It wasn’t all roses for the Detroit Lions during their 2025-26 season, and the team ended their regular season with a 9-8 record and no trip to the postseason. But, sometimes, just a few changes can make or break a team, and that’s what general manager Brad Holmes and company are looking to do for the 2026-27 season.
The Detroit Lions’ offseason officially started after the team’s 19-16 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday, January 4. While it was great to end the season on a high note, the win over Ben Johnson and the Bears didn’t mask the difficult season for the Lions, so changes need to be made.
The Detroit Lions had offensive coordinator John Morton for the 2025-26 season, but it became clear early in the season that head coach Dan Campbell wasn’t pleased with him, because he took away Morton’s play-calling duties. So, the Lions released Morton on Tuesday, January 6, and now, they’re looking for a new offensive coordinator.
Detroit Lions May Look at Just-Fired NFL Coach
On Tuesday, Jan. 6, one of the biggest moves of the NFL offseason of any franchise happened when the Baltimore Ravens fired head coach John Harbaugh, putting an end to his 18-year run with the team. The change happened just two days following the Baltimore Ravens’ loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road in a 26-24 defeat. Harbaugh had inked a three-year contract with the Ravens during the last offseason, and he was slated to be with the team through the 2028 season.
So, could Harbaugh come to Detroit? Let’s not get too wild here. Harbaugh has already taken calls from seven teams, according to a report ESPN, which is actually more teams than those who have head coach vacancies. So, some teams are even considering firing their current coach to make room for him.
So, Harbaugh to Detroit for the offensive coordinator role is not a reality. But, him being on the market. Harbaugh is already the top head coaching candidate in this cycle, and that makes Kevin Stefanski less desirable to other teams.
The Detroit Lions likely have their eye on Stefanski, the former Cleveland Browns head coach, and taking him down a notch in the head coach search should make him more likely to take an offensive coordinator gig, such as with Detroit. Stefanski is now far behind Harbaugh on the desired coaching candidate tally, so perhaps he’d welcome the chance to come to Detroit.
Why Former NFL Coach Would Fit With the Detroit Lions
Stefanski is an offensive-minded coach, and if he were to come to the Lions, it would likely be short-term, because he has head coaching skills. But, it could appeal to him to have a strong season calling plays for the Detroit Lions and use that exposure to land a better head coaching gig down the road.
In a statement about the Baltimore Ravens parting ways with Harbaugh, Baltimore owner Steve Bisciotti said the decision to move on was “incredibly difficult.” It may not be so difficult for Harbaugh, who is getting plenty of suiters.
Bisciotti stated, “He and his family have deeply embedded themselves in this community. For these profound contributions, on and off the field, we should all be forever grateful.”
