November 10, 2025
Opening Statement: “OK, well, just start offensively, O-line responded in a big way. (Lions T Taylor Decker) Deck and (Lions G Kayode Awosika) Yode, (Lions OL) Graham (Glasgow), (Lions OL Tate) Ratledge and (Lions T Penei) Sewell, they played big-time ball for us. No sacks and then 6.8 average in the run game. Those guys played well together, did a good job and that really got us going, started us off. And really the whole offense played well. I mean all our guys, they really did. I mean all those guys are going to get a game ball. They just played too dang good. But out of that group, certainly the O-line. (Lions QB Jared) Goff was outstanding. All our guys – (Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown) Saint, (Lions WR Jameson Williams) Jamo, (Lions RB Jahmyr) Gibbs, (Lions RB David Montgomery) D-Mo, (Lions TE Sam) LaPorta. They all just stepped up and played big for us. They were playing for the guy next to them. We had a lot of downfield blocks, just guys blocking for one another trying to finish the play for their teammate. Then in return, when the ball got in somebody else’s hands, then they would return the favor. It was just good, man. It was good energy out there. I was proud of those guys. No punts, so that’s pretty good. So, that being said, for that game, for what it was – there are things I’ve got to be better at and that we can clean up. And we could have been even a little bit better in that game, for what that game was and what it was going. Defensively, I thought we handled the pressure that they applied offensively pretty well. That stuff gets on you, it’s on the ball. Yes, they hit us a couple of times, but I really did think we handled it well. We were in position to make a few plays that we’ve just got to make, that we’ve just got to finish on. That was the story. But all in all, I thought we did what we needed to do. Special teams was much better than last week. We got hit on – we’ve got one guy who was in a tough spot on kickoff return. But take that out and the rest of those we were on point. It was more like what you saw in the first one of the games. (Lions LB Grant) Stuard knifes through there, makes a play. So, that was good to see. Defensively, (Lions DL Roy) Lopez showed up big time. He was disruptive, couldn’t block him. He’s just been a quietly productive guy for us the whole season and just really stepped up in a big way. (Lions DB Brian) Branch was all over the field, played aggressive, smart. Got him going, active player. (Lions LB) Jack Campbell, he just continues to get better and better. I mean he’s our bell-cow over there and solves issues, plays snap to whistle. (Lions CB) Rock (Ya-Sin) was good. I thought (Lions CB Terrion Arnold) TA played much better overall, that was good to see. And then special teams, Jack Campbell – kickoff, three tackles on kickoff. I mean the guy does everything for us. He’s a stud. (Lions LB Trevor) Nowaske, (Lions RB Sione) Vaki and Stuard. So, that was just kind of a list of our guys who really showed out. And there’s others that played a good game for us. But proud of the guys, we bounced back. We’ve got our hands full this week and we’ve got to be hitting on all three cylinders against Philadelphia because if we’re not, it won’t be enough. So, it’s going to be a big challenge, but we’re excited. We’re excited. We’ll be looking forward to this when we hit the ground on Wednesday.”
On the challenge of finding the right person for the offensive coordinator position who can call plays: “Well, you want to know that if you – OK, for me, you just want to know that they’ve got your back. Your back’s covered and that your blind spots are covered. And I feel like with this staff, it’s all covered. It’s about me doing my job, what I need to do then to make sure that we’re on point. There are things I’ve got to get better at and I will. And that’s what the staff does – that’s what (Lions Offensive Coordinator John Morton) Johnny does. And Johnny’s an asset for me. He gives me critical information as it pertains to some of the tendencies going into the game, tendencies during the game, pass game, things to look for, things to go to. And either I take them or I don’t. Same thing with (Lions Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line) Hank Fraley. I took input this game from John Morton, from Hank Fraley, from (Lions Assistant Head Coach/Wide Receivers) Scottie Montgomery, from (Lions Passing Game Coordinator) David Shaw, from (Lions Tight Ends) Tyler Roehl, from (Lions Running Backs Tashard) Choice, our running backs coach. So, this is collaborative and we’re all involved and I need every one of those guys. Our offense needs all of them.”
On if there are resources that will be taken away elsewhere because of him taking over play-calling and if he can delegate: “Well, yeah I think there’s some things I can delegate. I think it’s more about the totality of preparing for the game now and seeing all three pieces and how they work together and how you really want the game to go. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t really – it’s every week, I’ll get more efficient and I’ll get better at knowing what to do with my time. And I’ve just got to be more efficient in some areas and probably delegate a little bit. And so, I think it’s a little bit more of that. Certainly, (Lions Defensive Coordinator Kelvin Sheppard) Shepp’s done a hell of a job, but I’m going to have to lean on him over there with that unit, which he’s earned that trust and he’s been outstanding for us – those guys are cooking right now. So, I think that’s a big thing and it doesn’t – I’ll know. As this goes on, I’m going to have an idea. I’ve already got a number of things written down that I’m going to be looking at this week and where can I be better and make sure I’m being smart with my time.”
On if eight games is enough to know what somebody will be like as a play-caller and if not then if it says anything about the team’s urgency to compete for a Super Bowl this year: “Well, I think, look, some of this stuff is – yeah, eight games, you can figure out a lot in eight games about what you are, what you’re not, where you’re at, all this and that. But the bottom line – even from where I sit – don’t forget. (Bears Head Coach) Ben (Johnson) – I called those games. I called whatever that was, eight or nine games – I don’t remember what it was – in ’21 while he helped me. But he watched, he learned, he saw how I ran it, how I wanted to run it, what I was looking for. And then it evolved, he evolved it from there. He took it, he knew exactly what I wanted and by the middle of ’22, I didn’t have to say a word. I mean he was – and so, that’s kind of where (Lions Offensive Coordinator) John (Morton) is right now, that’s all. It’s good. And sometimes that’s the best way to really know what somebody’s looking for is just going through that. So, look, I just feel like it’s the right thing to do right now and I’m going to do it. Am I perfect? No, I’m not perfect. Players are going to have to bail me out. They bailed me out yesterday on a couple of things. (Lions QB) Jared Goff bailed me out. The staff bailed me out. But that’s what teamwork’s about. We’ve got to all help each other out.”
On if he means that Lions Offensive Coordinator John Morton could come back in as the play-caller in a year: “Yeah, or who knows? Maybe sooner. We’ll see.”
On how much input he took from Lions QB Jared Goff about making the change at play-caller last week and who first approached the other: “I went to him. I talked to him. I just told him that this is what I was going to do. And look, I’m in there – all these meetings, I mean all this season, I’ve been in there. Night before the game, I’m with him, we’re talking about – so even though when (Lions Offensive Coordinator) John (Morton) was calling it, I was in there. And I’m listening, I know what he likes, I know what he wants. And so, the difference is, OK now I’m going to call it. And so, now I’m the one calling it. But I know what he likes, I know what he wants, I know what he feels comfortable with, I know what maybe he doesn’t. Or, ‘Hey, maybe you’re not as fired up about, but I really believe it’ll work.’ Those are things we talk about, we hash out. There again Goff makes it easy. I mean he’s such a dang pro and I mean he’s a machine right now. This guy, the amount of information that he can take in and process and deliver, I’ve got to be on my stuff. So, he’s the X-factor.”
On if there is any part of Lions WR Jameson Williams’ joy for the game and personality that he relates to or finds himself drawn to as a former player: “Yeah, I mean absolutely. He loves ball and you can’t hide that. I mean that’s not fake. You don’t fake that. I mean it’s just unbridled enthusiasm. He loves the game, he loves to play, he loves to compete. He loves it when his teammates make a play, he loves to block for his teammates, he loves to go celebrate in the end zone with his guy. He’s over there, he says stuff to the O-line. I mean he’s a great teammate and he does, he delivers energy. He brings a lot of energy and it’s just good to see. I think it just – I think guys feed off of that. And I think that’s what – we’ve got a team full of guys like that who love ball and they don’t hide it and you can’t fake it. And I think our guys, we draw energy from that and then we gain momentum and we get better and it just gets us going. So, yeah, I love it.”
On what goes into having a feel for the game before it happens and if it is intuitive or something he developed over time: “Yeah, I don’t know. That’s hard to answer. I just think you have a vision for the way you want – you have a vision for your own players first and then it’s just about like how do we set this O-line up to have the best game they can have? We’re going to ask them to do some hard things at hard times. But yet, how do we help them gain some momentum, really get some confidence, which in turn will help (Lions QB Jared Goff) 16. How do we get him going, get him comfortable? Well then, how do we get (Lions WR Amon-Ra) St. Brown going, how do we get (Lions WR Jameson Williams) Jamo comfortable, involved? How do we get (Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs) 0 going in the run game, pass game? So you just start thinking all of these things and then you want to – I mentioned this last night – you want to try to hit from all sides. Things you know you do well with those guys between Gibbs and (Lions RB) David Montgomery. And it’s gap, it’s wide zone, it’s gap with pullers, it’s G-scheme, it’s perimeter. And then it’s play-pass off of those and then it’s three-step, then it’s five-step, then it’s gadget, then it’s screen. And you’re just trying to get everybody involved and try to make smart decisions and let the players do what they do and get the hell out of the way. And so, that’s kind of what I think of is just be careful. Get it in and let them do the rest. Let them handle it because they’ll feed themselves and that’s what yesterday was indicative of. The players took it over and they took control of that game. And I just got the hell out of the way.”
On why he thinks it is a trend that the top offenses in the League have shifted to having their head coaches play-calling: “I don’t know what that trend is. I mean I get it, I know there’s quite a few. Honestly, I don’t know if it – I don’t know. All I know is that I did it last week, I’m prepared to do it this week. And I just want to – like all of us do, all of us coaches – I just want to help us get better and I want to help us grow and improve and be part of this. And that’s the best way to say it.”
On why he believed him taking over play-calling would get the team’s offensive performance back on track: “Well, I don’t think – look, it’s not about me. Sometimes it’s no different than when everything comes together, you’re trying to put together the best team that you can because they all have strengths. And then you play to those strengths and whatever this player’s strength is, it can cover up for this other player’s deficiency and vice versa. And I think that is how the whole organization works. I think that’s the coaching staff in all three phases. And sometimes you’ve just got to move some things around. You’ve got the right people, it’s just about putting people in different spots and all of the sudden, everything you’ve clicked. It just fit right in place and then you’re humming. So, I think that’s some of it. And we’ve got the right staff, we’ve got the right players. And so, yesterday was a step in the right direction.”
On an injury update for Lions CB Terrion Arnold: “Nothing new. Concussion protocol.”
