As the 2025 regular season winds down, most of the league is gearing up for what always comes next: change. Teams will shuffle coaching staffs, evaluate rosters, and in some cases, start searching for a new general manager. And when those conversations begin, one Detroit Lions leader is already drawing serious attention across the NFL.
That name? Ray Agnew, the Lions’ highly-respected assistant general manager.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer recently highlighted several front-office candidates who could soon make the jump into a GM role. Agnew landed in the “closing in” category, meaning he isn’t just on the radar… he’s getting close.
“Agnew’s been a big brother to a lot of folks in the business, and that probably foreshadows the problem he’s had pursuing a job—he’s 58 years old,” Breer said. “He was a player, a team pastor, a player development director and then a pro scouting director over the last 35 years, and has a great feel for what a team needs and how a culture is built.”
And make no mistake, Agnew’s résumé reads like someone who has seen (and done) just about everything in football.
A Career Built on Experience — and Impact
Agnew, now 58, has worked in several high-level football roles over the last 35+ years:
- Former NFL player
- Team pastor
- Player development director
- Director of pro scouting
- Assistant general manager
Before joining Detroit, he spent four seasons with the Los Angeles Rams as Director of Pro Personnel, helping shape a roster that eventually turned into a Super Bowl champion.
When Brad Holmes left the Rams to take the Lions’ GM job in 2021, Agnew followed, and the two have been locked in step ever since.
And the results? Yeah… they speak for themselves.
- Back-to-back NFC North titles (first time in franchise history)
- A 15-2 season — the most wins the Lions have ever recorded
- Multiple playoff wins in 2023 — something the franchise hadn’t done since 1957
- A trip to the NFC Championship Game
- A roster widely viewed as one of the best-built in football
Agnew hasn’t just helped shape the Lions; he has been deeply embedded in the team-building process, culture development, and roster identity.
That’s a massive reason Detroit is stable, competitive, and respected again.
So Why Hasn’t He Been Hired Yet?
Breer points to one reason: Agnew’s age.
At 58, some front offices may prioritize younger candidates. But Breer also suggests that may be a mistake:
“If you can get around that, hiring Agnew would mean bringing aboard a guy who has experience in a lot of different ways,” Breer said. “Given what Detroit’s built, there should, at some point, be an uptick in interest in him.”
In other words, if a franchise wants instant credibility and proven leadership, Agnew checks every box.
What This Means for the Lions
Detroit fans have seen coaches and executives poached before. It’s the price of success.
And while Agnew hasn’t publicly pushed for a GM job, the reality is simple:
Teams are going to call. And sooner or later, one will make an offer he can’t refuse.
For now, the Lions still benefit from his presence, his influence, and his partnership with Holmes.
But the league is watching, and Agnew’s next step may be coming sooner than later.
