Dan Campbell Gets His Homecoming Game
The schedule leaks are starting to trickle in, and we know where the Lions will kick off their 2026 season. According to reports, Detroit will open at home against the New Orleans Saints at Ford Field.
Dan Campbell coaching against his former team. Should be fun.
The full 2026 schedule drops Thursday night, but this matchup has some serious storylines baked in. Campbell spent time in New Orleans, and now he gets to welcome them to his house. Meanwhile, Saints offensive coordinator Kellen Moore will be coaching against his former team for the first time ever.
A Saints Team in Transition
New Orleans is in a weird spot right now. They’re clearly rebuilding, but they caught fire at different points in 2025. Tyler Shough looked solid in his starts, which gives them something to build around.
The Saints invested heavily in their defense during free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft. What they don’t have anymore is future Hall of Famer Cameron Jordan, who’s no longer on the roster.
Nobody really knows what to expect from this Saints team. But for the Lions, this feels like the kind of game you’re supposed to win.
Ford Field in September
We don’t know the kickoff time yet, but considering New Orleans is coming off a mediocre season without any major star acquisitions, this probably gets the 1:00 slot. Nothing flashy, just football.
Campbell will coach against his former team for the first time since the 2023 season, but there’s always something extra when you’re playing the franchise that helped shape you as a coach. The Saints gave Campbell his shot. Now they get to see what he’s built in Detroit.
Is opening at home against a rebuilding Saints team the perfect way to start the season, or are we setting ourselves up for classic Lions heartbreak in Week 1? Drop your prediction below.
Dan coming home to Ford Field against the Saints to open the season is exactly the kind of storyline that gets me hyped. This team has something different going on right now and I genuinely believe we can start 1-0 against a Saints team that’s rebuilding. Let’s go Lions.
I like Dan and what he’s done here, but opening at home against a supposed pushover still makes me nervous. This franchise has a way of making games that should be easy way harder than they need to be. Hope I’m wrong though.
You know, after all the years of pain and dysfunction, it’s actually nice to see a coach get a real homecoming game where people care about the storyline. Dan earned that respect and he’s building something real here. Can’t take that for granted after what we’ve been through.