NFL Analyst Explores If Dan Campbell Will End Up on Hot Seat in 2026

With the NFC North being one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL, theres pressure on the Detroit Lions to improve quickly.

After finishing in last place in the division and missing the playoffs, sixth-year coach Dan Campbell is eager to get the team back in the right direction. The goals remain high for the 2026 season, but the Lions have more to prove than in years past after a disappointing finish.

With how competitive the division was, as every team finished with a winning record, there's a risk of falling behind if strides are not made. The top two finishers in the division in 2024, the Lions and the Minnesota Vikings, finished at the bottom of the division in 2025.

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As a result, there are debates about which coach is under the most pressure in the 2025 season. Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio addressed the subject, noting that both Campbell and Minnesota's Kevin O'Connell could face concerns about their future with another down year.

“I think between Dan Campbell and Kevin O’Connell, if you don’t make the playoffs this year, next year could get weird, potentially, all depends on how badly this year goes," Florio said. "No one’s immune to getting fired if you have a 2-15, 1-16 debacle."

Campbell has built up plenty of good will during his tenure as the head coach, as he helped the team snap a 30-year drought without a division title and led them to back-to-back division crowns. He has the full support of ownership, and the fan base has produced largely positive reviews.

However, the team has also missed some opportunities in years past. They squandered a 17-point halftime lead in the NFC Championship game to the 49ers in 2023, then lost at home to the Washington Commanders as the 1 seed in the divisional round of the 2024 playoffs.

For Florio, that loss to the Commanders was a major turning point, and now the team faces the objective of regaining that positive momentum that Campbell had built in years past.

“Man, to step on a rake at home against the Commanders on a Saturday night when the table was set for you to go to the Super Bowl, finally. And that was the moment the balloon popped. Look they missed the playoffs last year," Florio said. "The balloon popped, they missed the playoffs, and now how much air can they put back into it this year? It’s gonna be, look, that’s a great division, top to bottom. All four teams in there are capable of winning it, and they’re capable of doing significant things in the postseason if they can stay healthy and if they can just get clicking.”

The Lions do have some factors working in their favor. After playing a schedule loaded with first-place teams last year, they will play a last-place schedule on account of their finish in the division.

Campbell also noted during the NFL's annual meetings that he hopes for the team to regain that edge that they had played with in previous years, and in doing so believes they will continue to perform at a high level.

The head coach has built up plenty of support in what had been a superb tenure prior to last year, but the NFL moves quickly. As a result, he could face some scrutiny regarding his job security if the Lions aren't able to bounce back effectively.

There are certainly factors to consider that led to the team's downfall last year, such as a number of significant injuries and some inconsistency down the stretch. As a result, it's hard to solely point to Campbell as the only reason for the team's lack of success in 2025.

Ultimately, his job should be safe even with another down year, but if the Lions aren't competing for the postseason, he could enter the 2027 season on the hot seat depending on the circumstances.