Drew Petzing’s first game calling plays for the Detroit Lions offered Dan Campbell a chance to evaluate more than formations, personnel groups and third-down decisions.
Campbell also learned that his new offensive coordinator is still figuring out how to translate him.
That includes the head coach’s sideline suggestions, his preferred running lanes and, apparently, a four-letter vocabulary capable of carrying several different meanings.
Detroit lost its preseason opener to the Cincinnati Bengals, 16-14, but Campbell came away encouraged by Petzing’s command of the offense. The early reviews were positive, even if the communication between head coach and coordinator remains a work in progress.
Campbell’s Input Can Interrupt the Rhythm
Petzing called the offense from the sideline while Campbell monitored the entire operation. Detroit’s head coach gave his coordinator room to work, but he was not completely silent.
“There are little things that come up,” Campbell said. “I may want to get a guy the ball, run it somewhere or run behind somebody. Those are little things that come from me that I’ll chirp to him. Sometimes that can break his rhythm a little bit. That’s natural and part of it.”
That is one of the quieter challenges facing any new play caller.
Petzing is not simply selecting plays from a sheet. He is tracking personnel, down and distance, defensive tendencies and the calls he wants available later in the drive. When Campbell jumps into the conversation with a request, Petzing must process it without losing sight of the sequence already forming in his head.
There will be moments when Campbell wants a specific player involved. There will be others when he sees an opportunity to run behind a particular offensive lineman. Petzing’s job is to turn those instructions into calls that fit the situation without allowing outside input to disrupt his timing.
That coordination cannot be mastered during offseason meetings. It has to be developed during games.
Petzing Is Learning Campbell’s Language
Campbell said there were no major communication issues between the two men during their first game together.
“Everything between us was good,” Campbell said. “He’s figuring out my dialogue and my dialect.”
That dialect can apparently be difficult to decode.
Campbell joked that one particular four-letter word could send Petzing in several directions depending on the moment, tone and context.
“What does it mean when I say something?” Campbell said. “Does it mean it’s a bad thing? Does it mean I’m excited? Does it mean run that play again? Does it mean don’t run that play again? Does it mean throw it to this guy? The four-letter word has many meanings.”
It was a funny answer, but Campbell was describing a real part of building a game-day partnership.
Football staffs create their own verbal shorthand. A short phrase can communicate a personnel preference, a formation adjustment or a play Campbell wants available later. Petzing must learn what the head coach wants without requiring a lengthy explanation while the play clock is running.
That understanding should sharpen with every preseason possession.
Campbell Liked Petzing’s Composure
The most encouraging part of Petzing’s debut had little to do with Detroit’s point total.
Campbell wanted to see whether his new coordinator could manage the entire operation without becoming overwhelmed. Play calling moves quickly, and one mistake can easily bleed into the next snap if the coordinator loses focus.
Petzing appeared comfortable.
“He did a good job,” Campbell said. “I thought he was in the flow. He’s what I thought he would be. He doesn’t get frazzled. He’s on it.”
That assessment matches the qualities Detroit valued when it hired Petzing to lead the offense. He arrived after three seasons as Arizona’s offensive coordinator, bringing experience as both an offensive designer and game-day play caller.
Campbell was impressed by Petzing’s ability to create favorable matchups before the two ever worked together. That same attention to detail has carried into their first offseason in Allen Park.
The preseason opener gave Campbell his first chance to watch Petzing handle Detroit’s offense under true game conditions. The personnel was different, most starters were resting and the playbook was limited, but the mechanics of calling a game were real.
Petzing stayed composed. For a first test, that mattered.
Thinking Beyond the Current Play
Campbell was also impressed by Petzing’s ability to work ahead.
“He’s always thinking about the next play or even the play beyond that,” Campbell said. “He has a plan for what’s coming next.”
The best offensive coordinators rarely treat calls as isolated decisions. One play can be used to set up another. A run may influence how linebackers react to play-action later. A particular formation can force the defense to reveal its coverage rules.
Petzing’s history suggests the running game will remain central to that approach. During his three seasons directing Arizona’s offense, the Cardinals ranked second in the NFL in yards per rushing attempt and ninth in total rushing yards. His commitment to building through the ground game made him a logical fit for Detroit.
The Lions already have many of the pieces an offensive coordinator wants. Jared Goff can control the game before the snap. Jahmyr Gibbs forces defenses to account for every inch of the field. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta give Petzing multiple ways to create mismatches.
The question is how much of Petzing’s vision Campbell will allow him to deploy.
Campbell Must Decide How Much Control to Surrender
Campbell took over Detroit’s offensive play calling during the 2025 season after removing John Morton from that responsibility. The Lions’ decision to hire Petzing was followed by the expectation that Campbell would hand the play-calling duties back to his coordinator.
The preseason opener represented the first meaningful step in that transition.
“Now it’s about how much wiggle room he has and what I’m willing to give him,” Campbell said. “Then he knows he can think five steps ahead, three steps ahead or four steps ahead. I thought it was great. It’s going to be great.”
That may be the most important portion of Campbell’s evaluation.
Petzing can only build a sequence several plays in advance if he knows Campbell will allow him to follow it. Constant interruptions or changes from the head coach could make it difficult to establish the rhythm Campbell praised after the game.
There is a balance to strike. Campbell should remain involved when he sees something he wants attacked, but Petzing needs enough freedom to operate the offense he was hired to run.
Brad Holmes praised Petzing’s intelligence, preparation and personnel usage after the hiring process. Detroit Sports Nation previously examined why Petzing checked every box for the Lions, but those qualities only matter if the coordinator receives the freedom to use them.
Campbell sounds prepared to give him that opportunity.
The Preseason Score Was Secondary
Detroit’s 16-14 loss will not tell anyone what Petzing’s regular-season offense will look like.
The Lions rested many of their most important players and worked through a limited preseason plan. Petzing was calling plays for reserves and young players fighting for jobs, not the full offense built around Goff and Detroit’s established playmakers.
The more important information came from the process.
Petzing remained calm. He thought beyond the current snap. He communicated well with Campbell and maintained his rhythm even when the head coach jumped in with a request.
Now the two men must continue developing a language that works when the stakes rise.
Bottom Line
Drew Petzing’s first night calling the Lions’ offense was never going to be judged by a preseason scoreboard. Campbell needed to see whether his new coordinator could manage the sideline, stay composed and keep thinking ahead while receiving input from the head coach.
Petzing passed that first test.
The next phase is about trust. Campbell must determine how much freedom Petzing will receive, while Petzing continues learning what every word, suggestion and sideline outburst from his head coach actually means.
Even the four-letter ones.