Lions' DC doesn't see 'drastic change' to defensive schemes in 2026

There have been a number of different culprits for the Lions' descent to its 8-8 record and the reality that its missing out on the postseason for the first time since 2022.

Though Detroit suffered a series of injuries to key defensive stars, the Lions just couldn't find enough answers defensively down the season's home stretch to secure another playoff berth.

A five-game stretch late this season spanning the Lions' Nov. 23 date against the New York Giants through its Dec. 21 contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers saw Detroit surrender 31.6 points and 458.6 yards per game. The Lions were 2-3 during this season-defining stretch of games as its defense struggled for solutions.

On Thursday, Lions first-year defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard was asked why he still believes his defensive scheme gives Detroit the best chance to win and if there is room for drastic changes schematically in 2026.

"No, I don't see drastic change. What I see and what I've learned in my first year on the job of calling defenses is something me and Dan (Campbell) talk about every day. I started off the year (saying), 'I want to have the top defense in this category, top this, top that, top that.' And you get caught in these statistical things that mean nothing if you're not winning football games.

"This league is about adaptability. You can have a system all you want, but it's whatever (that week) dictates is necessary to win the football game, and that's predicated on a lot of different variables. You talk about the offense that you're facing, you're talking about the personnel that's at your disposal that week. It's a lot of different variables, and my job has been and I believe we have done as a defensive staff, week to week, what is it going to take to stop this offense, and, more importantly, what is it going to take for us to play complementary football and win this football game?" Sheppard said.

Kelvin Sheppard DOES NOT expect to make drastic changes to the Detroit Lions defense next season. 😳 pic.twitter.com/FfKpuUYKvQ— Lions Nation Unite™ (@LionsNationU) January 2, 2026

Sheppard said he still believes in the Lions' defensive system, while acknowledging he and Detroit's defensive failures in 2025.

"I believe we have a very versatile system here where we're able to adapt and adjust on the run, and I believe that not only myself but my staff and these players have done a good job. Listen, the ball hasn't fallen our way. I understand where we are with eight losses and out of playoff contention, but I'm not going to sit up here and say there needs to be drastic change and this didn't work, that didn't work. There were weeks we played at a high level with the exact same system, and there was weeks that we didn't. And after this game, we'll go back and look at that in totality and find out the real whys behind that," Sheppard said.

Sheppard is in his fifth season on the Lions' coaching staff after joining as the outside linebackers coach in 2021 and serving as the linebackers coach from 2022-24.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell said in a radio interview earlier this week that he's seen a lot of growth from Sheppard this season.

"I like Shep. Shep has really grown this year. I think with any first-time coordinator, first-time coach, you go through a lot and you learn along the way. You make adjustments, you find things that you believe in. You throw other things to the side that don’t fit you. You find ways to adjust and it’s just part of the process. I think Shep’s done a damn good job. There’s always going to be things that you learn from this job, but I like Shep," Campbell said of Sheppard.

But, given an opportunity to confirm that he and the Lions don't plan on making a change at defensive coordinator in the offseason, Campbell didn't commit to Sheppard's 2026 return as the Lions' DC.

"Listen, I’m not anywhere yet. I’ve got one game left here. I’m not about to start going through what I’m going to do here or there. I’m not. Has my mind gone there over, right after the game for a day or so, 24 hours? Yeah, you go through a lot in your head, but most of it is about yourself.

"That’s what most of it is. I think about myself, because the bottom line is I’m the one who’s not done a good enough job here. That’s very evident. I’ve got to figure out my own stuff here. What do I need to correct? And then I’ll start working through the other stuff later, but we’ve got one game left here," Campbell told WXYT-FM 97.1 The Ticket.

Detroit closes its 2025 season at NFC North champion Chicago (11-5) on Sunday, Jan. 4 with kickoff set for 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox.

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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions' DC doesn't see 'drastic change' to defensive schemes in 2026