Sheila Ford Hamp Owner of Detroit Lions Announced that Dan Campbell is no Longer
Lions owner Sheila Hamp: “For the city, the fans, and my family, winning the Super Bowl would be amazing.”
Sheila Hamp: For the city and family, winning the Super Bowl would be “wonderful.”
Sheila Hamp took over her mother’s ownership of the Detroit Lions a little over three years ago. Since then, a lot has changed, including the demands placed on the group she currently leads. For both the team and Hamp, the growth has meant a great deal. It has great meaning for supporters as well. But winning the season’s final game would be something else entirely.
FOX 2 in ALLEN PARK, MichiganA little over three years had passed since Sheila Hamp succeeded her mother, Martha Firestone Ford, as the owner of the Detroit Lions. What has altered since that day, then? A great deal.
The Lions announced on June 23, 2020, that Martha Ford, who has owned the team since 2014, would be giving up her position and giving her daughter the keys. After 50 years as the owner, Martha Ford succeeded her husband, William Clay Ford.
She had not entered it with naïve faith when Hamp assumed command. She had been involved with the team and the NFL for many years, serving as one of the vice chairs from 2014 to 2019.
With Covid keeping crowds away from the stadium, the 2020 NFL season began with Matt Patricia leading the Lions as head coach and Bob Quinn serving as general manager. They had both left by Thanksgiving’s end.
She called a close college friend who could offer some guidance, saying that the first step should be to define your noble cause. After you do that, she remembers him telling her, everything will fall into place if you can persuade a few people to support you.
After giving it some thought, she declared, “My noble cause was the city of Detroit, the fans, the state, and everybody who has supported the Lions for so many years.”
They determined that the most important qualities to be ingrained in the incoming government were culture and leadership.
The Los Angeles Rams executive Brad Holmes was hired, as revealed by Hamp and Wood on January 14. Dan Campbell took over as their new head coach a week later.
The Lions finished 3-13-1 in 2021 and were able to select Aidan Hutchinson with the second overall pick. They finished 9-8 but missed the playoffs the previous year. There is a lot of anticipation for something truly amazing this year among the team members.
With the support she’s received, Hamp, who is about to embark on her third season as the primary owner, believes the appropriate people are in place.
“I believe this method has helped me improve significantly. The fact that the appropriate people are present and I can see everything unfolding in front of me leads me to believe that. I’m glad I was able to select the appropriate individuals. Since I’ve never held this kind of leadership role before, I wasn’t sure. I had no idea if that would turn out to be the case or not; you never truly know with anything fresh you try. I have a lot of support, which is why I’m so happy. I could never accomplish this alone,” Hamp said to FOX 2’s Dan Miller.
Last season, the Lions were threatening to make the playoffs with the right infrastructure in place, but they ended up playing spoiler against Green Bay. According to Hamp, the Lions have a fantastic potential because of their achievements from the previous season.
“It really is wonderful, I promise. It’s really thrilling. It’s clear that the league views us differently given that we’re playing in Kansas City for the opening game of the NFL season. It’s exciting how many national games they arrange for us. Last year, we didn’t have any. We think we’re up for the challenge, and it’s really amazing,” Hamp remarked.
What would a victory in February imply for Hamp and the team?
“I have indeed given it some thought. If I said I hadn’t, I would be lying,” she remarked.
“I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I think lifting that trophy aloft would be amazing for the city, the supporters, and my family as a whole.”
