When people talk about the Detroit Lions’ rise into one of the NFL’s most respected organizations, the credit often goes to Brad Holmes, Dan Campbell, and the culture they’ve collectively built. But according to team owner Sheila Hamp, Holmes almost never got the chance to step into Allen Park in the first place.
In fact, Holmes wasn’t even on the Lions’ original list of candidates.
And that, as Hamp now reveals, is exactly why this story is so wild.
A Long, Exhaustive Search for the Lions’ Next Leaders
Back in early 2021, the Lions were starting over — again. After parting ways with the previous regime, Detroit launched a massive search to find the right pair to reshape the franchise. Hamp said the Lions cast an incredibly wide net:
As noted by Jeff Seidel of the Detroit Free Press in an article originally published Jan. 12, 2025, the Lions interviewed 12 candidates for their GM opening.
But even more interesting, every interview followed the same initial question.
“Each person we interviewed, we’d say, ‘Well, what do you think of our team?’” Hamp recalls. “And, you know, they said, ‘Well, at least you have a quarterback, right?’”
Except… they didn’t.
Matthew Stafford had already informed the team he wanted to be traded. So while candidates assumed Detroit had stability at the game’s most important position, the reality was very different, and the Lions kept that close to the vest.
After each interview, the four-person search group, Hamp, team president Rod Wood, Mike Disner, and Chris Spielman, graded every candidate.
Spielman explained it like this:
“We filled out a grade sheet — kind of like a scouting report.”
And as Hamp added:
“Everyone kind of came at it from a different angle. And, you know, we didn’t always agree, and that was perfect.”
Their list of candidates changed constantly. Names rose. Names fell. Opinions shifted. But through all that movement, one thing stayed the same:
Brad Holmes wasn’t on the list.
Not at first.
The Accidental Discovery That Changed the Franchise
The Lions’ GM search took a major turn thanks to one person: Mike Disner, Detroit’s cap and strategy expert, now the team’s Chief Operating Officer.
While sifting through NFL-provided leadership videos, Disner happened upon a mock interview featuring a then-little-known personnel executive from the Los Angeles Rams.
Holmes.
Hamp remembers the moment perfectly:
“The NFL has these sort of canned interviews that you can look at. They’ve got tons of them — GMs or presidents, or whatever. And he found Brad’s interview, and he said, ‘You guys have to see this guy.’”
So the group watched.
And instantly… everything changed.
Hamp recalls everyone’s reaction:
“And we all did, and we kind of went, whoa.”
It’s not often a front office’s future hinges on someone stumbling upon a video clip tucked away in a digital archive, but that’s exactly what happened. Holmes’ passion, clarity, evaluation skill, and leadership instincts jumped off the screen.
Disner didn’t just find a candidate.
He found the right candidate.
And that moment altered the trajectory of the Detroit Lions.
Why This Story Matters for Detroit’s Future
If you’re wondering whether the Lions’ success is sustainable, whether this rise is a flash in the pan or a real, long-term transformation, this origin story should be extremely encouraging.
The Lions didn’t get lucky.
They built a process. And that process led them to Holmes.
The fact that Disner dug into a stack of nondescript videos and discovered the GM who would help take Detroit from league afterthought to playoff contender says everything you need to know about this front office’s detail, diligence, and alignment.
The Lions aren’t just winning games.
They’re winning organizationally.
And it all started with one unexpected moment:
A video clip.
An overlooked candidate.
And a room full of decision-makers saying the same thing:
“Whoa.”
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