bust), impressing team COO Mike Disner. The Lions bring him on board, and the rest is history. Since then, Detroit has pulled off back-to-back division titles and even reached the NFC Championship Game for the first time in over 30 years.
So yeah, the Lions missed out on Holmes the first time around—but losing him back then may have been the best thing that could’ve happened. Because when he finally arrived, he was exactly the GM they’d been waiting for.
How the Lions Lost Brad Holmes—and Somehow Still Won in the Long Run
