Report: Detroit Lions Were Turned Down by Hot College Coach Before Settling on Dan Campbell

Before the Detroit Lions hired Dan Campbell to help reshape the franchise, another coach reportedly came extremely close to taking the job.

According to a recent ESPN feature on current Penn State head coach Matt Campbell, the longtime Iowa State coach initially agreed to become the Lions’ head coach back in 2021 before ultimately changing his mind.

The report revisited Campbell’s history of turning down major opportunities throughout his coaching career, including interest from powerhouse college programs like Texas and USC.

But one NFL opportunity apparently got much further than previously known.

“In 2021, Campbell initially agreed to coach the Detroit Lions before changing his mind; the Lions hired Dan Campbell instead,” the report stated.

Detroit Lions ultimately land Dan Campbell

Of course, things worked out pretty well for Detroit.

After Matt Campbell backed away, the Lions pivoted to Dan Campbell, who quickly established a culture built on toughness, accountability, and belief. Since then, Detroit has transformed from one of the NFL’s struggling franchises into a legitimate contender.

Under Dan Campbell, the Lions captured back-to-back NFC North titles and re-established themselves as one of the league’s most physical and respected teams.

Still, the revelation offers a fascinating “what if” moment in franchise history.

Matt Campbell stayed at Iowa State before taking Penn State job

At the time, Matt Campbell was viewed as one of the hottest coaching names in football after building Iowa State into a consistent winner.

Rather than leave for Detroit, he remained with the Cyclones for several more seasons before eventually accepting the Penn State job following the 2025 season.

According to the ESPN feature, Campbell admitted leaving Iowa State “wasn’t something that I was looking to do or wanting to do.”

That hesitation ultimately changed the direction of two programs.

Penn State landed one of college football’s most respected culture-builders.

And the Lions found the coach who helped bring winning football back to Detroit.