Dan Campbell is one of the four Detroit Lions nominees for NFL Coach of the Year.
The NFL and the Associated Press revealed on Thursday that two players and two coaches from the Lions had been chosen finalists for season-long accolades.Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator, was named a finalist for Assistant Coach of the Year, and Dan Campbell was nominated a finalist for Coach of the Year.
Two of the Lions’ top three draft choices in 2023, tight end Sam LaPorta and running back Jahmyr Gibbs, were both selected as Offensive Rookie of the Year finalists.
Three days prior to the Super Bowl, on February 8, at 9 p.m. in Las Vegas, during the NFL Honors event, which will be broadcast on CBS and the NFL Network, will determine the winner of each award, which includes five nominees.
Along with Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers, John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens, DeMeco Ryans of the Houston Texans, and Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns, Campbell was one of the five contenders chosen for the Coach of the Year award.
Regards, Coach Dan Campbell’s mentor, Bill Parcells, gave him this crucial piece of wisdom.After thirty years, Campbell guided the Lions to their first division crown and trip to the NFC championship game.
Campbell, who has won 22 of his past 27 games going back to 2022, is vying for the trophy for the first time. In 1991, the final season, the Lions made it to the NFC championship game. Wayne Fontes was the last coach to earn the honor for the team.
For the second time in as many seasons, Johnson is a candidate for Assistant Coach of the Year. Along with former Lions coach Jim Schwartz of the Cleveland Browns, offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik of the Houston Texans, defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald of the Ravens, and offensive coordinator Todd Monken of the Ravens, he is one of five contenders.
Johnson lost out to Ryans, the defensive coordinator for San Francisco at the time, for the honor the previous season. Johnson might become the first assistant coach for the Lions to win the honor since it began in 2014.
LOS MONARREZ: Since he was seven years old, Jared Goff has managed pressure in the Bay Area. The 49ers shouldn’t worry him, then.
For the second straight season, Johnson’s offense finished near the top of most NFL offensive statistical categories.
He is a strong contender for one of the few available head coaching vacancies. The Lions finished sixth in scoring (27.1 points per game), fifth in rushing (135.9 rushing yards per game), second in passing (258.9 passing yards per game), and third in total offense (394.8 yards per game) during the 2023 regular season.
Additionally, he enabled quarterback Jared Goff, who has had a stellar season leading the Lions’ offense, to take another step forward.
Gibbs and LaPorta were two more offensive weapons that Johnson was aware of. General manager Brad Holmes chose those guys after trading the Los Angeles Rams’ No. 6 pick to move down to No. 12 and take a pick at the top of the second round, which resulted in two significant offensive contributors.
Along with Rams receiver Puka Nacua, Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson, Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, and LaPorta, Gibbs and LaPorta are the finals. The first rookie to earn the award for the Lions since Barry Sanders in 1989 would be Gibbs or LaPorta if they won offensive rookie of the year.
After assuming the starting role right out of the draft, LaPorta went on to set an NFL record for the most catches by a rookie tight end. LaPorta caught 86 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns in 17 games this season. In his first two playoff games, he caught 12 passes for 79 yards and one touchdown.
ODDS: 49ers vs. Lions, the underdog What does their past performance tell us about their chances?
Gibbs has been an explosive weapon out of the backfield after a sluggish start to the season. On 182 attempts, he gained 945 yards and 10 touchdowns.
His performance in the Lions’ victory over the Bucs to advance to the NFC title game was crucial. He ran for 31 yards on the scoreboard and gained 74 yards on nine runs, in addition to adding four receptions for 40 yards.
Today, Campbell received yet another honor: the 101 Awards named him NFC Coach of the Year. One hundred and one sportswriters cast votes for this award. Ryans emerged victorious in the AFC.
