Sometimes the best medicine for a competitor is getting punched in the mouth. Take the 2025 Detroit Lions for example. Coming off of a magical season in 2024 that ended in brutal disappointment at the hands of the Washington Commanders in the Divisional round of the playoffs, many felt like Detroit was poised to make another run at it the following year.
Instead, the core of the Lions experienced one of the more tumultuous seasons thus far in their young careers. Since the arrival of coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes back in 2021, there has been a steady line of progression. 3 wins in 2021, 9 in 2022, 12 in 2023, and 15 in the aforementioned 2024 season. And while there were certainly highs and other fun moments in 2025, the season was largely a disappointment for everyone involved.
Now, in the early stages of preparation for the upcoming 2026 season, there has been a bit of a mindset shift for the team—all business. You can see it everywhere you look, but especially when we hear Campbell speak to the media. That brings us to today’s question of the day—which member of the Lions do you feel like has the biggest chip on their shoulder heading into the 2026 regular season?
My answer: I am going with Dan Campbell. There are plenty of players you could point to for this question, but I think Campbell has the most to prove this season, despite already being regarded as one of the best coaches in the game. There are people out there that think he can’t get it done now that former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is in Chicago, which is pretty ridiculous when you really stop and think about it.
I think this is a year where Campbell reminds the doubters who he is as a coach and leader, and with many around the game ready to anoint other challengers in the NFC, it feels like the perfect year to do so.
What about you? Who do you think has the biggest chip on their shoulders heading into 2026? Let us know in the comments below.
