Last season in the NFL, the Detroit Lions were one of the standout teams throughout the year, as well as in part of the playoffs. Unfortunately for Dan Campbell‘s squad, they fell short of the Super Bowl. One of the biggest stars of the Indianapolis Colts, Peyton Manning, saw similarities between this situation and the team he led in the early 2000s, and shared his thoughts on the matter.
During an interview before the ‘Night of Champions’ at Old National Centre on Monday night, the former Colts and Broncos player spoke about his conversation with the Lions‘ head coach after their elimination at the hands of Jayden Daniels and the Commanders at Ford Field.
“I said, ‘I know how you feel, I’ve been there, and it’s not a good feeling,’” Manning said. ”Understand that, but we did win the whole thing the next year.’ You just kind of keep sawing wood.”
Manning believes that the Lions’ loss in the last playoffs should be seen as one of those moments where you have to rise up and realize that the bigger goals are within reach.
Jared Goff #16 of the Detroit Lions throws a pass for a touchdown as he is hit during the second quarter Washington Commanders in the NFC Divisional Playoff at Ford Field on January 18, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.
“That was the kind of loss that could probably make an organization say, ‘Let’s change everything. … Let’s kind of blow the whole thing up and start over,’” Manning added. “Or your organization and owner can say, ‘Hey, we’re doing something right, let’s keep going.‘”
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Manning’s experience with the Colts
A year before reaching the pinnacle with Super Bowl XLI, the Indianapolis Colts were already emerging as serious title contenders in the NFL. In 2005, the team led by Peyton Manning had a scorching start to the season but, much like what happened with the Lions last season, they were surprisingly eliminated in the playoffs.
The regular season ended with 13 wins and no losses, securing the top seed in the AFC. These numbers clearly positioned the Colts as title contenders, but an unexpected loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the divisional round dashed all the accomplishments of the year.
This is where Manning’s reflection comes in, along with his advice to Dan Campbell, as the following year, Indianapolis went on to capture its second Vince Lombardi Trophy in franchise history, defeating the Chicago Bears 29-17 in early 2007.
Can the Lions reach the next Super Bowl?
Dan Campbell’s team has faced several key departures heading into the upcoming season, many of them from the coaching staff. Both Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson have transitioned from coordinators to head coaches with other franchises, so a new version of the team is expected this coming campaign.
Despite all these changes, many are predicting a strong year for the Lions, provided injuries don’t impact the roster. With the support of what Jared Goff can deliver on the field, many are hopeful that this could be the year they make a statement and reach the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.
