If the Detroit Lions’ decision to name Drew Petzing as their new offensive coordinator left fans scratching their heads, that reaction is understandable.

At 38, Petzing isn’t exactly a recognizable name, and anything short of a splashy, high-profile hire was bound to frustrate part of the fanbase. The concern only grew because he arrives from Arizona, a Cardinals team that limped to a 3–14 finish after dropping nine straight games and fielding one of the league’s least impressive offenses.

Still, after digging deeper into Petzing’s résumé, coaching history and offensive philosophy, the move looks far more reasonable than it did at first glance. The latest episode of MLive’s Dungeon of Doom podcast takes a closer look at Petzing’s background, what he prioritizes schematically and how that could translate in Detroit.

Hosts Kory Woods and Ben Raven stop short of calling it a slam-dunk move, but both admit their opinion improved with time and research. They ultimately landed on a B-minus grade for the hire. A key factor in that growing confidence is the belief that Petzing stood out enough to Dan Campbell and the Lions’ front office that they moved quickly to secure him while other coaching vacancies were still being filled around the NFL.

There are tangible reasons for optimism. Petzing’s work with the run game and tight ends stands out, as does the fact that his first two years calling plays came under a defensive-minded, first-time head coach — and produced solid results. While Arizona’s most recent season was derailed by injuries and instability, the earlier body of work paints a more encouraging picture.

Petzing favors heavier personnel groupings, leans on runs to the perimeter and frequently builds his passing game off play-action concepts. His early seasons as a play-caller featured inventive rushing designs and respectable offensive output. With stronger personnel in Detroit, he’ll have more flexibility than he did last year.

“I think the initial reaction made sense,” Raven said early in the podcast. “People were asking, ‘Who is this guy? Why Arizona?’ After watching the Cardinals last season, none of it looked good, and that criticism was fair.”

Raven also pointed out how closely Petzing’s tendencies align with what Detroit already likes to do. Over a three-year span from 2023 through 2025, no team used 13 personnel — one running back and three tight ends — more frequently than Arizona. Extra blockers and tight ends were staples of the offense, something Lions fans are already familiar with.

“The Lions thrive on that stuff,” Raven said. “Dan Skipper is basically a cult hero here because of how often they lean into those looks.”

Both Woods and Raven agreed that this fit comes with clear implications: the offensive line must be reinforced, and additional tight end depth will likely be added. As Woods emphasized, regardless of who took over as offensive coordinator, improving the offensive line was always going to be essential for the unit’s success.