Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is still struggling to process the reality that the team’s 2025 NFL season is over after failing to qualify for the playoffs.

The Detroit Lions finished the regular season with a 9–8 record, closing the year with a Week 18 win over the Chicago Bears. Despite the late victory, Detroit missed the postseason for the first time since 2022, marking a stunning regression just one year after winning 15 games and emerging as a Super Bowl contender.

Following the season finale, Campbell appeared visibly stunned while speaking to reporters. The Lions head coach admitted it was difficult to accept that the journey had come to an abrupt end after meeting with players for the final time before the offseason.

“It’s hard to believe this is it,” Campbell said Monday, via ESPN’s Eric Woodyard. “It’s going to be a hard pill to swallow watching these teams in the playoffs.”

Campbell acknowledged that Detroit will still watch the postseason unfold, though he made it clear it won’t feel the same without the Lions participating.

Several factors contributed to the Lions’ disappointing 2025 campaign, but coaching turnover and injuries stood out as the primary reasons for the decline.

Detroit entered the season having lost offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, both of whom departed for head coaching opportunities elsewhere. The departures also led to additional losses across the coaching staff, further disrupting continuity.

Injuries compounded the problem, preventing the Lions from consistently playing at the level they expected throughout the season.

As the offseason begins, Lions fans and analysts alike are calling for the organization to carefully evaluate its offensive coordinator position, with hopes of reigniting the explosive identity that fueled last year’s success.