Dan Campbell Compares Petzing Process to Ben Johnson
· Yahoo Sports
The Detroit Lions will open the preseason Thursday night in Cincinnati, and Dan Campbell already knows one of the biggest things he wants to learn.
It is not just about Luke Altmyer.
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It is not just about newly added veteran Josh Dobbs.
It is about Drew Petzing.
Detroit’s new offensive coordinator will call his first preseason game for the Lions, and Campbell made it clear Tuesday that the night will serve as an important step in building game-day chemistry between head coach and play caller.
“It’ll be Altmyer, who is a rookie quarterback, and certainly Dobbs,” Campbell said. “Dobbs just walked in the door, so he’s still learning our terminology. We have to keep that in mind.”
Detroit opens its three-game preseason schedule at Cincinnati on Thursday, Aug. 13.
Campbell Wants to Learn How Petzing Thinks During a Game
Petzing arrived in Detroit this offseason after spending the previous three seasons as Arizona’s offensive coordinator and play caller. The Lions hired him in January, making him the latest coach tasked with guiding an offense built around Jared Goff.
Campbell has liked what he has seen throughout the offseason.
Now comes the part that cannot be simulated in Allen Park.
“More than anything, this is about Drew and me learning how to communicate with each other. He has to learn what I’m looking for and what I mean when I say certain things. I also get a feel for him.”
That communication becomes critical once the clock starts running.
A coordinator has to know when Campbell wants aggression, when he wants to slow things down, when a fourth-down situation is coming and how the head coach wants to approach specific moments.
Those instincts are built over time.
Thursday Will Be a Different Kind of Test
Petzing will not have Detroit’s full regular-season offense at his disposal in Cincinnati, and Campbell understands that.
“He won’t have all of his guys in there. But you can start getting a feel for where he is and how he thinks during the flow of a game. It’s really about us becoming familiar with each other in a game setting.”
That is what makes preseason valuable even when many established starters see limited work.
The result does not matter nearly as much as the operation.
How quickly does Petzing get the call in? How does he react when the offense gets behind the chains? What does he dial up after a negative play? How does he communicate with Campbell in fourth-down territory?
Those are the details Detroit needs to iron out before September.
Petzing has already drawn praise inside the building for the variety of looks he has introduced to the offense, and Jared Goff said earlier this offseason that the two have developed a strong working relationship.
Campbell Knows Chemistry Cannot Be Rushed
Campbell has been through this before.
He pointed back to his early days working with former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as an example of why nobody should expect perfect game-day chemistry immediately.
“It’s always going to be a work in progress. That’s normal. I didn’t feel great with Ben after the first preseason game either. It takes time to learn each other, what somebody means and what they’re looking for. The only way to do it is to go through games together. It’s all part of the process.”
That comparison should get Detroit fans’ attention.
Johnson and Campbell eventually developed one of the NFL’s most successful offensive partnerships. Petzing does not need to replicate that overnight.
He needs to start building the same type of shorthand.
Thursday is Step 1.
Altmyer and Dobbs Add Another Layer
The quarterback situation makes Petzing’s first preseason game even more interesting.
Altmyer is a rookie who needs live repetitions, while Dobbs is still catching up on Detroit’s terminology after joining the team. Campbell’s comments suggest the staff will have to balance development with simplicity as Petzing works through his first game calling Detroit’s offense.
Altmyer entered camp after starting three seasons at Illinois, where he completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 3,007 yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions in 2025.
So while Lions fans will naturally watch the quarterbacks, Campbell will be paying close attention to something else.
How smoothly does the entire operation function?
Bottom Line
Thursday night is not really about Drew Petzing proving he can design an offense.
The Lions already hired him because they believe he can do that.
This is about learning how Petzing and Dan Campbell function together when there are play clocks, substitutions, down-and-distance decisions and real game pressure involved.
Campbell does not expect perfection.
He expects progress.
And if history with Ben Johnson taught him anything, it is that the only way to develop real game-day chemistry is to start going through games together.
Cincinnati will provide the first test.