Detroit Lions expected to hire Matt Patricia as head coach, per report
The Detroit Lions are expected to hire Matt Patricia as head coach, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The NFC North looks to be getting even stronger.
Patricia could be the perfect hire for the Lions, a team only a few pieces away from becoming a force in the NFC.
As soon as the New England Patriots’ season finishes, it is expected Patricia will take the Lions’ head coach vacancy, and not the Giants’.
Patriots’ defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is likely to become the Detroit Lions’ next head coach, league sources told ESPN. More on Sunday NFL Countdown.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 14, 2018
Per sources, Lions have informed other candidates they’ve been eliminated from the search, moving forward with the expectation Matt Patricia will be their head coach when the Patriots season ends. So that job is officially off the board.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 15, 2018
The Green Bay Packers already have to deal with Mike Zimmer’s elite defense in Minnesota. Vic Fangio’s unit in Chicago shouldn’t be overlooked, either. Now Patricia will look to make Detroit’s defense one of the league’s best.
Patricia has been with the Patriots since 2004, working as the defensive coordinator for the past six years. He’s been a part of three Super Bowl-winning teams in New England.
And he might just be the right man for the job in Detroit.
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Jim Caldwell should be applauded for the job he did with the Lions. When Caldwell became head coach in 2014, he took over a Lions team that had just one winning season to its name since 2000.
In four years, he finished with a 36-28 record, two playoff berths and three winning records.
Caldwell set the foundation, and the Lions now hope Patricia can make them contenders. He’s an excellent defensive mind who could bring immediate results to Detroit’s underwhelming unit.
Detroit has a top-tier quarterback in place, and aside from a run game, has plenty of talent on offense to work with.
If Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn can fix the run game and add a few playmakers on defense, the Lions will be firmly in the NFC North race next year.
But Patricia’s hire hardly guarantees success for the Lions. He has no head coaching experience, and much of the Patriots’ success is due to Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.
Next: Packers: 12 players that need to go this offseason
That said, if there’s anyone who knows about Patricia’s potential, it’s Bob Quinn. Quinn made the switch from New England to Detroit just a couple of years ago.
Do you think this is a good hire for the Lions?