Rod Wood, president of the Detroit Lions, predicts that the new jerseys will rank among the best in the NFL.The Detroit Lions’ first priority this season was to extend the contracts of its two star football players, which was an obvious choice.
At the Detroit Economic Club’s NFL draft panel, which was held Thursday afternoon at the Motor City Casino Hotel Sound Board for DEC members and students from local high schools and colleges, Lions president Rod Wood served as the event’s keynote speaker.
Wood talked about the anticipation for the draft that will take place in downtown, the Lions’ offseason, and the new uniform designs that will be revealed on April 18.
Before three journalists—Dave Birkett of the Free Press, Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic, and Will Burchfield of WXYT-FM—answered questions regarding the Lions’ prospective draft strategy, Wood was on a panel by himself.
Wood led a 20-minute Q&A session with Brad Galli, the sports director of WXYZ-TV station 7.The contract extensions for coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes that were revealed on March 14 were among the first queries Galli asked Wood.Wood stated that he thought about the extensions during the season and that they became a top concern when the offseason arrived.
According to Wood, we didn’t really get serious about talking until the season was done. Although I didn’t want to divert anyone’s attention, I couldn’t help but think about it because I knew where the season was going.
One of my goals was to get them both on the same end date. When we first hired them, Dan was given a six-year deal, and Brad was given a five-year contract.Dan and Brad have been extended by one and two years, respectively, meaning that they will be with us for at least the next four years and ideally much longer.
It was not long after the talks started until Holmes and Campbell signed. Wood claimed to have solid ties to the attorneys for Holmes and Campbell and to have sought to fairly represent them in the agreement and extend the contract.
considering the Lions’ 2023 success and the significance of the team’s leaders to the community.Wood stated, I know both of their agents well; we’ve worked together on past agreements. It was a win-win situation, and the entire process took about a week to complete.
It was not the drawn-out procedure that brought Campbell and Holmes to Detroit at the close of 2019 and the beginning of January 2020 when a new general manager and coach were being sought after.
Before deciding on Holmes and Campbell, Wood said the team conducted thorough interviews with 12 general managers and eight head coaches, spending an average of two to four hours, with the goal of establishing a long-lasting culture for the Lions.
In the first two minutes of the zoom interview, Wood noticed something about Holmes that made him decide to write a note designating him as the GM’s person.
opportunities because to his effortless computer screen communication of his personality, leadership, and intelligence.During his interview, Campbell exuded the enthusiasm that the Lions’ fan base has grown to appreciate.
After coaching in a playoff game with the New Orleans Saints, he had an interview at around eight in the morning, and he arrived at the Lions’ headquarters well-rested and prepared to make his case.
Now that everyone is familiar with Dan, picture this: To laughter from the audience, Wood remarked, He’s drinking a double coffee like this, and proceeded to imitate Campbell from the interview.
I want this job, he says.He desired our job; he didn’t need one. The Detroit Lions were his dream job. He knew the place and the culture, and he played here.Thankfully, they both lived up to his expectations of what it would take to bring a winner to our community.
GOOD TIMES: Pick up a new book from the Free Press to commemorate the incredible Detroit Lions 2023 season!One of the great uniforms in the NFL will be the New Lions’ outfits.
One week remains until the new Lions uniforms are revealed, and Wood has refrained from providing any information to the public prior to the April 18 announcement.After the Lions met the NFL’s five-year requirement to not change their uniforms after the most recent upgrade in 2017, they decided to modernize the jerseys a few years ago.
We’ve been working on this for the past two years with the league office, Nike (who designs the jerseys), and members of their staff, lead by our chief communications officer, Brian Facchini, and Mike Disner, our chief operations officer.According to Wood, it will stay true to the traditional Lions design with a contemporary touch.
According to Wood, our intention was to pay homage to the past while incorporating a contemporary twist. We have beautiful hues and a rich history. Therefore, I believe you will notice both of those things when you see them.
And ideally, you’ll see jerseys that help us become one of the best in the NFL for the next five years at the very least. Although we won’t make significant changes to them, there is always room for modernization, and I believe that people will see that.
