As the Detroit Lions' 2026 NFL regular season approaches, Fox Sports personality Colin Cowherd spoke highly of Detroit's ability to be among the NFL's top teams this year on his "The Herd with Colin Cowherd."
After Detroit's 9-8 finish last season saw them miss the playoffs, the Lions' Super Bowl window has been a popular topic of conversation over the course of this offseason. While some have viewed the Lions' window as closed or closing, the popular sports personality defended the Honolulu blue and silver.
"So people are asking about Detroit, and they're saying, 'Hey, is the window closed?' Closed? I mean, folks, they had a winning record. People think they fell off a cliff. They were fourth in total offense. They swept the Bears, a playoff
team. They had a winning record. Basically, they lost the best offensive coordinator in football. They stayed in-house, brought a guy in, and it wasn't as good as they thought. It wasn't a disaster. It just wasn't as good as they thought.
"But, I mean, Jared Goff was second in touchdown passes last year to Matt Stafford who won MVP. And it's an offensive league. They have an elite left tackle, wide receiver, running back, excellent tight end, an edge rusher of note. I don't get it," Cowherd said.
"People think they fell off a cliff. They were 4th in total offense. They swept the Bears, a playoff team... The Detroit Lions are absolutely an elite franchise."@colincowherd isn't closing the Lions Super Bowl window just yet pic.twitter.com/Q0XL58xjXB
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) August 21, 2026
Cowherd continued to praise what Detroit has built.
"Folks, the Detroit Lions are absolutely an elite franchise. General manager Brad Holmes, A++. Quarterback, A. Top 10 to 12. I'd say 10, some would say 12. And Dan Campbell... He's a tough guy, he's an alpha, and the players love him. He's got heart. He's got a soft side, and he's a tough guy, which is a hard balance to strike.
"So I know it's hard to say this, but say it out loud: GM, quarterback, coach, culture. Yeah, they're going to be in their Super Bowl window, and all the positions they have that are elite are the key positions: coach, quarterback, left tackle, weapon, edge rusher. Like all the positions you need to be good at, they're A-level at all of them," Cowherd said.
The Lions will look to substantiate Cowherd's claims when they open the 2026 regular season at Ford Field against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Sept. 13.
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Colin Cowherd says Detroit Lions' Super Bowl window still wide open
