The Lions have a player and a coach up for major NFL awards this season. Dan Campbell is not one of them.
Despite rallying the Lions to a 9-8 finish after a 1-6 start, Campbell was left off the ballot for AP Coach of the Year. The five finalists, announced Wednesday by the NFL, are Nick Sirianni of the Eagles (14-3), Sean McDermott of the Bills (13-3), Kyle Shanahan of the 49ers (13-4), Brian Daboll of the Giants (9-7-1) and Doug Pederson of the Jaguars (9-8).
Campbell did say last week that he viewed other coaches as more deserving of the award, including both Daboll and Pederson who got their teams to the playoffs. Of course, Campbell's Lions beat both of them.
“Look, it would absolutely be an honor because there are some really good coaches that deserve that. But to me, there are better ones out there than me, by the job they did this year. Daboll would be one of those, just did a heck of a job, Doug Pederson, I can go down the list," Campbell said during an appearance on ESPN's ManningCast of the Buccaneers-Cowboys playoff game. "Yeah, I’d be honored, but there are some coaches that would be really worthy of that.”
In Campbell's second season in Detroit, the Lions were one of only two NFL teams to make a six-win improvement from 2021. The Jaguars were the other; they also went from three wins to nine in their first season under Pederson and made the playoffs by virtue of winning the weak AFC South. And they were pounded by the Lions 40-14 in Week 13.
The Giants, meanwhile, went from four wins to nine in their first season under Daboll and made the playoffs as the NFC's second wild card. And they were pounded the Lions 31-18 in Week 11.
Still, it's hard to argue with either finalist and what they did in year one at the helm, especially a rookie head coach in Daboll. The Giants made their first playoff appearance in six seasons, the Jaguars their first in five -- and both teams advanced to the second round.
Should Campbell respond in 2023 by leading the Lions to their first playoff berth in seven seasons, and their first division title in 30 seasons, he'll have as strong a case as anyone for Coach of the Year.
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