The Lions very quietly get everything they want and were asking for with their hire of Drew Petzing

This won’t grab headlines, but this is a solid move for the Lions

Mike Payton — Detroit Lions Beat Writer
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Sep 10, 2023; Landover, Maryland, USA; Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing walks on the sideline before the game against the Washington Commanders at FedExField.
Drew Petzing walks on the sideline before the game against the Washington Commanders at FedExField. Brent Skeen-Imagn Images

The search is over. The Detroit Lions have found their new offensive coordinator, and I’m sorry to tell you that it’s not Mike McDaniel. But it is a guy with plenty of offensive coordinator experience.

The Lions will hire Cardinals’ OC Drew Petzing to be their new offensive coordinator

Petzing has been coaching in the NFL since 2013, and he’s worked his way up by helping out all over the field. He’s been a quarterbacks coach, a receivers coach, a tight ends coach, and, most recently, an offensive coordinator.

This is certainly an interesting hire, and one the Lions need to get right. This one won’t get headlines, but it fits everything the Lions want.

Solid run game architect

The Cardinals had one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL under Petzing in 2024. They were seventh in the league in rushing yards and eighth in touchdowns. Injuries hurt the Cardinals’ offense a lot in 2025, but the point is that to the Lions, the run game is everything.

Dan Campbell said that point blank period. Petzing is a run-first guy, and that makes a world of difference in their search.

Balance

Petzing is not just a run game guy. He did very well getting the run game going and then taking advantage of it. The Cardinals had a pretty well-balanced offense, and Petzing helped give Jacoby Brissett the best year of his career.

The Cardinals were seventh in passing yards and seventh in passing touchdowns.

Regarded as one of the league’s young up-and-comers

Petzing isn’t some older coach with older ideas. He’s a 38-year-old coach who’s been climbing and climbing fast. Jonathan Gannon praised him as a guy who can get the best of his players and be a leader of men, and he’s got a really strong track record of developing players.

This is what this team wants and needs. He’s also seen as super detail-oriented and innovative. He now has the players to do just about whatever he wants out there. This wasn’t the sexy hire, but this is a good move.

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