After the Lions lost to the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that he told the team’s players that “this may have been our only shot” because of how hard it is to make runs deep into the postseason.
On Monday, Lions General Manager Brad Holmes sent a slightly different message. He said at a press conference that the team’s every move is designed “to sustain what we have been building” and that no one should feel like the Lions’ success in 2023 was a fluke because he believes it is just the tip of the iceberg.
“It’s only going to get better. We’re only going to get better,” Holmes said. “I don’t want anybody to think this was a one shot, Cinderalla, magical journey that just happened. No, it’s real. This is exactly what was supposed to happen.”
The Lions have used five first-round picks, four second-round picks, and five third-round picks over the last three years, but Holmes said that no one should be “spooked” by talk that they are going to have a hard time continuing to strengthen the team because many of the moves that have built the foundation of the team were criticized when they were made. It’s a bit different approaching things from a place of success, but Holmes made it clear on Monday that he’s full of confidence about skies remaining sunny over the Lions.
