By Blessing 
Detroit Lions 2025: Can Dan Campbell Keep the Culture Intact After Major Coaching Losses?
The Detroit Lions have entered the 2025 season with optimism—but also with a lingering question: can they maintain their momentum after an offseason full of seismic changes?
Detroit’s 2024 campaign was one for the books. Head coach Dan Campbell led his team to an NFC-best 15-2 record, tied with the Kansas City Chiefs for the top spot in the NFL. But despite that achievement, their season came to a shocking halt in the divisional round, where the Washington Commanders stunned the home crowd at Ford Field with a 45-31 dismantling of the Lions’ postseason dreams.
That disappointment was followed by a rapid unraveling of the coaching staff. Just three days after the season ended on January 18, the Chicago Bears poached offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to become their new head coach. A day later, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn was hired by the New York Jets for the same role.
It was a one-two punch that few franchises can absorb without some level of turbulence.
And it didn’t stop there. On June 2, longtime center Frank Ragnow, the anchor of one of the NFL’s most dominant offensive lines, announced his surprise retirement—another blow to Detroit’s football IQ and locker room leadership.
Rebuilding the Brain Trust
Dan Campbell, ever the optimist, didn’t flinch. But even he acknowledged the difficulty of preparing new coordinators under limited offseason conditions.
“Well, hard to do this time of year,” Campbell admitted on May 30, when asked how he’s prepping new offensive coordinator John Morton to take over play-calling duties. “We don’t have enough time to get it done. We don’t have enough reps to get it done. We can’t really do a true… this isn’t football.”
That said, Campbell sees training camp—and the preseason—as the ideal opportunity for Morton to find his rhythm.
“That is one of the positives of four [preseason] games,” he said. “You’re going to have four games to be able to do that. Just like I’ve done with AG [Aaron Glenn] and with Ben [Johnson], we’re going to do a ton of call-it periods, a ton of move the ball, a ton of change the situation to where you’ve got to think on your feet immediately—we will.”
Campbell’s confidence in Morton isn’t blind faith. Morton has been around the block, including a stint as the Jets’ offensive coordinator in 2017, and most recently served as the passing game coordinator for the Denver Broncos under Sean Payton.
“He’s called plays before,” Campbell pointed out. “Even when he was here… it’s third-and-12, we need a play, he’s the one who’s yelling it, ‘Here. Here you go.’ And he did that at San Fran. He’s done that everywhere he’s been, so it’ll be good.”
Still, expectations are sky-high for Morton, especially following the departure of Ben Johnson—a mastermind at route spacing, play timing, and tailoring plays to his quarterback’s strengths.
Campbell wants Morton to keep pushing the envelope, particularly with players like Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, and Jahmyr Gibbs.
“How many ways and times can we isolate one of these guys?” Campbell mused. “Alright, we know we’re going to get the one-on-one with Jamo here, and these are the best routes to use him on and let him really shine and do what he does. LaPorta as well. Gibbs as well… That’s fine. You want to take away Saint? You want to take away Jamo? You take away LaPorta. Well, Gibbs, here we go—here’s your three routes. Here’s what you do best.”
According to Campbell, the plan is simple: create easy opportunities and let the playmakers do what they do best.
“I think it’s not all that different from what we’ve done before,” he explained. “But I think so much of it will be how do we just—simple plays here—and let those guys go to work.”
Defensive Shifts and Familiar Faces
On the other side of the ball, Kelvin Sheppard steps into the defensive coordinator role following Aaron Glenn’s departure. Sheppard had been the team’s linebackers coach for three seasons and was widely respected inside the building, making his elevation a natural one.
“Honestly, the only difference is now he has a mic in his hand and he’s in your helmet,” Campbell said. “That’s been good though. I’m happy for him. He deserves it.”
Campbell isn’t expecting wholesale changes on defense. Sheppard’s system will stick closely to Glenn’s blueprint: aggressive press coverage, linebacker-led action, and high-pressure blitzing. Still, some adjustments are on the horizon.
“There’s a few changes,” Campbell said. “There’s some things I’m excited about that the back end is excited about and the guys up front are excited about. It’s going to be good, I think, but you have to learn with it. Little nuances within the call that’s a little bit different than what Coach Glenn did.”
More than anything, Campbell emphasized that Sheppard fits the locker room’s DNA.
“We have the right guys in the room… so I’m excited.”
Ragnow’s Exit Leaves a Void
The sudden retirement of Frank Ragnow left the team scrambling to reconfigure what was arguably the NFL’s best offensive line. Unlike the coordinator changes, Ragnow’s exit wasn’t anticipated, and it hit differently.
“I mean, look, it’s different knowing that Frank’s out of the fold now,” Campbell said. “I hate to use the word ‘unsettling,’ but there is acknowledgement, like, ‘Okay, so that’s where we’re at, and now we need growth. We need development, quickly.’”
Fortunately, offensive line coach Hank Fraley is one of the best in the business at developing talent. Campbell trusts him to get the next man up ready—whether it’s Miles Frazier, Tate Ratledge, or one of the other young linemen.
“And there again, having Graham [Glasgow] helps now—it’s huge—because he’s got the flexibility to play both guards and center,” Campbell added.
New Blood, New Culture Test
Even with all the change, the Lions still carry the aura of a contender. Their 2024 injury report read more like a horror story, with setbacks across every position group. In theory, a healthier season could help smooth the transition under new leadership.
If nothing else, Campbell understands the importance of getting the right people in the building—a lesson he learned firsthand.
“I told Ben and AG the same thing when they were leaving, and it was the same thing I was told: The most important thing you’ll do as a head coach is hiring your staff,” Campbell said at the scouting combine.
He didn’t rush the process. He interviewed extensively, prioritizing chemistry and cohesion just as much as X’s and O’s.
“This was kind of the Phase II, the reload [of] the coordinators and different position coaches, so I wanted to take my time and do it right,” he explained. “I did a lot of interviews. A lot. Really sat them down and got to know them… The football is there, but it’s really about the mesh and the chemistry—I’m big on that.”
The Big If
If Campbell made the right calls, Detroit may not just recover—they might thrive. But the uncertainty lingers. Replacing two elite coordinators and a cornerstone offensive lineman in one offseason is no small feat.
For the Lions, 2025 will be a season of proving that their culture, leadership, and locker room chemistry can withstand major transitions. Campbell believes they’ve got the right ingredients. Whether it bakes into another dominant season—or leaves Detroit wondering what went wrong—will unfold over the coming months.
And who knows?
If it all comes together, maybe this is the year the Lions finally go all the way.