The Detroit Lions built one of the league’s top coaching staffs during their turnaround under Dan Campbell, but that once-stellar group has been picked apart following the departures of both coordinators for head coaching roles.

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson took wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El and assistant quarterbacks coach JT Barrett with him to the Chicago Bears, while Aaron Glenn brought along passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand and tight ends coach Steve Heiden after becoming the New York Jets’ head coach.

Detroit responded quickly, naming John Morton as offensive coordinator and promoting linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard to defensive coordinator. While their recovery effort has been strong, league executives think these exits might be enough to derail Detroit’s momentum in 2025.

An anonymous NFL executive told Mike Sando of The Athletic that the Lions “scare” him because of the staff shake-up. Another compared Johnson’s exit to the Rams losing Sean McVay and warned that Glenn’s absence could impact defensive role players’ performance significantly.

NFL execs predict the Lions will slide in 2025 after coaching losses

Morton has had prior success as a play-caller and spent years learning under Sean Payton. Sheppard’s internal promotion means he could replicate Glenn’s system. All told, Detroit’s replacement choices seem pretty solid for what they lost.

With Jared Goff locked in at quarterback and an elite cast of skill players, the roster Campbell and GM Brad Holmes built still positions Detroit among the NFC’s title contenders even without the previous coaching masterminds.

Other successful teams have survived similar turnover. The Eagles lost both Shane Steichen and Jonathan Gannon to head coaching gigs, then won a Super Bowl just two years later—showing it can be done with the right foundation.

The Lions might not win 15 games again in a competitive NFC North, but writing them off as true contenders would be a mistake considering how well Campbell and Holmes have positioned the team, regardless of who’s calling the plays.