The Detroit Lions Renaissance… (Lions Rebuild Timeline)

The Detroit Lions were the face of losing in the NFL for years. [Music] The out. You guys are a disgrace to me.

Before this past year, the Lions had a playoff record of 1 and 12 with that one playoff win coming 30 years ago in 1991. They've had countless Hall of Famers in those 32 years, but just weren't able to land the extra pieces needed to get them over the hump. So, with a change in front office that no one has talked about, bringing in one of the best GM and coaching duos and turning a failed quarterback into an elite one, he's probably the best bang for your buck guy going right now outside of maybe rookies.

And then right now, he's the best guy in the league when it comes to just play that play. They've managed to become the best team in the NFC. But how did they do that?

How did the Detroit Lions use free agency, the draft, and a blockbuster trade to turn this franchise from perennial losers to championship contenders in an NFC Goliath. Here's the timeline of how the Detroit Lions completed the fastest turnaround in NFL history. Now, to understand how we got to this point, we have to go all the way back to the Caldwell era.

Things were looking promising for the Lions, having finally found a successful coach in Caldwell and only having one losing record in his four-year tenure with the team. And during the 2014 season, the influence of Jim Caldwell improved the Lions drastically from the previous two seasons. Touting the league's second best defense, the Lions posted an 11 and5 record and made the playoffs for the first time in 4 years.

However, the Lions suffered a controversial 24 to20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in the wildard round. And during Caldwell's time with the Lions, events would take place that would alter the franchise history forever and in the worst ways possible. We start tonight with sad news that will impact our entire state as we are learning about the death of the owner of our Detroit Lions.

He has died, William Clay Ford. This is huge news for the Lions. The Lions announcing today, Leon, that they will, when the time is appropriate, announces as far as the ownership status who will be running the franchise.

But it was later announced that the controlling interest of the franchise would be passed down to Ford's widow, Martha. And once in her hands, things began to completely unravel and make decisions that would ultimately jeopardize that family forever. I mean, when she took over, the team's front office was completely disconnected from the coaching staff and personnel, not having a clue of what was going on each and every Sunday at Ford Field.

And due to this, they could never surround their superstars with more talent and caused the shocking retirement of one of the greatest Detroit Lions of all time. Breaking right now, it is the news that most of us knew was coming, but simply did not want to believe it. Detroit Lions wide receiver Kelvin Johnson has retired from the NFL.

The report is this morning that Calvin Johnson, one of the great wide receiver talents in the history of the National Football League, is going to retire. Calvin Johnson's gone, 30 years old, two trips to the playoffs, never won a playoff game. And also, I think all the losing finally took its toll on Calvin Johnson.

Also, after Johnson's departure, this team really had no weapons yet again around another perennial superstar that the team had in Matt Stafford. But to everyone's surprise, they managed to put together a 9-7 record with eight of them being fourth quarter come from behind victories, making it at the last moments into the playoffs. But in the playoffs, it was the same old Lions running into the Seattle Seahawks who would absolutely demolish them 26-6.

Heading into the 2017 season, the team would draft key players to fill in holes in their offense and defense. And during the 2017 season, the young team was moving in the right direction, putting together another 9-7 record and barely missing the playoffs. But then the disconnected front office would step in and do one of the most questionable things they would ever do.

Earlier today, we informed Tom Lewan and Martin Mayhew that they may have been relieved of their responsibilities with the team. feel like there was a need and change in the leadership of this team and starting today I'll be leading that search um to hire a new head coach for the Lions. Many people at the time were confused for the firing because from the outside it looked like Caldwell was doing everything right.

Number two defense in 2014. We was Oh, y'all were fighting. Yeah, man.

And and it was just like he gave us that that go that lead to man. Go ahead and just play ball, man, and have fun doing it. He made football fun.

But losing three times in the first round in his four years as head coach just didn't sit well with the front office and they chose to move on. But then on January 8th, the darkest era of the 2010s for the Lions would begin. The news regarding the Lions vacant position.

The Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is likely to become the Detroit Lions next head coach. Maybe about 12 hours after the conclusion of Super Bowl 52, Detroit did make it official by making former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia its new head coach. At first, there was a lot of hype around Patricia being hired as a head coach having been a great defensive coordinator inside the Patriots dynasty.

And I mean, honestly, looking at the roster going into the 2018 season, it was pretty bad outside of Matthew Stafford. But with their new head coach and identity on the field, the city of Detroit and around the league had high hopes for the team coming into the season. Yet, even with all that hope, it's safe to say they fell flat on their face.

And it was pretty bad, too. Well, they they fired a playoff coach, right? He hasn't made the playoffs, right?

And and that was the thing, you know, they said nine and seven wasn't wasn't good enough. And and and in this league, I'm there's a lot of teams that, you know, would would would love to be nine and seven, have a shot to make the playoffs. Matt Patricia sucks.

Matt Patricia sucks. Matt Patricia sucks. Having said that, he is arguably, I think, the worst coach in Detroit Lions history.

It had gotten so bad that Bob Quinn didn't know what to do. I mean, Matt Patricia had completely lost the locker room and had a horrendous impact on the Lions franchise as a whole. During training camp, it was reported that he was one of the most toxic and worst leaders players had ever been coached by.

um he had posted a picture off my Instagram into the team meeting room and um told me to stop sucking this man private. So I said, you know, I'm like what? The story that I walked away focused on Max Kellerman is that Matt Patricia is somebody that needs to lose his job.

He's got to go. And to add even more fuel to this fire, in his four years while he was coaching from 2018 to 2020, he never managed to win more than six games and would manage to only demolish the culture that was built by Jim Caldwell. Matt Patricia could win 24 straight games and still have a worse winning percentage and have more losses than Jim Cwell did in his four years as head coach.

Not only that, he then went on to put together some of the worst draft classes in Lions history despite having a top 10 pick in two of those three years. And I mean, the most confusing part about all of this was that after going 312 and one in 2019, Martha Ford and Bob Quinn decided to not fire Patricia before the 2020 season. It was one of the strangest moves a front office had ever done, and some people began even to question what the Lions front office was actually doing.

But on June 23rd, 2020, everything for the Lions would change as the first and possible, I think, most important savior of the Lions would arrive. We have some breaking news in the NFL world revolving around the Detroit Troy Lions. Martha handed off the club to her daughter, Sheila Ford Hamp.

Sheila Ford Hamp. Chris has a chance to be the one to turn around a team that has been never to a Super Bowl, not to a a a playoff victory since 1991. So there there's a there's a low bar in relation to what she's inheriting.

We'll see how high she can move the bar up. Sheila Ford had a front row seat to the disaster her mother had let go on for the past 3 years with Quinn and Patricia at the helm. So on November 28th, 2020, Sheila Ford would take matters into her own hands and make the best decision the franchise had made in years.

Lions head coach Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn are out in Detroit. You better go find a leader, someone that has foresight, someone that understands that city, someone that understands the the frustration of that city. Patricia was succeeded by the Lions offensive coordinator Darren Brall who served as interimm head coach for the remainder of the season.

Ultimately the Lions would finish the season with a 5-11 record. But the burning question she now had to answer was who would be the next GM and head coach of the Detroit Lions. The Lions have a new general manager and now investing in what's worked for the Rams.

And I say that with confidence because Brad Holmes has worked his entire 18 years in the NFL for the St. Louis and now Los Angeles Rams. We got some more breaking news this morning on a Wednesday.

Dan Campbell is a head coach in the NFL again. And Dan Campbell being a head coach for the Detroit Lions is good for everybody. Is it going to be good for the Lions organization?

I mean, TBD, it was simple. Sheila Ford wanted to change the culture in Detroit and have a more collaborative effort with the front office and coaching staff. And that's exactly what she did.

Bringing in a GM from a recent rebuild in the LA Rams organization and being a scout for them too. Brad Holmes was determined to take what he had learned from them and apply it to the Lions organization to rebuild their roster and to start their new era. On March 18th, 2021, the Lions would make an unheard of blockbuster trade.

Breaking news here on CBS Sports HQ and it is monster news. Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Rams for quarterback Jared Goff. a first round pick in 2022, a first round pick in 2023, and a third round pick in 2021.

The trade would absolutely send shock waves through the NFL. Many people had thought that Goff had become a very inconsistent quarterback for the Rams over the years and honestly that he might be a transition quarterback to hold the Lions over until they got a franchise guy. But it's proven now that he is much more than just a holdover.

On top of this, the Lions also got two future first round draft picks in 2022 and 2023. And now, while we fast forward to the draft, many people honestly think that they should have drafted Justin Fields with that draft selection they had. And who knows, maybe he does end up becoming a Hall of Famer with the Steelers somehow, even though he's just a really good running back that plays quarterback.

But at the same time, I think people could argue that Penn Seaw is also on the Hall of Fame trajectory. The Lions would make a major splash landing studs Penn seventh overall and getting one of the biggest steals from the draft class in Aman Ross St. Brown.

Heading into the 2021 season, although they had a very young roster, they were still developing and growing into the team as we know them today. But one thing was for certain, the culture in Detroit was changing for the better. Sadly though, things weren't looking great when the team started 010 and 1 in their first 11 games.

So, something needed to change and someone was on the chopping block. But who? The Detroit Lions no longer have Anthony Lynn as offensive coordinator with the Lions coaching staff.

Fast forward not even two months, Ben Johnson now promoted as the OC of the Detroit Lions. I just, you know, I I just think it didn't it just wasn't a fit. We just, you know, you want it to be um but I think it just we never found our groove or our rhythm.

To everyone's surprise, after the switch up offensive coordinator, the Lions went on to win three out of their last six games of the 2021 season wrapping up the season 313-1. And while on paper it should be considered a disappointment, there were many bright spots to be excited for as a Lions fan. Aman Ross St.

Brown had begun emerging as an elite receiver, not only for his team, but in the NFL and breaking numerous records along the way. Along with that, Penna Seawol had proved to be a top tackle in the league and become the offense's vocal and emotional leader and has been the face of aggression and physicality that has marked the current Detroit Lions. Dan Campbell had completely revitalized the Detroit Lions franchise on the field and people were taking notice of how much he cared about this team.

And I got a plan. I swear to you, all I think about is you guys. That's all I think about, man.

That's all Iinging think about is you guys and how I set you up for the best possible the best possible advantage I can give you to have a season. I swear to you, man. I just need you to trust me.

That's all. Coming into the 2022 draft, there was much speculation about who the Lions would get to draft. One thing was for certain, though.

Dan Campbell was going to prioritize the defensive side of the ball. Would it be the explosive freak out of Georgia, the Heisman runnerup from Michigan, or would the Lions surprise everyone and take the speed rusher out of Oregon? Hey, where to be a line with the second pick?

After selecting the superstar edge rusher out of Michigan, the Lions would then land the speedster in Jameson Williams out of Alabama and yet again struck some gold with some late round draft steels. Everything was looking up. The team was coming together.

They had a new top tier offensive coordinator, a rising wide receiver, and Aman Ross St. Brown. Their coach was doing updowns with them, and their defense was coming together, too.

But after assembling such a wellthoughtout staff and team early in the 2022 season, the worst thing possible would happen to Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions. All leading up to an Eagles win over the Lions. His back foot.

He heaves it downfield and Matellis does pick it off and the Vikings are going to get to two and one. Seahawks will go on to two and two and the Lions will fall to one and three. Chanting for Bailey Zappy.

Was a big thing for Dan to come back to Dallas. Was hoping to pull off the big shot. Tyreek Hill 12 catches 188 yds.

Following the 1-7 start, the Lions then went on to do what at the time seemed like a very questionable thing and almost looked as if the Lions were giving up on the season. A another trade in the division for Quiad Fmensa, our only good player. One, do it in the division.

Top 10 pick in the NFL draft. It we're sending him. But what people didn't realize is that this was all a part of the plan and how Brad Holmes wanted to build this team through the draft and trust that process.

And as we all know, we would get that star tight end one year later. But more on him in a little. After the trade, there was so much hate on Dan Campbell and the Lions.

How about the Lions? Just I don't know what they're doing. Yeah.

Like literally same old Lions. That's tough. I mean, that's tough.

I mean, that's tough to sell tickets. We're sending a message. You know what?

We'll let you go pay him. We'll take the picks. We'll move on.

And that's what happened here. I think Detroit's freaking crazy for thinking that way. Everyone was thinking, would this be the same old Lions and they would slip back into their losing ways and ultimately fail?

But Dan Campbell managed to rally the boys and the Lions would go on to win eight out of their last 10 games and barely miss out on the playoffs due to tiebreakers. And Dan, the team found out shortly before kickoff that you were eliminated from the playoffs. We have seen some huge defensive plays.

How motivated are you guys? Yeah, we just we don't want them to go. So that's our motivation.

And although it was a nine- win season, something that they had achieved just a few seasons prior, this one felt different and came with a fresh energy in Detroit. And coming into the 2023 draft, the Detroit Lions yet again would hit it out of the park, somehow managing again to find some of the best value in the draft at the spots they were at. And as mentioned earlier, the Lions would finally land their superstar tight end.

Busy 34th pick in the 2023 NFL draft. The Detroit Lions select Sam Leaporta, tight end Iowa. Now fully looking back at the Jared Goff and Stafford trade, the Lions were able to turn all of those picks into star players like Jameson Williams, Jamir Gibbs, Sam Laaporta, and Brick Martin, and even Josh Pel.

They then went on to sign key pieces in free agency in Chanty Gardner Johnson, Alex Analone, and more. This Lions team was ready to turn heads in the 2023 season. And what better way to kick off the season than that they were given the tall task of taking on Goliath in the current dynasty in the NFL.

The Lions came in as four-point underdogs and nobody in their right mind thought that the Lions could do the unthinkable. Go into Arrowhead on the night of their crowning and dethrone the reigning champions. But that's exactly what they did and proved everybody wrong with a little help from Cadaras Tony too.

You could say after that monumental win, it had put the team on the map and showed just how dangerous this Lions team was and how the Lions players had completely bought into Dan Campbell's way. And on Christmas Eve, the Detroit Lions would give the city of Detroit a Christmas gift they hadn't received in more than 30 years. The Detroit Lions with their first division title since 1993.

finish off the year going 12-5 looking like one of the most elite teams in the league, ready to take down the super team of the ners or Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Even players were filling into their roles, buying into Dan Campbell's way, proving everyone wrong and fully beginning their ascension as a top contender in the NFC. To kick off the 2023 playoffs, the Lions hosted their first home playoff game in over 30 years and featured one of the biggest storylines of Wildcard Weekend.

A ghost from the past comes creeping back right on time. What's more significant in the psyche? Is it the the reunion for Stafford or the revenge factor, which is where I'm leaning for Goff who had done just about everything he could possibly do and was told, "You're just not good enough.

" He doesn't get frazzled when things don't go right or we're not quite in a rhythm and that's what I love about him. Moment's never too big for him. You know, this feels like we've been waiting for quite some time to get these opportunities and Fordfield will be rocking and it'll be fun.

Welcoming in their beloved Matthew Stafford in the LA Rams in what would be one of the best games of the playoffs. The Lions look to be in complete control the entire game, never trailing. And when the Lions needed to make a big play with two minutes left in the game and the game on the line, Dan Campbell would put all the trust into his star quarterback Jared Goff.

2 minutes to go. There's Goff back looking looking. Throws.

It is caught. A Ros Brown first down. That's going to do it.

That's going to do it. That's going to do it. Jared Goff delivers against his former team.

After being written off as a bust in a quarterback with confidence issues and not a big game quarterback, Jared Goff went out and delivered when his team needed him the most and helped the Lions win their first playoff game in 32 years and send shock waves through the NFL. In the divisional round, the Lions would welcome in Baker Mayfield in the redhot Buccaneers and yet again, the Lions would never let them lead and in doing so advanced to the conference championship game for the first time since 1991. No one could believe it.

Would the Lions make it to their first ever Super Bowl? Could this be their year? Ultimately costing them a chance at their first ever Super Bowl birth.

The Lions just have to look themselves in the mirror and say, "Why'd we lose this game? " We gave it to them. They absolutely gifted this game.

Not everybody can come here. You not everybody can play for us. Uh but that group can.

And they do things a certain way and they respect the game. They respect their teammates. And that's what I'm most proud of.

I'll go to war with those guys any day. It was a heartbreaking way to end the 2023 season, but at the same time, one thing was for certain, though. The Lions have been able to completely turn around this failed franchise, proving just how important a well-run office is to a franchise.

Been an amazing series we're looking for next year. Obviously, we wish we' have won. Hey, we can't complain.

Live by the sword, we die. You know, Detroit has not made this far in forever. I'm so proud of my my my hometown.

I think they did a great had a great season. Next year, they're going to be better. and have not only Campbell and Holmes to thank for this, but Sheila Ford most importantly and even from this Reddit post is looked at as the Lions Luke Skywalker and chosen one.

And now the Lions look like they are primed and ready to dominate the NFC for years to come. But as always, I want to know what you guys think. Let me know down in the comments section below.

Are the Lions going to make it back to the NFC Championship game this year? What do you think their record's going to be? Honestly, for me, I think that they're going to be like a 12- win team, but the NFC North with Jordan Love kind of doing his ascension now, it's going to be a tough division to win for them consistently, but at least we'll have a good Packers Lions game again.

So, let me know in the comments section below. And if you haven't, join my Discord also. We're doing monthly giveaways.

We're talking ball and doing community hangouts in there, too.