Lions players react to Dan Campbell missing out on Coach of the Year: 'I think he deserved it'

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The NFL Honors saw a couple surprise winners of its awards on Thursday night, one of whom being Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski winning Coach of the Year for the second time in his career. 

When the votes were counted, Stefanki beat out Houston Texans first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans by one vote. But the man in third place – a distant third place at that – was Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell, someone Lions players believe should've gotten the award after their historic season. 

"I think he deserved it, man," Lions star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson told Fox News Digital while discussing his partnership with Bounty and their "Ultimate Wingman" promotion alongside his defensive teammate, Brian Branch. "We did some very historic things this year with our franchise. 

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Aidan Hutchinson, #97 of the Detroit Lions, and head coach Dan Campbell react after a fourth-quarter safety during a game against the Chicago Bears at Ford Field on November 19, 2023, in Detroit, Michigan. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

"Although awards are good, he’s all of our Coach of the Year in our hearts."

No Lions team has ever won 14 games in a single season until this year, as Campbell helped lead his squad to the NFC Championship Game, where they eventually fell to the San Francisco 49ers. 

And you need to go back to 1993 to find the last time the Lions won their division. They went 12-5 this season to capture the NFC North and earn the No. 3 seed in the NFC. 

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