It’s usually more surprising for the coaches than the fans when an NFL head coach gets fired. But one embattled coach has acknowledged that he was at risk of getting fired until recently.
Speaking to the media on Monday, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell admitted that he knew he was going to be fired at one point after losing 19 of his first 24 games. But now he knows that he’s safe.
“I know at one point I was going to get fired, and now I’m not,” Campbell said.
Campbell’s Lions went 3-13-1 last year and started the season 1-6. But after winning four of their last five games, the Lions are on pace for their best record in five years.
Last year it was clear that the Detroit Lions were buying into the culture that Dan Campbell was trying to bring to the organization. They suffered seven losses by just one score.
This year though, the team boasts one of the best offenses in the league. Were it not for their last-place defense, they might be in playoff contention right now.
The Lions appear right on schedule to potentially be a playoff contender next year if they can just fix their defense and find a more reliable quarterback.
Is Dan Campbell’s job safe now?