Detroit Lions hand contracts extensions to Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes — no-brainer move (2024)

Dave BirkettDetroit Free Press

The men who built the Detroit Lions into Super Bowl contenders will be around for at least another four years to see if they can finish the job.

The Lions announced on Thursday contract extensions with general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell, expected moves after the team's renaissance 12-5 season. Both deals run through 2027.

The Lions won their first division title in 30 years last season and won a playoff game for the first time since 1991. They beat the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round, 24-23, and followed with a 31-23 divisional playoff win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They then lost a 17-point halftime lead to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship game in a 34-31 defeat.

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"We are thrilled to have Brad and Dan under contract for the next four seasons,” Lions owner Sheila Hamp said in a statement released by the team. “They have been the driving force behind the rebuild of our football team and the success that we have enjoyed. The continuity they provide for our football program will continue to be the key to our future success on the field."

Holmes and Campbell were hired in parallel searches after the 2020 season and have worked together to construct one of the best rosters in the NFL.

Holmes, who had two years left on his original contract, traded Matthew Stafford to the Rams for Jared Goff and three draft picks in one of his first acts as GM, and has added cornerstone players Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Aidan Hutchinson through the draft.

Goff, St. Brown and Sewell all could get long-term extensions this offseason.

Campbell, who had three years left on his original deal, has gone 24-16 as Lions coach since an 0-10-1 start. He's ranked among the NFL leaders in win probability added in each of his three seasons, and finished third in Coach of the Year voting for 2023.

[ MUST LISTEN: Make "Carlos and Shawn" your go-to Detroit sports podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]

Holmes was named Executive of the Year by the Pro Football Writers Association, an unofficial NFL award.

"It really speaks to the stability and how much confidence Sheila has in Dan and Brad," Lions linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin said. "I think it’s dope they get a little bit richer."

Though Holmes and Campbell had never met before the Lions' search, they've built a strong bond in Detroit.

Holmes wore a sweatshirt with Campbell's picture on it at last year's draft — "This is my brother, this is my guy," he said — and Campbell donned a T-shirt his wife had made with a picture of Holmes a few weeks later.

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Campbell said in January he knew he and Holmes would hit it off "the first phone call we ever had."

"For a first phone call for somebody you don’t know, yet we had mutual contacts. We have people that both of us, we have mutual friends that we have a lot of trust in and it was – I could tell it was it felt like it was going to be right," Campbell said. "And then once I got around him, it was, man I – you could – I could feel that early. It’s one of those, 'Well, if this is who he is and this doesn’t change, we’re going to be just fine.' And sure enough, he’s everything that I thought he was going to be from those first meetings."

The Lions also announced a multi-year extension Thursday for Chris Spielman, special assistant to the president/CEO and chairperson.

Spielman, along with Hamp, president Rod Wood and chief operating officer Mike Disner, led the coaching search that brought Holmes and Campbell to Detroit, and performs a variety of roles for the team.

“I could not be more proud of the work that Brad, Dan and Chris have done for our organization,” Wood said in a statement released by the team. “They have selflessly worked together to build a winning culture within the Lions. I am excited to continue working with them to create the sustained success that we envision for the team, our fans, and the city of Detroit."

Celebrate the Lions' special season with our new commemorative book: “From Grit to Glory: The Epic Story of the Detroit Lions’ 2023 Renaissance." Order now to save 25% off the cover price by visiting Lions.PictorialBook.com to secure your copy!

Contact Dave Birkett atdbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him @davebirkett.

Detroit Lions hand contracts extensions to Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes — no-brainer move (2024)

FAQs

Detroit Lions hand contracts extensions to Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes — no-brainer move? ›

DETROIT – The Detroit Lions announced today that the club has agreed to contract extensions for Executive Vice President and General Manager Brad Holmes and Head Coach Dan Campbell. Both agreed to multi-year extensions that will keep them with the team through the 2027 season.

What is Dan Campbell's contract? ›

Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes are now both under contract through the 2027 season.

Who have the Detroit Lions signed in free agency? ›

Lions 2024 free agency tracker: Offseason moves, signings
  • Kevin Zeitler, G. Zeitler is signing a one-year deal with the Lions, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. ...
  • DJ Reader, DT. ...
  • Graham Glasgow, G. ...
  • Marcus Davenport, DE. ...
  • Amik Robertson, CB. ...
  • Dan Skipper, OT.
Mar 18, 2024

Who is the CEO of the Detroit Lions? ›

Biography. As Detroit Lions Team President and CEO, Rod Wood oversees all football and business operations of the Lions organization and reports directly to Principal Owner and Chair Sheila Ford Hamp. He was originally appointed Team President on Nov.

What is Dan Campbell's contract with the Lions? ›

General manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell both agreed to contract extensions that will keep them with the Lions through the 2027 season, the team announced on Thursday.

How much is Dan Campbell contract with the Lions? ›

NFL coach salaries are not made public, but reports from multiple outlets suggest Campbell makes roughly $4 million annually. He's in the middle of a six-year deal with the Lions that he originally signed in 2021.

How many draft picks do Lions have in 2024? ›

The home team for the 2024 NFL draft, the Detroit Lions, has eight picks this year, including four among the first 100.

How much cap do the Lions have? ›

That means, $255.4M + $3.5M + even = Lions maximum salary cap approximately $258.9M for the 2024 season. In the offseason, teams are allowed to expand their rosters to 90 players but only the top 51 contracts count against the salary cap.

What moves have the Lions made? ›

Detroit Lions Transactions 2024
DATETRANSACTION
March 27, 2024Re-signed QB Nate Sudfeld.
March 21, 2024Released CB Cameron Sutton.
March 19, 2024Signed WR Donovan Peoples-Jones and G Kevin Zeitler to contracts.
March 15, 2024Signed LS Scott Daly, DE D.J. Reader and DB Khalil Dorsey.
6 more rows

Does the Ford family still own the Lions? ›

Sheila Ford Hamp (née Sheila Firestone Ford; born October 31, 1951) is an American businesswoman and football executive. A descendant of both the Ford and Firestone families, she is the principal owner and chairwoman of the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL).

Who did Ford buy the Lions from? ›

A minority owner and team president of the Detroit Lions since 1961, Ford took advantage of a power struggle between Edwin J. Anderson and D. Lyle Fife to acquire total control of the franchise by buying out the other 144 shareholders for $4.5 million, equivalent to $44.8 million in 2023.

Who owns Lions NFL team? ›

Sheila Ford Hamp

How long is Campbell's contract? ›

CURRENT CONTRACT

Jack Campbell signed a 5 year, $25,000,000 contract with the Edmonton Oilers on Jul. 13, 2022. The contract has a cap hit of $5,000,000.

What is the average salary of an NFL coach? ›

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Nfl Coaches Jobs
CityAnnual SalaryHourly Wage
Santa Clara, CA$53,053$25.51
Pasadena, CA$52,472$25.23
San Diego, CA$52,369$25.18
Washington, DC$52,004$25.00
6 more rows

How much does Campbell make with the Oilers? ›

Campbell signed a five-year, $25 million contract with the Oilers during free agency prior to the 2022-23 season. Campbell has four years remaining on his contract, worth an average annual value of $5 million per season.

How much does the Dallas Cowboy coach make? ›

News: Currently in the NFL, Mike McCarthy, the Dallas Cowboys' head coach, is creating a significant impact. He inked a lucrative contract with the Cowboys in 2020 that sees him earn an annual salary ranging from $4 million to $7 million for five years.

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