As Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes spoke about the playoff exit to the Washington Commanders in the divisional round of the postseason, he now speaks about the foreseeable future. After the Lions lost offensive and defensive coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn to taking head coaching positions, the question for them is now if the Super Bowl window has now closed.

Holmes would downplay any noise that Detroit will regress or that a possible window has closed as he spoke to the media on Thursday to emphasize not being in a “prisoner of the moment” according to NBC Sports and the team’s website.

“Is there a window?” Holmes said. “I think we’ve done a good job of doing the best we can to avoid windows. . . . We feel so good about our young core, our young nucleus of players, and we feel so good about our quarterback.”

“Nothing is going to kind of alter what our approach has been in terms of trying to continue to improve and keeping building,” Holmes continued. “Obviously, I do think we’re very close. Obviously felt really good about this season. Fell short, but we’re going to stay committed to the process…I don’t think you can be a prisoner of the moment and make all these crazy wholesale changes,” Holmes said. “I just think all the pieces are in place that I don’t really feel walls closing.”

Lions GM Brad Holmes on being “very close” to their goals 

Detroit Lions Executive Vice President & General Manager Brad Holmes speaks to the press about their season, how it ended and what’s next at the Detroit Lions headquarters and training facility in Allen Park, Mich., Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. © Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There is no doubt that when the Lions coordinator in Johnson was hired by the Chicago Bears as well as Glenn to the New York Jets, there were some who thought that this could be the beginning of the end for the team’s chances. However, Holmes would say that head coach Dan Campbell “has been preparing” and would say that the team is “very close” to their ultimate goals.

“I know Dan has been preparing for it,” Holmes said of losing both coordinators. “I have full faith and trust in Dan to make sure we are going to have the right people in place.”

“Fifteen wins, that’s hard to do in a year when you don’t have the attrition we had to deal with,” Holmes continued. “I think we just stay the course. . . . I do think we’re very close…Obviously fell short of the goals we set out to accomplish this year and it stung. It’s humbling,” Holmes said. “But won’t let it discredit our positives we were able to accomplish as well this season.”

Detroit finished with an impressive 15-2 record in the regular season but ended devastatingly to the Washington Commanders as they lost 45-31 in the divisional round.