Stefanski and Ryans finished with the same amount of vote point totals (165), but the Browns coach had 21 first-place votes, while Ryans had 20. Campbell had three first-place votes.

Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers and John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens also were finalists for the award.

Offensive Rookie of the Year vote went to Lions rookies Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs, who placed third and fourth, respectively. Assistant Coach of the Year went to Jim Schwartz, the defensive coordinator for the Browns and former head coach of the Lions, but offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was a nominee.

Campbell guided the Lions to their first division crown since 1993 and their first postseason triumph since the 1991 campaign in his third season with the team. Before falling to the 49ers in the NFC title game, the Lions defeated the Los Angeles Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

BILL COWHER: “I see a lot of myself in Dan Campbell.”

Brad Holmes, general manager of the Lions, stated on Monday, “I think the world of Dan.” “He’s a unique human being who possesses the qualities of a great coach and leader.”

After taking over a Lions club with one of the worst records in the NFL in 2021, Campbell—who placed eighth in the Coach of the Year voting the previous season—helped transform the squad into a title contender in only three years.

Coaches’ propensity to go for it on a fourth down is measured by the analytically based aggression index, and he rated second on it. His leadership, ingenuity, and honesty are highly praised by his teammates and fellow players.

Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow declared, “He’s the best.” He’s among the greatest leaders and people I’ve ever met. transparent, sincere, and fervent. Name it. Playing for the man is a joy. Before I met him, I just had no idea how excellent a coach there might be. It’s a delight to play under him because he recently blew me away and keeps doing so.

This season, the Lions finished 12-5 and have won 20 of their last 27 games during the regular season, as well as 22 of their last 30 games overall. For the first time since 2016, they qualified for the postseason and, more significantly, they won two of those games—a first in the Super Bowl era.

NEXT YEAR: It is said that Deshea Townsend will join the Lions as a defensive passing game coordinator and CB coach.