'Freaking F,' Dan Campbell Grades Himself After Lions Miss NFL Playoff Bracket

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell wasn't afraid to give himself a failing grade after the team finished 9-8 and missed the NFL playoffs.

More specifically, the coach told reporters Monday he "would give myself a freaking F." He said his work was "not good enough."

The Lions beat the Chicago Bears 19-16 to end 2025 on a small high, but that did little to dampen the overall disappointment.

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Detroit is yet another example of how a competitive window can be fleeting in the NFL.

In 2023, the franchise was one bad half away from reaching the Super Bowl. A 15-win campaign in 2024 then resulted in a divisional round upset at the hands of the Washington Commanders. Now, there's no playoff football whatsoever.

This isn't to say the Lions' window has shut completely.

Losing both of his coordinators (Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn) presented Campbell with a tough challenge in the offseason.

Injuries were once again a factor, particularly in the secondary. Terrion Arnold, Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph combined to log 26 appearances. On the other side of the ball, tight end Sam LaPorta was out for the final eight games.

More than anything, this season drove home how Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes can't afford to sit on their hands in the coming weeks and months. Based on his remarks Monday, Campbell is well aware of that fact.