Dan Campbell Hopes Lions Regain Salty Edge in 2026 Season

Success can have multiple effects on an NFL team.

Sometimes, teams get the winning taste but are unable to sustain it. Other times, teams remain consistent but are unable to get over the hump, and in rare cases they're able to sustain it over a period of time and build a dynasty.

After winning back-to-back division championships, the Detroit Lions regressed in 2025 and finished in last place in their division. Now, head coach Dan Campbell is looking for the answer to get his team back to the top of the division and in contention for championships.

For the sixth-year coach, it starts with regaining that mojo that teams played with earlier in his tenure. That entails having talented players who play with an edge, a mantra that the Lions adopted as 'Salty' with coaches and staff wearing shirts that bore the word.

At the annual league meetings in Arizona this week, Campbell referenced the saltiness that players played with in previous years. Heading into 2026, he hopes the returning players as well as the incoming free agents possess that edge.

“You want to get guys that fit what you’re about and they’ve got something to prove. That fits the rest of those guys in that locker room that we know are gonna be here long term. That’s what we’re about, and getting back to a little bit of that. Everybody wants talent, but it’s always nice to have a little bit of saltiness to you over the talent that lacks saltiness because that’s what we were in ’22, and a little bit of ’23.

After a tough first season, Campbell's second season started poorly to the point where there were concerns about his future. However, he and the organization were able to turn teh 1-6 start into a 9-8 finish that saw the team come up one win short of the postseason.

The following year, the Lions reached the brink of their first Super Bowl appearance before falling in the NFC Championship game. They had another strong year in 2024, finishing 15-2 before losing in the Divisional Round, then took a step back in 2025.

By regaining that motivation and edge that set those previous teams apart, Campbell believes the Lions can get right back to where they were in prior years.

"We had talent, but we had some salty guys and we were highly competitive. We were willing to make it work, figure it out, so just getting a little bit of that edge back," Campbell said. "Some of that comes with youth. Now, with youth, you’re gonna have some of the stuff that gets frustrating, but we believe we can get them there as a staff and with the rest of the players we have around them.”