Lions' Dan Campbell won't confirm Kelvin Sheppard is safe as 2026 DC

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During his weekly radio appearance on WXYT-FM 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit, Lions head coach Dan Campbell broached a handful of big-picture topics.

Campbell was asked for his assessment of first-year defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard.

"I like Shep. Shep has really grown this year. I think with any first-time coordinator, first-time coach, you go through a lot and you learn along the way. You make adjustments, you find things that you believe in. You throw other things to the side that don’t fit you. You find ways to adjust and it’s just part of the process. I think Shep’s done a damn good job. There’s always going to be things that you learn from this job, but I like Shep," Campbell said of Sheppard.

After those positive remarks, Campbell was asked if it was safe to assume that he and the Lions don't plan on making a change at defensive coordinator. Campbell was noncommittal on Sheppard sticking as the Lions' DC in 2026.

"Listen, I’m not anywhere yet. I’ve got one game left here. I’m not about to start going through what I’m going to do here or there. I’m not. Has my mind gone there over, right after the game for a day or so, 24 hours? Yeah, you go through a lot in your head, but most of it is about yourself.

"That’s what most of it is. I think about myself, because the bottom line is I’m the one who’s not done a good enough job here. That’s very evident. I’ve got to figure out my own stuff here. What do I need to correct? And then I’ll start working through the other stuff later, but we’ve got one game left here," Campbell said.

The Lions' secondary has been ravaged by injuries, losing cornerback Terrion Arnold to a shoulder injury, safety Brian Branch to an Achilles injury and safety Kerby Joseph has been sidelined most of the season with a knee injury.

Detroit ranks 23rd in points per game allowed (24.8), 19th in passing yards allowed, 26th in passing touchdowns allowed, 16th in rushing yards allowed, 18th in rushing touchdowns allowed, and 25th in fourth-down conversions allowed. The Lions are also a middling 18th in total defense.

While Campbell wasn't ready to give a clear indication one way or the other on Sheppard's status with the Lions for 2026 on Tuesday, Campbell knows that there will be "uncomfortable" conversations of some sort in the organization this offseason. That's only natural after Detroit's 8-8 campaign to this point has the Lions outside of the playoffs for the first time in three years.

"Yeah, I mean, listen, that is part of it. So much of it is, there’s things that…for example, we’ve got a new staff. How much of that is because there’s a ton of new? I’ve got eight new coaches here and two new coordinators. Does that mean we just need to get some things in sync and we buy a little more time, or, is it not salvageable?

"These are all the little things that you think about when the time is right, and I’m not there. I’ve still got another week. Same thing with players. Yes, we have more talent. Are we the same team we were in 2022 at the end of that year? You’ve got to start asking yourself, and, if not, why? What is it about that? There’s all kinds of things, but we’re not there. There’ll be a time to get there. Any time you fall below your own standards and certainly we didn’t get in the playoffs, it’s a disappointment. So, it’s going to be uncomfortable and it should be uncomfortable," Campbell said.

The Lions close their 2025 season at the Chicago Bears (11-5) on Sunday, Jan. 4 at 4:25 p.m. ET from Soldier Field with the game airing on Fox.

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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions' Dan Campbell won't confirm Kelvin Sheppard is safe as 2026 DC

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