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Lions aim to steer clear of pitfalls faced by Eagles and Bengals following coordinator departures to new NFL roles.

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ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The Detroit Lions have become the third team since 2010 to witness both of their coordinators ascend to head coaching positions within the same offseason. The franchise hopes to avoid the pitfalls that have befell the previous two teams who experienced similar turnover.

Just days after the NFC’s top seeds experienced a shocking defeat to the sixth-seed Washington team, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson received a head coaching position with the Chicago Bears, while defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn accepted the role with the New York Jets. Both coordinators are being recognized as finalists for the 2024 NFL Assistant Coach of the Year award from The Associated Press.

In past instances, the Philadelphia Eagles lost their coordinators, Shane Steichen and Jonathan Gannon, to Indianapolis and Arizona respectively after the 2022 season. Additionally, coordinators Jay Gruden and Mike Zimmer from the Cincinnati Bengals were hired by Washington and Minnesota following the 2013 season. The Eagles enjoyed success, winning the NFC East and advancing to the Super Bowl with their coordinators, but subsequently fell to a second-place finish and an early playoff exit the following year. Similarly, the Bengals were AFC North champions with their coordinators but dropped to second in their division the next season.

Lions general manager Brad Holmes noted that Dan Campbell, the AP NFL Coach of the Year finalist, had been proactively preparing to fill the gaps left by Johnson and Glenn, anticipating their leave during this coaching cycle. “Dan has been preparing for it, and I have full faith in Dan to ensure we have the right people in place in those roles,” Holmes stated during his postseason press briefing.

While retaining Johnson and Glenn may have been beyond the Lions’ control, the team is keen on keeping their strong remaining coaching staff and support personnel, despite potential poaching from the Bears and Jets. “It applies not just to coaching but also to personnel,” Holmes stated. “It’s challenging to maintain the talented individuals, but we recognize that we need to be ready when other teams are interested in our staff.”

The Lions face the challenge of deciding whether to sign several important unrestricted free agents, including guard Kevin Zeitler and cornerback Carlton Davis. Furthermore, Holmes may seek to extend the contracts of key players such as safety Kerby Joseph, who could become an unrestricted free agent in 2026. “It’s tough to find ball-hawk players who can tackle as effectively as he does, and that sets him apart,” Holmes remarked. “We haven’t engaged in serious discussions regarding this yet, but naturally, we are eager to retain our top talent.”

This past regular season, the Lions enjoyed remarkable success, achieving a franchise-record 15 wins and securing back-to-back division titles, along with clinching the No. 1 seed for the first time. Unfortunately, the postseason did not reflect their accolades, as the Lions suffered a disappointing two-touchdown defeat at home to the Commanders in the divisional round, faltering just as they were deemed Super Bowl favorites by BetMGM.

“We fell short of the goals we set for ourselves, and it was painful,” Holmes reflected. “It’s humbling, but I refuse to let this overshadow all the positive achievements we made this season.”