After the Detroit Lions’ loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game to end the 2023 season, head coach Dan Campbell plainly acknowledged that it could have been their “only shot” at getting to the Super Bowl.
After the Divisional Round loss to the Washington Commanders to end this past season, Campbell said he believes the Lions’ Super Bowl window is “absolutely open.” While said window has naturally narrowed a bit, it is still open.
We know Lions general manager Brad Holmes is not into the concept of “windows” to win, and he restated that during his season-ending press conference after the loss to Washington.
“I think that we’ve done a good job of doing our best we can to avoid windows,” Holmes said. “And I understand that contracts come up when contracts come up and stuff happens, but we feel so good about our young core and young nucleus of players…So, I just think that all of the pieces are in place that I don’t really feel walls closing in or a window and again, we kind of make an effort to avoid those kinds of things.”
The oddsmakers certainly believe the Lions’ Super Bowl window is open. Many would agree, even while possibly acknowledging the last two postseasons were missed opportunities.
Analyst agrees that Lions ‘Super Bowl window’ is open
Bucky Brooks of NFL.com recently ranked the teams he feels have the biggest Super Bowl windows in the league right now. Only the Super Bowl LIX champion Philadelphia Eagles are higher than the Lions on his list of eight teams.
Brooks of course noted the Lions losing Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, but then cited a roster built to win “utilizing force or finesse in 2025 and beyond.”
“While the loss of Johnson could take away some of the Lions’ trademark pizzazz on offense, the re-emergence of a healthy and destructive defense under new coordinator Kelvin Sheppard could enable the team to roll through the NFC with a blue-collar approach that would serve it well in the postseason. If Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeill return to form after recovering from season-ending injuries, Detroit should remain a formidable foe few teams want to face in a 60-minute affair that leaves opponents battered and bruised.”
The Lions are built for sustained success more than going “all-in” on one season. That will keep their proverbial “Super Bowl window” open until further notice. Getting over the hump sooner rather than later would be ideal though,
