Drew Petzing: It Was ‘No-Brainer’ To Join Lions’ Coaching Staff

When the opportunity arose to become the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, Drew Petzing didn’t need much convincing.

In fact, after diving into the roster and studying the film, he described the decision to join Dan Campbell’s staff as a “no-brainer.”

“It was just so impressive, the production they’ve had from so many different positions here over the last couple years,” Petzing said in a one-on-one interview with DetroitLions.com beat reporter Tim Twentyman. “And it speaks to the culture Dan’s built and the system they’ve built here, and what Brad (Holmes) has been able to do from a roster perspective is really impressive.”

Petzing arrives in Detroit after spending the past three seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals.

His time in Arizona produced a mixed bag of statistical results, including a 2025 campaign in which the Cardinals ranked 23rd in points scored and 19th in total yards. On the surface, those numbers may not immediately inspire confidence for a Lions team intent on maintaining one of the league’s most productive offenses.

However, context is critical.

Arizona endured significant instability at quarterback in 2025.

Kyler Murray was limited to just five games, while journeyman signal-caller Jacoby Brissett handled the majority of the starts.

That kind of turnover at the game’s most important position inevitably impacts an offense’s rhythm and overall production.

Where Petzing truly stood out was in his adaptability and willingness to tailor his system to the strengths of the Cardinals’ personnel.

Under his watch, Arizona leaned heavily into tight end usage, leading the NFL in snaps out of 13 personnel over a three-year span.

Tight end Trey McBride flourished in that system, posting a career-best 126 catches for 1,239 yards in 2025.

That success should bode well for Lions Pro Bowl tight end Sam LaPorta, who could be positioned for an even more dynamic role in Petzing’s scheme.

Meanwhile, from a ground game perspective, Petzing demonstrated the ability to orchestrate an efficient and productive run attack when key personnel were healthy. Running back James Conner, in fact, averaged 93 rushing yards per game under Petzing in 2023 and 2024 while healthy.

Now, Petzing inherits a backfield featuring the dynamic duo of the electric Jahmyr Gibbs and the bruising David Montgomery – a tandem that already ranks among the NFL’s best.

For Petzing, the fit in Detroit goes beyond scheme, too.

“For me, it was so many different reasons, just from a philosophy standpoint, a culture standpoint, a roster standpoint,” Petzing said of why it made sense to join the Lions. “They’ve done such a good job of building the foundation of this team, in terms of their belief in what it takes to win football games. It was just a great opportunity for me, and I would like to think my belief, in terms of how games should be won, how you should play the game, offensive scheme and how you interact with people on a daily basis, showed through, and I just think it felt natural right from the get-go.”

As from a scheme standpoint, Petzing likes to establish the run and then attack defenses with play-action concepts. It’s an approach which should mesh seamlessly with Detroit signal-caller Jared Goff’s strengths.

Goff has thrived in structured, timing-based systems that emphasize a balanced offensive attack.

Petzing, meanwhile, has already come away impressed with the veteran quarterback.

“He’s a great guy, someone you’re going to want to be around and work with every day,” the new Lions OC said of Goff. “But (I was) really just impressed with his knowledge of the game, the experience he can pull from, and really his work ethic and the way he goes about his job has been really impressive.”

At the heart of Petzing’s philosophy is adaptability.

“I think the best version of any offense ultimately is going to be built around the players,” he said. “I think that’s so critical to the success we want to have in any building. And here in Detroit, they have so many core players that have played the game at such a high level that if we’re doing things the way we need to, those guys are affecting the game week in and week out and allowing us to put up one more point than the other team.”

That sentiment should resonate well in Detroit, where the prolific offensive production has been fueled by the team’s plethora of weapons, including receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams and the aforementioned Gibbs, Montgomery and LaPorta.

Creativity and versatility are also core elements of his approach.

“If you have to go the same well every time to win games or produce points, you know, we’re at a time in the NFL where defenses are going to pick up on that,” Petzing expressed. “They’re going to find ways to take it away, force you to do something else. And I think that creativity and flexibility to adapt, to be who you need to be when you want to be that, is so important to winning football games.”

Perhaps that’s why, once Petzing truly examined Detroit’s roster, the choice became clear.

The weapons, the system and the culture made the opportunity too good to resist.

And now he has the keys to one of the league’s most high-octane offensive attacks. It’s an offense which is certainly built to contend, and one that aligns perfectly with his own philosophy.

For Petzing, it wasn’t just another coaching job in the NFL. It was the right job.