If you’re a Lions fan waking up on this Sunday, January 18, 2026, the feeling is... weird. Empty.
The NFL Divisional Round is currently in full swing. The Patriots and Texans are beating each other up, and later today, the rest of the playoff bracket will settle. But the Honolulu Blue is nowhere to be found on the field. Instead of Detroit Lions today’s highlights featuring a deep playoff run at Ford Field, we’re looking at highlights of a different kind: a coaching search, a messy offensive coordinator exit, and the fallout of a season that ended way too early.
Honestly, it feels like a fever dream compared to the hype we had six months ago. We went from Super Bowl favorites to a 9-8 finish, missing the dance entirely.
The Highlights We Actually Got (and Why They Matter)
Let’s be real. Even though the team is home, the Detroit Lions today’s highlights from the final week of the season are still being talked about. You remember that Week 18 win against the Chicago Bears? Jake Bates—basically the only guy who didn't blink all year—nailed a 42-yarder as time expired to win it 19-16.
It was a "meaningless" game for the standings, but it wasn't meaningless for the locker room.
- Amon-Ra St. Brown was a machine, as usual. He caught 11 balls for 139 yards in that finale.
- Jared Goff threw for over 330 yards, proving he’s still the guy, despite the chaos around him.
- Jahmyr Gibbs notched another touchdown, finishing a season where he was often the only spark on a struggling offense.
But that win left a sour taste. It pushed the Lions to the 17th pick in the draft. It also highlighted the biggest problem: we can beat the good teams, but we couldn't stay consistent enough to beat the "should-wins."
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What Really Happened with the Offense?
The biggest news today isn't a play on the field; it's the vacancy in the coaching room. The firing of offensive coordinator John Morton is the highlight everyone is dissecting right now.
It was a disaster. There’s no other way to put it.
After Ben Johnson finally took a head coaching gig elsewhere, the drop-off was staggering. The Lions regressed in ways that didn't even seem possible. We went from a top-three unit to a group that struggled to find the red zone against mediocre defenses.
Right now, the rumor mill is spinning. Dan Campbell has been linked to a few names. Arthur Smith? Maybe. A "consultant" role for some former big names? It’s all on the table. But the highlight for fans today is the realization that Brad Holmes is back in "fix-it" mode.
The Retirements Nobody Is Ready For
We have to talk about the veterans. This is the part of Detroit Lions today’s highlights that actually hurts to type.
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Frank Ragnow is gone. The heart of that offensive line officially hung them up. You can't just "replace" a guy who played through a fractured larynx and shredded toes like they were minor inconveniences.
And then there’s Taylor Decker. He hasn't officially filed the paperwork yet, but his recent comments sound like a guy who is tired. He talked about MRIs. He talked about "making decisions for other people." If the Lions lose both pillars of that line in one offseason, 2026 is going to look a lot different for Jared Goff.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 2025 Failure
A lot of national media types are saying the "window is closed."
That’s garbage.
The Lions didn't miss the playoffs because they lack talent. They missed because they lost their identity. Penei Sewell said it best last week: the line lost its "swagger." When you have seven guys finish in the top 10 of their position per PFF (including Sewell and Alim McNeill), you don't have a talent problem.
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You have a leadership and scheme problem.
The Actionable Truth: What Happens Now?
If you're looking for the "highlights" of the future, keep your eyes on the following milestones. This is the roadmap for the next three months:
- The OC Hire: This has to happen by the end of January. If Campbell goes with a "safe" hire, expect more of the same. If he goes bold, maybe we see that 2023 magic return.
- The Draft (Pick 17): Everyone is mocking a Taylor Decker successor. Dane Brugler and other experts are already pairing the Lions with high-upside tackles. They have to protect Goff, or the $50 million-a-year investment is wasted.
- Aidan Hutchinson's Recovery: Hutch is the heartbeat. Seeing him back at 100% for OTAs will be the biggest highlight of the spring.
The 2025 season was a gut punch. No doubt. But seeing the Detroit Lions today’s highlights being about "what went wrong" is better than the old days when the highlight was just "who are we drafting at #1?"
The standard has changed. Now, the Lions just have to live up to it again.
Next Steps for Lions Fans:
- Monitor the Senior Bowl rosters; Brad Holmes loves finding "diamonds in the rough" (like Isaac TeSlaa) in the mid-rounds.
- Watch the coaching carousel updates specifically regarding Mike McDaniel—if he lands in the NFC North, the division just got three times harder.
- Clear your schedule for the NFL Draft on April 23; with the 17th pick, the Lions are in the "sweet spot" for a plug-and-play starter on the defensive interior or offensive tackle.