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Eric Woodyard
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Brad Holmes is already back to work.
Not even a full week has passed since the top-seeded Lions suffered an upset loss to the Washington Commanders in the NFC divisional round Saturday, but Detroit’s general manager and members of the organization no longer have the energy to waste any more time feeling sorry for themselves.
They’ve now lost offensive coordinator Ben Johnson (Chicago Bears) and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn (New York Jets) to head coaching jobs, and former defensive line coach Terrell Williams has also accepted a defensive coordinator position with the New England Patriots.
“There’s literally nothing else to do but pick yourself up and get back to work,” Holmes said during his end-of-season availability.
Despite all those sudden changes, Holmes isn’t expecting a drop-off in veteran quarterback Jared Goff‘s play after losing Johnson, or anyone else for that matter.
“I think the guy’s in his prime. He’s gotten better and better every year. And when I say prime, I think, like, just entering it,” Holmes said of Goff. “It’s because he keeps ascending. I think, like every single year we’ve been here, the next year, it’s been ‘Man, he’s playing at a high level.’ And the levels keep improving. Again, I just have a lot of faith in [head coach] Dan [Campbell], and I know that he’ll make sure that Jared’s going to be in a good position.”
With Johnson as the Lions’ offensive coordinator the past three seasons, Goff experienced a career revival in Detroit after being traded from the Los Angeles Rams. Johnson and Goff developed a close-knit bond to lead the organization to a franchise-best 15 wins in 2024 as Goff became the first player in NFL history to complete at least 72% of his passes and throw for more than 4,500 yards in a season.
On Thursday, Goff was named an MVP finalist by The Associated Press. He also received Pro Bowl honors for the fourth time in his career after ending with 4,629 passing yards with 37 touchdowns to 12 interceptions this season.
Holmes said he has the ultimate faith in Campbell, who was also named an AP Coach of the Year finalist, to fill those coordinator spots.
“Obviously we were prepared to lose those guys. Those guys were great coaches, and, I mean, just call it what it is, we were lucky to have both of them this year,” Holmes said. “But I know Dan has been preparing for it, and I have the full faith and trust in Dan to make sure we’re going to have the right people in place in those spots, and he’s had to encounter that before. Not at the coordinator level, but other position coaches, and it’s always worked out.”
During the process, Campbell plans to incorporate Goff’s input “a lot” in finding a new offensive coordinator to take over for Johnson.
“To me that’s important. That’s what Ben did a great job of, is those guys working together, and the system was kind of built from the ground up, and it was to help him and for him to be a part of,” Campbell said Monday. “And so, yeah, that’s huge, he’ll have a lot of input. What he says, says a lot to me, I should say. Now, is it going to be the ultimate decision? No, it’s not, but what he says is going to mean a lot to me.”
Like Campbell, Holmes doesn’t feel as if Detroit’s Super Bowl window has closed after losing in its playoff opener. He still feels the team is “very close” to winning a Super Bowl, and the process has already started for 2025 to make that happen.
“I just think that we just stay the course and keep building like we’ve been. I do think that we’re very close,” Holmes said. “Obviously, I thought we were very close this year, but nothing’s going to kind of alter what our approach has been in terms of trying to continue to improve and keep building.
“Obviously, I do think we’re very close, and I felt really good about this season but fell short, but we’re going to stay committed and stay committed to the process.”
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