Sheila Hamp: 9-8 Season Wasn't Good Enough, Expects Team To Be Contender

The Detroit Lions organization is one that has been associated with misfortune for a majority of its history.

Though the team enjoyed some success prior to the start of the Super Bowl era, it has been through its share of misfortune. The Lions are one of just four teams to have never appeared in a Super Bowl.

However, they've enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, and three seasons ago held a lead at halftime of the NFC Championship game. Under Principal Owner and Chair Sheila Ford Hamp, the Lions have had plenty of success in recent years thanks to an influx of talent and an identity change spurred by a cultural shift.

That's why the Lions are operating with a renewed hunger in 2026. Even after finishing last season with a winning 9-8 record, the Lions quickly hit the ground and got back to work after that record found them in last place in the NFC North division.

With the recent success, Hamp admitted that the team's standard is set above the 9-8 finish they had a season ago. There has been unity established within the organization, headlined by the relationship shared by Hamp, head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes.

Hamp explained to FOX-2 that the team is motivated by the performance last year, and that the bar is set high for the upcoming campaign.

“9-8 is a winning season, but that wasn’t good enough for us. It’s not what we expected, it’s not where our standards are. So we, top to bottom, we went through everything about last year and what could we have done differently, what went wrong, what went right," Hamp said. "We really have done a thorough self-searching exercise, and I think we’ve identified several things we could’ve done better and hopefully we’ve corrected them. The entire organization is aligned, aligned in the fact that what we want to do is bring a winner to the city of Detroit.”

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Speaking with Lions play-by-play broadcaster Dan Miller, Hamp shared her optimism for the team's upcoming campaign after observing several training camp practices. She noted that the offensive line has the necessary depth to withstand injuries, and expects the team to be in contention once again in 2026.

“Of course everything looks rosy right now. I think it truly is. We’re all excited," Hamp stated. "Camp has gone really well. We’ve had some injuries, but I have to say that for the first time, I think we have more depth than we’ve ever had, especially on our o-line. I think we’re gonna be definitely a contender, so excited. We’re all excited.”

New team president

Hamp and the Lions recently made a big addition to their front office, hiring Rich Haddad as the new team president.

The Lions conducted a national search using the firm Russell Reynolds Associates to find a replacement for the retiring Rod Wood, and wound up finding Haddad just down the road. Prior to coming to the Lions, Haddad had spent the last 14 years working with the Detroit Pistons and Pistons Sports and Entertainment.

Hamp explained what stood out about the new president, noting his leadership ability and familiarity with the city of Detroit.

“We’ve been working on this since February, and the thing about Rich that stood out, this huge search and we ended up with someone in our backyard which was incredible," Hamp said. "He rose to the top because of his leadership, as well as his knowledge of the city and all the things he’s done here. And his experience with the Pistons and the players. He was the right cultural fit.”

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