Detroit Lions' president and CEO Rod Wood is retiring ahead of the 2026 season, the team announced Wednesday.
"I want to thank the Ford Family and ultimately Lions fans everywhere for trusting me to lead the Detroit Lions for the last 11 seasons," Wood said in a statement. "It has been an absolute thrill for me to lead this organization, and I am proud of what we have accomplished over that decade-plus. I am most proud of where I am leaving this organization, in the capable hands of Sheila Hamp, Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell."
Arriving midway through the 2015 season, Wood, a Michigan native, helped usher in a new era of ongoing success in Detroit.
Wood is most notably responsible for the hirings of general manger Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell in 2021, a pairing that transformed a long downtrodden franchise into one of the NFL's most exciting teams and top contenders the last few seasons.
Detroit's surge began in the late weeks of the 2022 season and transferred over to a 2023 campaign that saw the Lions win the NFC North for the very first time. That brought Ford Field to host its first playoff game in the stadium's history, a win that prompted the club's first appearance in the NFC Championship Game since 1991.
The Lions proceeded to set records in their 2023 follow-up, setting single-season franchise records in wins (15) and points scored (564) to earn a consecutive division title and the conference's No. 1 seed for the first time in Detroit history, though that dominant campaign ended with a disappointing exit in the Divisional Round.
Wood will remain with the team until his successor is hired -- an effort that will begin immediately, the Lions announced.
"The entire Ford family would like to thank Rod for his dedication and commitment to the Detroit Lions and the city of Detroit," said Lions owner and chairman Sheila Hamp said in a statement. "Rod has been a trusted advisor and passionate leader for our organization and the entire NFL during that time and has prepared our organization for a promising future. While Rod will be missed, we are excited to work with Russell Reynolds Associates to find the next dynamic leader of our business."
As Wood enters retirement, the Lions remain in good hands thanks to the executive who handed Holmes and Campbell contract extensions in 2024.
