Colin Cowherd Compares Dan Campbell to Freddie Kitchens

Detroit Lions supporters are hoping Dan Campbell is more successful than former Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens.

With any new coaching hire in the National Football League, there comes a certain level of skepticism, especially from diehard supporters of teams that constantly end up out of the playoffs. 

For the Detroit Lions, hiring Dan Campbell away from the Saints is the ultimate gamble for an organization desperately seeking to turn around its fortunes. 

The ex-Lions tight end does not have any experience calling plays, and has never been a coordinator in the league. 

He is being touted as a passionate leader who has the capability of galvanizing a locker room. 

One national pundit is highly skeptical of the hire, and even made a comparison that will have fans of the Lions panicking. 

"Yeah, this is not one of those I would get behind," Fox Sports Radio host Colin Cowherd said on Wednesday. "I would say most of the hires -- at least you could argue. Arthur Smith to Atlanta, I could. Whether it works or not, you could make the argument for it. This one, I can't."

The Cleveland Browns only needed one season to discover they made a mistake hiring Freddie Kitchens, firing him after a disappointing 6-10 season. 

"I'm not a huge fan of this move, Joy (Taylor)," Cowherd said. "Now that Cleveland has righted the ship -- and I think they have -- this is what we looked at and saw with you for 20 years, when you would get defensive. All you Browns fans would get defensive. This is what you were. Hiring Freddie Kitchens. That's not a head coach."

Taylor, Cowherd's co-host, also can't understand why Detroit decided to hire Campbell.

"I think the difference between Detroit fans and Browns fans is the Detroit fans have just submitted to this lifestyle. I love Detroit, so I would love to see the Lions actually be in the conversation. But, if you look around that division, what about this hire inspires you to think that the next step is you're going to win the division? Look, we could be wrong. But, I just feel like this is an incredible reach," Taylor said.  

Taylor is also skeptical of the organization's shift to focusing on having a coach who is a motivator and focused on "culture."  

"I didn't like what I was getting from the organization to begin with," she said. "They want a motivator. They want a culture creator, like go get someone who's done that before that."

More from SI All Lions:

Sheila Ford Hamp and Rod Wood Statement on Campbell Hiring

Dan Campbell and Lions Agree to Contract Terms

Holmes: 'Trust the Process'

How GM Brad Holmes Addressed Roster Questions

Past Lions' Regime Failures Led to High-Risk Arranged Marriage

Get the latest Detroit Lions news by joining our community. Click "Follow" at the top right of our SI All Lions page. Mobile users click the notification bell. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @DetroitPodcast.