Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell revealed that he personally took over offensive play-calling duties for the team’s matchup with the Washington Commanders, a move he decided on before kickoff.

The choice came only weeks after Campbell promoted John Morton to take over for Ben Johnson, who had departed to become the Chicago Bears’ head coach. Despite ranking among the NFL’s top three offenses, Detroit has not looked quite as explosive since Johnson’s exit. Morton’s hiring had already surprised many around the league, as he had not served as an offensive coordinator or primary play-caller since 2017, when he struggled in that role with the New York Jets.

Detroit’s offense appeared to lose some of its unpredictability in recent weeks, particularly after a Week 8 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, when both Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery failed to get much going on the ground, leaving Jared Goff to shoulder most of the load. That prompted Campbell to temporarily step in and handle the in-game decisions himself.

Explaining the move, Campbell said:“I know what I want to do and how I want to do it. This is still a team effort — I was taking input from John Morton and the other coaches the whole time. I just felt we needed to shake things up a bit, maybe find a little rhythm. That’s all it was.”

He added that the decision wasn’t meant to undermine Morton but simply to “mix things up” offensively.

Quarterback Jared Goff later commended Campbell’s work as a play-caller, saying:“It’s been a long time since he’s called plays, but he did a great job. He’s not just a motivator — he’s a really smart coach.”

It’s worth noting that Campbell’s first game back in control came against one of the league’s worst-ranked defenses in Washington, giving Detroit a more favorable matchup. Meanwhile, the Lions’ defense has shown significant growth this season, led by Aidan Hutchinson, who has returned to elite form after last year’s injury.

The Lions’ next test will be far tougher — a Sunday Night Football showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles, a game that could determine the NFC’s top seed heading into the final stretch of the season.