The Super Bowl has concluded, allowing the Detroit Lions to concentrate on the NFL offseason. The 2024 campaign was quite a journey for Dan Campbell and his team as the Lions transformed the Motor City into believers with a remarkable 15-2 regular-season performance, only to be unexpectedly knocked out by the Washington Commanders in the Division Round.
Naturally, Lions fans and players are extremely disheartened by the way the previously hopeful season concluded. The annoyance has escalated to a level where one of Detroit’s rising stars has communicated his expectations for his teammates in 2025.
Lions Update: Brian Branch Responds to Eagles’ Super Bowl Victory
Fewer than 24 hours after Super Bowl 59 concluded, Lions safety Brian Branch took to X to share his ambitious hopes for the team in the upcoming season.
“No justifications next year…” Branch shared a post on Monday afternoon.
Despite the Lions experiencing considerable success last season, Branch’s disappointment (and drive to excel next year) is completely reasonable. Detroit transitioned from playing in the 2023-24 NFC Championship Game to suffering a defeat against the Commanders by 14 points a year later, marking a notable decline.
That said, excuses usually aren’t accepted while Campbell is in charge. The 48-year-old head coach stated after last month’s playoff elimination that the Lions succeed and fail together, and that shifting blame will not be accepted.
Luckily, Campbell provides the Lions with a chance to create an impact in any season he is coaching. The Kansas City Chiefs (78.4%), Philadelphia Eagles (76.5%), and Buffalo Bills (74.0%) are the only teams with a higher win percentage than the Lions (70.6%) in the past three seasons.
Unless a significant offseason injury affects several key players, Detroit will rank among the NFL’s elite teams next season.
The departure of coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn was a significant setback this offseason, but that doesn’t imply the Lions can’t manage without them. Campbell has demonstrated that he maximizes the potential of both his players and his coaching staff.
Ultimately, someone will arise to fill the gaps that Johnson and Glenn created.
All indications suggest that competitive football will return to Detroit next season. As their offseason progresses, the Lions now possess the fifth-best Super Bowl 60 odds (+1000) according to FanDuel Sportsbook.