About a week ago, 97.1 The Ticket’s Mike Valenti dropped a rumor that caused a stir among Detroit Lions fans, suggesting the general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell were clashing this offseason in a way that was irregular.
“Someone who covers the team told me that this was the first offseason there are definite differences of opinions in roster construction between Dan and Brad,” Valenti said.
The nature of that disagreement wasn’t ever explained or expanded.
But on Tuesday, Lions general manager Brad Holmes had an opportunity to respond to those rumors during a wide-ranging discussion on the Lions Collective podcast. Safe to say, Holmes refuted the report.
In short, Holmes said that their self-scouting process was deeper and more thorough after a tough 9-8 season that fell short of the playoffs.
”The only intensity (between us) I would say is when you have a disappointment of a season like we had, it’s more intense in terms of—I think when I spoke about it at the end of the season press conference—it is a deeper, harder look from top to bottom on everything,” Holmes said. “That’s what me and Dan had done in joint alignment.”
As for their vision for the team, Holmes outright denied any clashing of philosophy.
”I don’t know where the other stuff came from, but, no. If anything, it’s me and Dan in total lockstep, like we always have been. We’re just looking at everything top to bottom, which we already have done and will continue to do,” Holmes said.
Whether the rumor is true or not, that was likely the response Holmes was going give. So it’s not likely to put an end to speculation from skeptical fans. Still, at least the rumor has been publicly addressed by the team now.
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