A little heartbreak with the Lions‘ playoff run… Yeah, that’s not a headline anyone wanted to read. But here we are. The reality? Even when things are looking up, teams can come crashing down in an instant. Picture this: a solid season, dreams of a Super Bowl within reach. But then, bam—turnovers start stacking up like an avalanche, and just like that, you’re knocked out of the playoffs. It’s like watching your hopes slip away while you’re just trying to keep it together. Jared Goff‘s four interceptions? Total gut punch. And that’s how Detroit’s playoff dreams ended—fast, brutal, and a lot of what-ifs.

Now, the Lions are facing another headache: the potential loss of their defensive line coach and run-game coordinator, Terrell Williams. Word on the street is that New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is eyeing Williams for the defensive coordinator role. Williams, who worked with Vrabel in Tennessee as his assistant head coach and D-line coach, is considered Vrabel’s “ideal pick.”

‘If‘ Williams bolts for New England, it’s gonna hurt. He’s been a huge part of turning around Detroit’s defensive line. Head coach Dan Campbell even called Terrell Williams “the best D-line coach in this league.” Under his watch, Aidan Hutchinson has been a straight-up beast, racking up 16 sacks in 2024 after only getting 9.5 in his rookie year. Alim McNeill has also stepped up, with 4 sacks and 12 tackles for loss—way better than his 2 sacks and 6 tackles from last year.

But here’s the thing. It’s not just the sack numbers. The Lions‘ run defense has seriously leveled up, sitting at 10th in rushing yards allowed per game in 2024 (108.1 yards per game). That’s a huge leap from being 22nd the year before. If Williams dips, Detroit’s gonna need someone who can keep that fire burning. Whether they promote from within or bring in a new face, they’ve got to keep that D-line firing on all cylinders. Losing that edge could be a game-changer.

As the offseason rolls in, the Lions can’t afford to waste any time. With Patriots‘ Vrabel eyeing Terrell Williams, Detroit’s got to make sure they don’t lose their edge. Their defensive line has been a major reason they’ve been a problem this season, and keeping it strong is essential if they want to keep up in the NFC next year. The next few weeks? They’re make-or-break for the Lions’ future and Super Bowl hopes. But, not only Williams, several other coaches are also eyed by many teams. Who are those you might wonder? They are the big names in the Lions.

Poaching on the gold mine called Detriot Lions

The Lions’ season might’ve ended with that wild loss to the Commanders, but now Detroit’s got a whole new mess to deal with aside from Vrabel. Their entire coaching squad is straight-up getting poached. Ben Johnson, the offensive mastermind, is being eyed by the Bears and Commanders for head coaching jobs. I mean, no surprise there—dude’s been cooking up some serious plays all season.

But it’s not just Johnson. Aaron Glenn, the defensive guru, is also on the radar. The Bears want him too, and it makes sense. Glenn’s been a total beast with that defense, so teams are definitely looking to snatch him up. If both of them dip, the Lions are gonna have to scramble to keep that same energy going.

It’s crunch time for Detroit. With so many teams sniffing around their coaching staff, they need to move fast to lock down Johnson as he is in his last year of contract. And Glenn. Or risk losing the key pieces that helped turn things around. The next few weeks are going to be huge for the Lions as they figure out how to keep their coaching staff intact and stay relentless for the future.

I mean, with the recent loss; the team has to start planning for next season. And if they lose key staff members, they might have to reconfigure it all over again. Best-case scenario: They act fast and safeguard their defense and offense by retaining all three. But it’s not looking too promising as of now for the Detroit team.