Detroit Lions fans have had their share of heartbreak, but nothing compares to the Marty Mornhinweg era. Serving as head coach from 2001 to 2002, Mornhinweg’s record was a staggering 5-27, with a 2-14 debut season followed by 3-13. His time in Detroit wasn’t just bad — it was historically awful.
One moment sums up Mornhinweg’s tenure: the infamous “We want the wind!” call in a 2002 overtime game, when he chose to give the ball to the opposing team just to have the wind at his back. Predictably, the Lions lost without ever touching the ball again. Years later, Mornhinweg insisted it was “the right call then, the right call now, and the right call 10 years from now.” Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
The contrast between Mornhinweg and current head coach Dan Campbell couldn’t be sharper. Campbell took the Lions from 3-13 in 2021 to 15-2 in 2024, showing adaptability and smart aggression. Where Mornhinweg stubbornly doubled down on poor decisions, Campbell’s bold moves — combined with stars like Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Jahmyr Gibbs — have helped transform the Lions into contenders.
Detroit fans today can finally breathe easy knowing the days of “Marty Moron-weg” are long gone, replaced by a fearless coach who makes gutsy calls for the right reasons — and has the roster to back them up.
The Lions’ Darkest Days: How Marty Mornhinweg Became Detroit’s Worst Coach Ever
