It’s been quite some time since we checked in with Detroit Lions fans regarding their opinion of general manager Brad Holmes. The last time we polled our audience was almost exactly a year ago, following the team’s 2025 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, those poll results were lost to time (and a migration to a new content management system at SB Nation).
But as you can see below, Holmes has been an extremely popular figure among Detroit sports fans for pretty much his entire career.
March 2021 (pre-free agency):
97 percent approval May 2021 (post-draft): 98 percent September 2021 (post-cuts): 90 percent October 2021: 87 percent November 2021: 79 percent December 2021: 97 percent January 2022: 97 percent March 2022 (pre-free agency): 96 percent May 2022 (post-draft): 99 percent September 2022: 95 percent October 2022: 82 percent November 2022: 97 percent January 2023: 99 percent April 2023 (pre-draft): 98 percent October 2023: 99 percent February 2024: 99 percent May 2024: 99 percent October 2024: 99 percent May 2025: Data lost
Although if there was a time when Holmes’ popularity took a hit, it was likely during the 2025 NFL season, when the Lions took their first clear step back since he and Dan Campbell came to town.
Since last year’s data was lost to time, this is a good opportunity to check back in with Lions fans. While Holmes certainly deserves a ton of credit for getting the Lions back to relevancy and helping them produce four consecutive seasons with winning records, there are some serious blemishes on his resumé now. The 2024 NFL Draft class has not lived up to his high standards through two seasons, some of his riskiest picks over the last few years have all failed to pay off, and last year’s roster just wasn’t good enough to withstand some injuries.
But Holmes is also coming off a very crowd-pleasing draft. Detroit addressed their two biggest needs with their first two selections, and there were no crazy head-scratching picks or expensive trade ups. Many have categorized his latest draft as “back to business as usual,” which could have some fans he lost back on his side.
However, that is all up to you. Vote on your thoughts about Holmes’ time in Detroit below, and share your extended thoughts in the comment section at the bottom of the page.
