Lions fans display passionate reaction to claim team will not win NFC North in 2025.
The Detroit Lions have won two consecutive NFC North titles, but some analysts are not high on the team’s chances for a three-peat in the division.
Losing both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn present obvious challenges, as the team will have new leadership for both groups. Teams who have had to endure similar adversity over an offseason have struggled to overcome the difficulty of having to implement new schemes.
NFL Network analyst and former NFL player Manti Te’o is among those who believe the Lions’ run at the top of the NFC North could be coming to an end. He cited the Philadelphia Eagles from the 2023 season, as they lost both of their coordinators to head coaching jobs following a Super Bowl run the previous year.
After Shane Steichen and Jonathan Gannon both departed for head coaching jobs, Eagles coach Nick Sirianni hired Brian Johnson and Sean Desai to fill their voids. Both did not return for the 2024 season, and the team lost five of its final six games in the regular season and was soundly beaten by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the playoffs.
“I think Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn leaving Detroit has a bigger impact. Nick Sirianni is really the play-caller in Philadelphia,” Te’o said on Good Morning Football.
“If you look at the way that Shane Steichen ran the offense, the way Kellen Moore ran the offense, it’s the same plays, they just call it a little differently. The flow is a little different, but it’s the same playbook. When you think about the Lions, Dan Campbell doesn’t call the offense, Ben Johnson called the offense. That is why I think that is such a big loss for them.”
Te’o also pointed to the NFC North being a difficult division, with each team having the capability of making noise. Being an offensive mastermind, Johnson could certainly bring new life to a Bears team that is full of offensive weapons.
Additionally, the Vikings finished just one game behind the Lions in the division at 14-3. They face uncertainty at the quarterback position, but their coaching staff is seemingly high on second-year passer J.J. McCarthy.
Because there are so many new aspects about the division, Te’o believes it will be difficult for the Lions to remain on top.
“When you look at the NFC North, are the Lions the clear favorite? By title, yes, but going into the 2025 season, no. You think about the fact that they lost both coordinators, one of the coordinators went to the Bears. That whole division is an uproven division,” Te’o said.
“The Vikings have a new quarterback at the helm in J.J. McCarthy. The Packers have the most carryover, however, can they win in the playoffs? Can they win when it really matters? Are the Lions the king of the hill, the king of the NFC North? By title, yes. But we’re just gonna have to see how it all plays out.”
Lions fans reacted strongly to his comments, showcasing the passion that has made them one of the league’s most committed fan bases. Here is a snippet of their reaction on social media to Te’o’s comments.
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