Dan Campbell: I'm not talking about firing Kelvin Sheppard
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell has dismissed speculation regarding the firing of defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard following a poor start to the 2026 season. Campbell emphasized a commitment to internal improvement rather than staff changes after the team's recent defensive struggles.
Why it matters
The situation reflects the high-pressure environment of professional sports management and the immediate scrutiny coaches face during losing streaks.
The Lions defense was unimpressive in the first three weeks of the 2026 season and things didn’t get any better in Sunday night’s loss to the Panthers.
Carolina rolled up 445 yards in a 32-26 win that marked the third time in four weeks that the Lions allowed at least 30 points to their opponents. It’s the first time that they’ve done that in the first four weeks of a season since they went 0-16 in 2008 and that unsurprisingly made potential changes the focus of head coach Dan Campbell’s postgame press conference.
Campbell was specifically asked about whether he is considering firing defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard. Campbell said he believes that the team has to find ways to improve with what’s already in house.
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