NFL

Dan Campbell: I'm not talking about firing Kelvin Sheppard

October 5, 2026

Detroit head coach Dan Campbell addressed mounting questions regarding his defensive coordinator following another rough outing in a 32-26 loss to the Panthers on Sunday evening. Surrendering 445 yards of total offense, the team notched its third game yielding 30 or more points within the opening four weeks of the 2026 campaign, mirroring an unwanted historic mark from the franchise's 2008 season.

Pressed on whether a coaching change might happen, Campbell dismissed the idea of dismissing his staff leader, stating his focus remains fixed on solving the defensive struggles utilizing the current roster.

Instead of making immediate personnel swaps, the coaching staff intends to continue adjusting internal schemes and exploring remaining options to turn around their defensive performance. Campbell emphasized that adjustments have been attempted weekly as management searches aggressively for internal solutions.

Those incremental changes will need to translate into on-field results quickly if the team hopes to halt its current defensive slide without resorting to drastic staff alterations.