Dan Campbell Shares Who Is Deserving of Coach of the Year

Dan Campbell credits playoff coaches for their 2022 success.

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is in the conversation for NFL Coach of the Year, even though he is currently a long shot to earn the award. 

After winning only three games in 2021, the Lions took a significant step forward in 2022, winning six more games and falling just one game short of earning a spot in the NFC playoffs. 

For Detroit's second-year head coach, being in the conversation is an honor. However, he also shared with Eli and Peyton Manning on Monday's "ManningCast" who he feels is most deserving of the award. 

“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. (Brian) Daboll would be one of those, just did a heck of a job," Campbell said on the recent ManningCast. "Doug Pederson, too. I can go down the list. Yeah, I’d be honored, but there are some coaches that would be really worthy of that.”

Recall, the Lions were able to defeat both the New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars this year, but the coaches of those respective teams are still alive in the postseason. 

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The nearly 30-minute conversation with Campbell covered a wide variety of topics, including the team failing to make the postseason, the Cowboys' kicking woes, the play of linebacker Micah Parsons and the Lions' turnaround this season. 

"Our GM, Brad Holmes, did a good job with the draft," Campbell said. "And then, look, the veterans that we have that were kept here, man, they’re a huge part of this. I just feel like we’re trending in the right way. It was good. Certainly, we came up short. But, it was fun, you know? And, we know we’re headed in the right direction.”