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After watching the Detroit Lions’ unlikely emergence as the best team in the NFL under Dan Campbell, the football world is obsessed with uncovering the formula that helped transform a cellar dweller into a title contender. Owners and executives are carefully studying the Lions’ team-building strategies to see if they can replicate their success soon.
After taking some time to study the Lions’ rapid rise under Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes, here are three principles behind their success:
Pick a “leader of men” as the head coach
At a time when the football world promoted the hottest offensive or defensive coordinator as a top head coaching candidate, the Lions chose a former NFL player without coordinator experience to guide the franchise out of the wilderness. Though Dan Campbell briefly served as an interim head coach with the Miami Dolphins, he was primarily a tight ends coach for over a decade before taking in Detroit.
Viewed as an unconventional hire at the time, Campbell’s commitment to instilling a culture built on toughness and grit has transformed the Lions from cellar dwellers to division champs. As a visionary, the rugged leader stocked his coaching staff with former NFL players who leaned into their playing experience to help a young, talented roster develop into a juggernaut under their tutelage.
Moreover, Campbell’s unwavering commitment to old-school values helped him navigate rough waters and overcome a 4-19 start to post the league’s best record (31-8) since the middle of the 2022 season. The Lions play with a toughness and edge that reflects Motown, and their collective resilience has been shaped through throwback practice methods that forge unbreakable team bonds.
Whether it is the defense tapping in with 40 up-downs to unify the unit or the team utilizing padded practices to create a “Bully Ball” mentality, the Lions have a 1980s feel to them when you watch them overwhelm opponents with their physicality and…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/lions-best-team-nfl-three-principles-behind-success
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Publish date : 2024-12-05 18:35:00
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