Detroit. Thankfully, owner Sheila Hamp decided to chart her own course. She emphasized a collaborative approach to building the team and assembled a group of highly intelligent individuals to help identify the best candidates. After an exhaustive search, Brad Holmes was hired as general manager, followed six days later by Dan Campbell as head coach. Together, they set out to achieve what many thought nearly impossible—transforming the Lions into a winning franchise.

What makes their success even more remarkable is how they accomplished it. They stripped down a roster that lacked elite talent and rebuilt it from the ground up, focusing on the NFL Draft as the foundation of their strategy.

A 3-13-1 record in 2021 evolved into 9-8 in 2022, 12-5 in 2023, and 15-2 in 2024. The improvement is undeniable, and, as the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding. Since their arrival, Holmes and Campbell have delivered on their original goal: consistent, year-to-year success for Detroit.