Dan Campbell Says Lions' Super Bowl Window 'Is Not Closed' After Disappointing 2025 Season

Coming off their worst season since 2022, the Detroit Lions are looking to rebound despite playing in arguably the deepest division in the NFL.

Even with some questions and roster turnover on the heels of a 9-8 record in 2025, head coach Dan Campbell told ESPN's Eric Woodyard he's confident the Lions' Super Bowl window "is not closed" going into the 2026 campaign:

"Our window is not closed. It's not closed. That was the whole reason why we did this. We fell short last year. But needed to get in [the playoffs], and now it's about the matchups, where you're playing and who you're playing. We want to be able to do that every year, and sometimes, I'm just saying is what happens is, you want to go all-in for one player, well how do you know that one player doesn't get hurt?

"Or how do you know the three players behind him don't get hurt and now you've got no depth. Whereas, let's just get a unit together that we feel like can compete every year and then it's about in that moment, we're making those plays and finding a way to win that game."

The "this" Campbell is referring to is sticking with a lot of the homegrown nucleus that has made the Lions successful in recent years. In particular, giving Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell long-term extensions.

Detroit now has nine players making at least $20 million annually. Spending at that level does complicate building depth on the roster, which is part of why players like David Montgomery, Alex Anzalone and Taylor Decker are no longer on the roster.

The Lions led the NFL with 27 wins over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, but they fell back to earth last season with nine victories. They did extend their streak of consecutive winning seasons to four, but missed the playoffs due in part to a 2-4 divisional record.

The NFC North was the only division to have all four teams finish over .500, marking just the second time that has happened since the NFL went to the current eight-division format in 2002.

If there's a reason for Campbell to remain optimistic, it's because the bulk of the Lions' offensive core that scored the fourth-most points in the NFL last season remains intact.

The biggest area for the Lions to improve is defense after finishing 22nd in points allowed. The schedule does line up favorably for them to start fast with just one game against a team that had a winning record last season (at Buffalo Bills in Week 2) in the first five weeks before their bye in Week 6.