Detroit Lions OC Drew Petzing: Now This Makes Perfect Sense!
Maximizing the exact types of players Detroit has built its roster around. He won’t ask the Lions to change who they are; he will simply give them a better blueprint to dominate!
January 19, 2026 | 4:25 PM
THE SEARCH IS OVER! The Detroit Lions found a schematic mirror image of Dan Campbell with former Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator—Drew Petzing. Do not confuse this for a 'culture hire' as I’ve seen suggested online. That narrative is lazy. This move is purely tactical. It isn’t about maintaining vibes; it’s about the X’s and O’s—matching Detroit’s physical roster with one of the few coaches who genuinely shares the same DNA.
THE PREDICTABLE REACTION? Cue the outrage. You wanted the splash. You wanted the McDaniel Magic Show. Sorry to burst the bubble, but real football doesn’t work that way. That desire stems from the same ‘Madden Mentality’ that begs for flashy, expensive and senseless trade deadline moves. It’s casual thinking.
THE BRUTAL TRUTH? McDaniel is a flight risk, not a fixture. He wouldn’t have come to Detroit to build; he comes to audit his resume—booking a layover before his next Head Coaching gig elsewhere—it was never a one-way trip. I warned everyone from day one: “not happening.” Maybe it’s time you subscribe to real football talk and join the adults in the room—links below.
Let’s dive into why Drew Petzing isn’t just a “safe” hire, but potentially the perfect one to unlock the next level of the Lions’ offense in 2026.
While the dismissal of John Morton signaling a desire for change, the arrival of Petzing signals a desire for evolution rather than revolution. Petzing, a disciple of the Kevin Stefanski and Gary Kubiak coaching trees, brings a system that prioritizes the very things Detroit cherishes most:
A violent run game
Heavy tight end usage
Complex blocking schemes
Ruthless efficiency off play-action
Chaos and confusion for opposing defenses
When “Violence” Meets The “West Coast”
The primary reason Petzing fits Detroit is that he speaks the language of “Gap” football. Unlike the spread-heavy “Air Raid” coordinators of the college game. Petzing’s base philosophy is built on the “under-center” run game—specifically “Duo,” “Power,” and “Counter” concepts.
The “Heavy” Personnel Identity: In Arizona, Petzing was famous for his usage of “12” (1 RB, 2 TE) and “13” (1 RB, 3 TE) personnel groupings. This aligns perfectly with a Lions roster that has invested heavily in offensive line depth and tight ends.
Early Prediction: Expect the Lions to draft the next left tackle & tight end of the future in 2026 that fit the scheme. More on this here.
The Run Game Continuity: The Lions do not want to become a finesse passing team. In 2023, Petzing’s Cardinals finished 2nd in the NFL in rushing average (5.02 yards per carry) and 4th in total rushing yards. He achieved this with a roster far less talented than Detroit’s. He understands that to protect the quarterback, you must first bludgeon the defensive front—a philosophy that Dan Campbell demands.
Play-Action “Candy” — Petzing’s system relies on “marrying” the run and pass. Because he runs the ball so effectively from under center, his play-action shots are devastatingly effective. This mimics the specific “Goff-friendly” structure that Ben Johnson used to turn Jared Goff into a top-tier passer: force linebackers to step up to stop the run, then throw behind them.
The Weaponry Fit: Unlocking The “Core Four”
How does Petzing’s history translate to Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Sam LaPorta? The tape suggests a massive potential for increased production & growth for all four inside this scheme.
Jahmyr Gibbs & David Montgomery (The “Conner” Effect): Petzing isn’t afraid to feed a bellcow. In Arizona, he turned James Conner into the engine of the offense, leaning on him for “Pin-Pull” sweeps and gap-scheme runs that allowed him to play arguably the best football of his career.
For Jahmyr Gibbs: Petzing’s diverse run menu (specifically the perimeter toss and counter plays he designed for Conner) will get him into space against linebackers who are frozen by the threat of the inside run or screen.
Running backs in this system typically saw their fair share of involvement in the passing game. Petzing would typically dial up 6-8 options in the slot, out of the backfield or screens per game.
Sam LaPorta (The Focal Point): If there is one winner in this hire, it is Sam LaPorta. Petzing views the Tight End not just as a safety valve, but as a primary #1 option.
Amon-Ra St. Brown (The “Thielen” Role): Before calling plays, Petzing was a Wide Receivers coach in Minnesota, where he helped oversee the dominance of Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs. He understands how to scheme “free releases” for slot receivers. St. Brown will likely see an increase in “choice routes” over the middle, where Petzing’s quarterbacks are taught to attack the intermediate void. Sound familiar yet?
Jameson Williams (The Vertical Threat): The criticism of Petzing in Arizona was occasionally a “conservative” nature, but this was largely due to Kyler Murray’s limitations in rhythm passing and the lack of speed on the roster. With Goff, Petzing can utilize the deep post and “dagger” concepts off play-action that require precise timing and Williams’ specialty—speed.
Proof Of Concept: The “Tight End Whisperer”
The most exciting evidence for Lions fans is Petzing’s direct track record with tight ends. He doesn’t just use them; he manufactures production for them.
The Trey McBride Explosion: Under Petzing, Trey McBride went from a promising young player to a statistical monster. In 2025, McBride set a franchise record for consecutive games with 5+ catches, effectively becoming the Cardinals’ entire passing offense. Petzing force-fed him targets, designing specific “TE Screen” and “Y-Iso” plays to get the ball in his hands 10+ times a game.
Lions Translation: Expect Sam LaPorta to be the centerpiece of the game plan, not just a red-zone threat.
The David Njoku Renaissance: Before Arizona, Petzing was the Tight Ends Coach for the Cleveland Browns (2020-2021). Under his tutelage, David Njoku developed into a complete tight end. In 2021, the Browns were the only team in the NFL to have three different tight ends record at least 3 touchdowns each.
Lions Translation: This suggests that not only will LaPorta feast, but the Lions’ TE2 (potentially Brock Wright or a draft pick) will also be a significant factor in the red zone.
Expect It: The Lions will be drafting another tight end in 2026
The “Petzing Was Trash” Narrative?
Just Stop Already!
Here is the reality check for everyone screaming about the Cardinals 2025 stats. Calling Drew Petzing “trash” because of the 2025 Arizona Cardinals season isn’t just lazy; it’s malpractice. Yes, the Cardinals finished 3-14. Yes, the run game plummeted to 30th in yards per game in 2025—from 7th in 2024 and 3rd in 2023. But context isn’t an excuse—it’s the evidence. You cannot evaluate a coordinator when the training room is busier than the end zone.
Let’s look at the actual “Weaponry” Petzing was handed in 2025:
QB1 Kyler Murray: Played 5 games, can’t see over the o-line, had to scramble or use roll outs often just to get Murray in position to see downfield.
RB1 James Conner: The engine of the entire scheme played 3 games.
WR1 Marvin Harrison Jr: Placed on IR after Week 14 (and was hobbled for weeks before). Whom by the way, had a pedestrian rookie season that was already regressing in 2025.
WR2 Greg Dortch: IR (Chest) after Week 12.
WR3 Zay Jones: IR (Achilles) after Week 9.
TE1 Trey McBride: Played the entire season, typically as the only passing option for Murray, which makes it pretty easy to shut down an offense. Even with McBride having one of the best seasons ever as a tight end, you cannot beat teams one-dimensional.
The Result? Petzing was forced to run a “Power Gap” scheme with Michael Carter #2 & Emari Demercado #3 as his bell cows and Jacoby Brissett effectively throwing to practice squad bodies. Judging Petzing on 2025 is like firing a Formula 1 driver because his pit crew gave him a car with three wheels and no engine.
The Real Tape: If you want to know who Petzing is, watch 2023 and 2024—when he had actual NFL starters. In 2023, he took a roster devoid of talent and produced a Top-5 rushing attack. That is the coach Detroit is hiring—2025 was just a medical report disguised as a football season.
My Verdict
Drew Petzing is a “high-floor” hire with a “high-ceiling” schematic match. He brings the discipline of the Stefanski tree, the run-game violence of the Gannon/Eagles influence, and a proven history of maximizing the exact types of players Detroit has built its roster around. He won’t ask the Lions to change who they are; he will simply give them a better blueprint to dominate. END OF STORY!
THE RISE & GRIND MORNING SHOW | 1.20.26
Thanks for the comment. There is a ton more to this hire that I think is missed, or someone is feeding everyone lies in other content or something. Everyone points to the 2025 stats and those should be discarded and not referenced. Its like trying to use the Lions 2024 defense as an example, too many injuries.
I have 2 more articles dropping shortly that may eliminate the majority of your worries.
Will,
As a Lions fan, I’m cautiously optimistic about the Petzing hire, though I have some real concerns.
My biggest worry:
• Forcing his system over adapting to talent: This is what troubles me most. The best coordinators—like Ben Johnson—design plays around their personnel’s strengths. Cardinals fans repeatedly mentioned that Petzing seemed to make players fit his scheme rather than tailoring his approach to what his players did best. That rigidity is concerning when you look at the diverse skill sets we have with Gibbs, Montgomery, St. Brown, Jameson, and LaPorta.
Other concerns:
• In-game adaptability: He’d stick to his script and seemed lost once it ran out. When defenses loaded the box against Arizona, his offense became one-dimensional rather than adjusting
• 2025 collapse: The Cardinals finished 31st in rushing yards despite his supposed run-game expertise, though injuries to James Conner and O-line coaching turnover contributed heavily
But there are genuine strengths here:
• Run-game efficiency when healthy: In 2023-24, Arizona ranked 7th in rushing yards both seasons with strong yards-per-carry numbers (4.50 and 4.53). He uses gap schemes that align perfectly with our personnel
• Tight end expertise: Trey McBride just had 126 catches for 1,239 yards under Petzing’s heavy use of 12 and 13 personnel—great news for LaPorta
• Philosophy fit: He wants to establish the run and use play-action, which is exactly what Goff excels at and what Campbell preaches
• Red zone success: Arizona ranked 11th in red zone efficiency and 3rd in goal-to-go situations
• Respected coach: Kevin Stefanski called him “one of the smartest coaches I’ve been around”
The upgrade in talent from Arizona to Detroit could make all the difference—he’s going from Jacoby Brissett to Jared Goff, and inheriting weapons he never had in Arizona. I hope he will be better at adapting his play calls and play design to the skills of his players, and adjusting in game.