Talk: Is Dan Campbell already Detroit Lions’ best coach in their history?

With a stunning victory over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, the Detroit Lions secured a postseason berth. That victory set off yet another flood of Lions franchise milestones and accomplishments. They had never before visited the postseason in consecutive seasons in thirty years. With this 11th consecutive victory, the Lions exceeded their previous mark of 10. Oh, and it was the Lions’ 12th victory in a single season, equalizing last year’s team for a franchise record.

Let me reiterate previous one using another approach. The Lions’ single season club record for victories is 12. They have already achieved it in consecutive seasons, and given four games yet to go this year, they are virtually surely going to surpass that.

Although Thursday’s victory was a real team effort, it was a coaching masterpiece as Morgan Cannon mentioned on Friday. Apart from helping the Lions to triumph, Dan Campbell’s fourth down aggressiveness was a defensive miracle considering Detroit had to play a few substitutes who hadbeen with the club less than a whole week.

We live at an extraordinary period of Lions football, so I believe it is appropriate to probe a crucial issue.

Among Detroit Lions’ past coaches, is Dan Campbell the best?

Using victory percentage as your guide, the response is no. In Detroit history, Campbell sits solidly fourth behind several coaching icons:

Potsy Clark: 53 to 25-7 (.679)
Buddy Parker: 47.23-2 (.671)
Dutch Clark: 14 – 8 (.636)
Dan Campbell: 570, 36-27-1 (.570)

Given he now has more defeats than the top two managers in Lion history, he still has a somewhat long distance to go.

One also has to consider championship. Potsy Clark had one; Parker bestowed upon the Lions two titles. George Wilson, 53–45-6, too had one. Campbell lacks one, hence for some he cannot be the best coach for the franchise till one comes.

Still, statistics do not capture the complete picture. Though it obviously was simpler, I don’t want to claim these thirty-something, forty-something, fifty-year coaches had it easy. The Lions won their titles when the league had anything between nine and twelve clubs, not thirty-two. These early-era coaches also never had to cope with bad ownership or the weight of decades-long mistakes.

Campbell has worked literally like a miracle worker. Many felt it was impossible to win in this place ever once. They have experimented with every type of hire—from past Super Bowl champions to player favorites to coaches from historically successful clubs. Not one of them worked until Campbell arrived in town.

Though I can’t talk to Parker, Clark, or Wilson’s coaching approaches, I know this: I have never directly seen Campbell’s leadership abilities in any sphere of life. Having walked the hallways of Detroit’s Allen Park, he is among the most real, compassionate, sympathetic human beings to have ever passed there. He is also a great communicator and delegate. And that’s plenty enough for me to name him the greatest Lions coach ever.

Are you in the same position? Move down to our comment area and sound off.