'I love you, man': Dan Campbell and Holmes in 'lockstep' as Lions pursue playoff dreams

Detroit — Jared Goff was not the only member of the Detroit Lions whose victory on Sunday night brought a career full-circle. 

Sunday’s 24-23 win over the Los Angeles Rams was especially sweet for Lions general manager Brad Holmes, who joined the Rams in 2003 as a public-relations intern and worked his way up to getting hired by the Lions in 2021.

Three seasons later, Holmes’ Lions — the team he stripped down to the studs and built all the way back up through the draft — have achieved something that hasn’t been done in 30 years.

But the best moment was saved for the postgame locker-room celebration — which was posted on social media — as Campbell gave a game ball to his general manager. Campbell said he and Holmes are in “lockstep” and the two shared an emotional moment in the middle of the team, with Holmes telling Campbell, “I love you, man.” 

Asked about the moment Monday, Campbell said his pairing with Holmes “felt like it was going to be right” from the beginning. Together, they’ve achieved something that few in the Lions organization ever have.

“Once I got around him, it was, man I — you could — I could feel that early,” Campbell said. “It’s one of those, well if this is who he is and this doesn’t change, we’re going to be just fine. And sure enough, he’s everything that I thought he was going to be from those first meetings.”

Campbell also gave credit to Lions owner Sheila Hamp. She officially became principal owner in 2020 and made the decision to fire Matt Patricia a few months later. Her next major decision was to hire Holmes and Campbell, which she did separately — a move that was criticized at the time. 

But as it turns out, she was winning in her role as matchmaker. Campbell credited Hamp with her role in bringing on people like special assistant to president/CEO and chairperson Chris Spielman. 

“Those guys (identified) that they felt like we would be compatible and that we saw things very much alike, and we are, we do,” Campbell said.

“We’re very similar in the way that we view players, view a team, how we want to build it. And I have things and I have a certain vision and Brad has helped me by the type of players that we acquire and we look for, I mean, he’s given me that. He’s helped me. … The GM and head coach have to have a healthy relationship and it starts with ownership, but then that’s the next most important by far. And if you don’t have that, you just can’t sustain success.”

nbianchi@detroitnews.com

@nolanbianchi

Divisional round

Buccaneers at Lions

▶ Kickoff: 3 p.m., Sunday, Ford Field

▶ TV/radio: NBC/97.1

▶ Line: Lions by 6

▶ Records: Tampa Bay (10-8), Detroit (13-5)