In the aftermath of a disastrous Detroit Lions season that Dan Campbell described as hitting “rock bottom,” he admitted. “Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before you can work your way back up. And relative to where we were, this is rock bottom.” The climb from the rocky depths for the Lions began Sunday afternoon with a heroic win against the Chicago Bears. However, the next step is fixing the problems that led to this season’s collapse.
Campbell acknowledged that potential staffing changes will be a priority. One of the biggest changes will involve hiring the Lions’ next offensive coordinator. A first-time OC, John Morton, developed a good working relationship with Jared Goff. The passing game remained strong despite an injury-depleted offensive line. However, it became apparent his tenure as the Lions’ OC was over once Campbell assumed play-calling responsibilities in Week 10. Seen as a hard-working team player who provides critical information, Morton will likely remain with Detroit in another capacity. But it’s fair to assume he won’t be the offensive coordinator.
The Search is On For The Detroit Lions’ Next Offensive Coordinator
Stating that he believes everything happens for a reason, “Right, wrong, or indifferent,” Campbell vowed he and Brad Holmes will address the problems and “make it for the best and the guys that we know we’re going to count on for this team.”
Hiring a former NFL head coach with a strong offensive background could be an ideal solution. Here are three individuals who would be a good fit for Detroit.
Brian Daboll (Former New York Giants Head Coach)
As a coaching staff member of the Super Bowl-winning New England Patriots, Brian Daboll was with the team in five of their six recent victories. Early on, Daboll served as a defensive coaching assistant and the wide receivers coach in the early 2000s when the team won three Super Bowls. Upon his return to New England, he was the tight ends coach for Rob Gronkowski during Super Bowl XLIX and Super Bowl LI.
In between his two stints with New England, Daboll gained experience as a quarterbacks coach with the New York Jets. He then served as an offensive coordinator for several NFL teams: the Cleveland Browns, the Miami Dolphins, and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Daboll was hired in 2022 as the New York Giants’ head coach, leading the team to a 9-7-1 record. It was the first time since 2016 that the Dolphins clinched a playoff berth, and he was named the 2022 NFL Coach of the Year. But the last two seasons have been rocky. The Giants finished with a 6-11 record in 2023 and a 3-14 record in 2024. Daboll was terminated on November 10, 2025, when the Giants reached a 2-8 record.
Positives:
Daboll has an extensive offensive background with experience coaching wide receivers, tight ends, and quarterbacks. He has a successful track record of turning around struggling teams.
Negatives:
Daboll has been accused of inconsistent play-calling. In addition, his last two seasons in New York were problematic, especially after his relationship with Daniel Jones fractured, leading to dissension on the team. That’s not a good look for a coach, especially when the “problem quarterback” goes to another team, only to achieve enormous success before a season-ending injury.
Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns Former Head Coach)
Former two-time NFL Coach of the Year, Kevin Stefanski, led the Cleveland Browns to an 11-5 record in 2020, with the team earning its first playoff win since 1994. Despite defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round, the Browns lost the next game to the Chiefs.
After leading Cleveland to the playoffs in 2023 with an 11-6 record, Stefanski won his second NFL Coach of the Year Award. Signed to a contract extension in June of 2024, the future was looking brighter for Cleveland. But after two back-to-back losing seasons that led to a combined 8-26 record, Stefanski’s tenure in Cleveland came to an end. Despite the Browns closing out the season against division rivals with two consecutive wins, management felt it was time for a change for the 5-12 team. Stefanski’s dismissal was one of the first announced on Monday morning.
Positives:
Stefanski has a strong offensive background and a successful history as an OC with multiple NFL franchises. He was successful in turning around a struggling Browns team and leading them to back-to-back playoff appearances.
Stefanski has stabilized the Browns’ unstable situation at quarterback in recent weeks. Shadeur Sanders’ development at quarterback showed flashes of promise. As a head coach, he found a solid kicker, a position the Browns have struggled with historically, in UFL product Andre Szmyt. Stefanski established an impressive ground game with rookie running back Quinshon Judkins. His success in the ground game could translate well to Detroit’s run-heavy offense.
Negatives:
The disastrous trade for quarterback Deshaun Watson led to an ongoing quarterback controversy. To be fair, Stefanski seems to have stabilized the situation, but the ramifications of Watson’s bloated contract and a tenuous salary cap situation are heavy baggage.
Kliff Kingsbury (Former Arizona Cardinals HC)
When the 5-12 Washington Commanders terminated the contract of OC Kliff Kingsbury, another offensive-minded former head coach became available. A record-setting former college quarterback at Texas Tech, Kingsbury’s biggest success has been as a coach. An outstanding offensive coordinator, he was instrumental in the collegiate development of quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, Case Keenum, Johnny Manziel, and Caleb Williams.
In January of 2019, Kingsbury was hired as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. Despite a first-season record of 5-10-1, the Cardinals showed steady improvement over the next two seasons. Finishing with an 8-8 record in 2020, Arizona made the playoffs with an 11–6 record in 2021. After losing 34-11 to the eventual Super Bowl winners, the Los Angeles Rams, the team took a big step backward the following year. Finishing last in the division with a 4-13 record, Kingsbury was dismissed.
In February of 2024, Kingsbury was hired as the offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders. Under his guidance, Jayden Daniels set a record for the most rushing yards in a single season by a rookie quarterback. That year, Daniels won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award after leading the Commanders to a 45-31 victory over the Lions in the NFC Divisional round playoff game.
Positives:
Kingsbury has an extensive history as a successful offensive coordinator. He has been particularly successful in developing young quarterback talent. In 2024, the Washington Commanders ranked among the NFL’s best in total yards and points scored.
Negatives:
Despite his experience working with quarterbacks, Kingsbury does not have experience working with other offensive positional groups.
While each of these three individuals may be in the running for other head coaching opportunities, the chance to come to Detroit and be part of a well-run, disciplined, winning organization as the team’s offensive coordinator might feel like a breath of fresh air.