The Detroit Lions are coming off a disappointing 2025 NFL season, finishing 9–8 and missing the playoffs after losing a tiebreaker in the highly competitive NFC North. It marked the first “down year” under head coach Dan Campbell after Detroit previously earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC in 2024.

The Lions entered the season hoping to build on that success, but the offseason losses of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who both left for head coaching jobs, proved difficult to overcome.

Appearing on the Real Ones: The League podcast with San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner, Lions star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown opened up about the team’s struggles and the impact of losing Johnson.

Amon-Ra St. Brown on Lions’ Down Season

“Going into this year, we just wanted to build off how last year ended,” St. Brown said. “That feeling of being the No. 1 seed and having another team come into your stadium and beat you — that was tough. It was right below the Niners loss for me.”

St. Brown referenced Detroit’s shocking playoff defeat to the Washington Commanders during the 2024 postseason, noting how unexpected it was.

“You’re not expecting a rookie quarterback to come into your house when you’ve only lost two games all year,” he said. “So going into 2025, like you said, we lost Ben Johnson, we lost Aaron Glenn — two great coaches.”

Lions Felt They Still Had a Championship Roster

Despite the coaching departures, St. Brown said the locker room believed the team still had the talent to compete for a Super Bowl.

“We still felt like we had the guys to make a run,” St. Brown explained. “It just didn’t pan out the way we wanted it to. We lost some close games, and that’s the biggest thing.”

According to St. Brown, flipping just a few close losses could have dramatically changed the season.

“If you win three or four of those close games, the whole season is different,” he said. “You might have home-field advantage or a higher seed. Once you get into the playoffs, anything can happen.”

Amon-Ra St. Brown: Playoffs Change Everything

St. Brown emphasized how important simply reaching the postseason is for championship aspirations.

“The goal is to get to the playoffs,” he said. “Once you get there, it’s a whole new season.”

He admitted the 2025 campaign fell short of expectations.

“It wasn’t the year any of us wanted, players or coaches,” St. Brown said. “We were on the rise every year since I’ve been in Detroit, so this was our first dip.”

Lions Motivated Heading Into 2026

Despite the setback, St. Brown believes the disappointing season could fuel Detroit’s return to contention.

“I think it’s going to be good for us,” he said. “Everyone’s going to be more motivated going into this year — players and coaches included. I’m excited to get to OTAs and see what it’s like.”

With a renewed focus and a retooled coaching staff, the Detroit Lions will aim to rebound in 2026, hoping to re-establish themselves as contenders in the NFC.