The BRAND NEW LIONS

As a lifelong Minnesota Vikings fan I deserve to take some heat for this hot take..

but, for a team that hadn't won a playoff game for 32 YEARS, I gotta show some love to the Detroit Lions and the masterclass in rebranding that "Motor City" Dan Campbell (MCDC) has conducted over the past 3 seasons. I think there are a TON of lessons about building an identity to be learned from the quintessential "football guy" that is MCDC, but I've boiled it down to this:

It takes a lot of GRIT to rebrand.

To go against the grain and call it like it is:
"We're gonna get knocked down and on the way up, we're gonna bite a kneecap off."

To take it on the shins when you might get ridiculed for breaking the mold.

To make long-term decisions that are going to hurt at first..
(trading away franchise qb Matt Stafford who wins a superbowl in his first year with the Rams)

To not lose faith through the losses..
(1-10 to start the first season)

And more losses..
(1-6 to start the second season)

But look at them now

✅ Beat the DYNASTY that is the Patrick Mahomes led Chiefs in the 2023 season opener
✅ Won the NFC North (first time in 30 years)
✅ Conquered the Rams and their prodigal son Matt Stafford to win their first playoff game in 32 years.
✅ Cooked a HOT Bucs team for the division

They're absolutely on fire and it doesn't matter who's in their way.

Their success is the result of blue-collar hard work, consistency, and a newfound belief in themselves. MCDC has built a championship-caliber team out of the most distraught franchise in the NFL by changing their identity to match that of their own gritty, relentless city.

These aren't the "same old lions," no.

These are the BRAND. NEW. LIONS.