Brad Holmes spent 18 years in the NFL before taking over the Lions, working for the Rams in both St. Louis and Los Angeles. But "Detroit, you talk about a football town, this fanbase is unlike anything I've ever experienced," Holmes said this week on NFL Network. "This fanbase, they care about their football team. It's legit. I absolutely love them."
Holmes admitted he learned this the hard way in his first season as general manager when the fans came down hard on Jared Goff, who was struggling in his first season in Detroit. Even still, Holmes appreciated the passion. And he experienced the best side of it last season when Goff and the Lions went 8-2 down the stretch and nearly charged into the playoffs.
On the heels of Detroit's aggressive offseason, excitement within the fanbase might be at an all-time high. The team is favored to win its first division title in 30 years and making all kinds of national buzz, and Dan Campbell might be the most popular coach in the NFL. With training camp around the corner, Holmes wants the fans to know, "We're not done yet."
"I love the fact that there’s a lot of buzz and hope, and this fanbase and our city deserves that through all that they’ve been through," said Holmes. "But at the end of the day, me and Dan know that we haven’t made the playoffs yet. So we gotta get into the dance. We have full faith and optimism that we have the right structure in place to get that done, but we gotta go out there and prove it.
"And that’s how we’re wired. We’re all about accountability and earning it and doing it the right way, and that’s what the city of Detroit is. It’s roll up your sleeves and get it done, no excuses, and just know that your football team is doing the exact same thing."
Listen live to 97.1 The Ticket via:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Smart Speaker