The season is about to start and there is a buzz around the Lions that the NFL has not seen since I have been rooting for them. We are in the third year of the Dan Campbell regime and before we get into the actual matchups I wanted to spend a few minutes looking at what third seasons have meant for Lions coaches in the third millennium. So lets get in the way back machine and travel to darker times.
Marty Mornhinweg was the Lions first coach in the newly restructured 32 team NFL. He had had success in the 90s in offensive centered coaching positions for the Packers and 49ers. I dont doubt that some of their success was do to Marty but then he came to the Lions and had to be in charge of everything. That and the lack of a Hall of Fame QB resulted in a 2-14 and 3-13 back to back seasons, the second worst in Lions history. Marty was promptly let go and never saw a 3rd season. Harsh, yeah. But probably the right decision.
Not done with 49ers rejects the Lions call in Steve Mariucci. Mariucci had been head coach for San Francisco for 6 seasons, but not the Super Bowl seasons. Though, the did win a few playoff games. He would not have the same luck in Detroit. A 6-10 record his second season bringing the Lions up to 3rd in the NFC North, their highest position since the restructure, was the best he could do. Mooch was fired after the Thanksgiving game in his third season. Was a midseason firing harsh, absolutely! Was this the right decision? Im not sure Mariucci was the problem. Lets see how the next guy did…
Rod Marinelli was the third head coach under the Matt Millen regime. Marinelli was with a successful Buccaneers team prior to joining the Lions and brought a defensive perspective to the team. The first season was rough but they almost hit .500 in the 2007 season. This was the best the Lions had played since 2000. It was only enough for third in the NFC North but at least they werent last. Sigh Then 2008 happened. 0-16 Sigh A losing record is one thing. Youve got Jon Kitna as you starter then 1,000 year old Daunte Culpepper and “Back of the Endzone” Dan Orlovsky when Kitna is injured. But 0-16, not even the Browns are that bad (yet). Marinelli and most of the coaching staff and most importantly Matt Millen were all fired by the end of 2008 and the Ford family had to start fresh. Was this harsh? No, not at all. Was it the right decision? Absolutely!
Jim Schwartz spent a decade working up the ranks with a largely successful Tennessee Titans team. He came to Detroit and ended a 19 game losing streak. He had Matthew Stafford, arguably Detroits best QB to date, under center. Not to mention one of the all time great wide receivers, Calvin Johnson. During his 3rd season as head coach Schwartz did something no Lions coach had done since the great Wayne Fontes in the 1900s, he lead the Lions to a 10 win season! This was good enough for a wildcard spot in the playoffs, which they promptly lost. The Lions would struggle the next two season and would say good by to Schwartz after five season, making him the third longest tenured Lions coach since the NFL – AFL merger. Was this harsh? A little. Was it the right decision? I dont know.
Jim Caldwell, in his first season, took the Lions to 11-5, a place they hadnt been in a quarter of a century, and then promptly lost in the Wild Card round. After hovering within a game of .500 for the next three seasons the Lions sent Caldwell on his way. At least he made it past season three, right? I dont think this was harsh. But Im not certain that it was the right decision either. But that has more to do with the next coach than anything else.
And that next coach is none other than the fat pirate himself, Matt Patricia. I dont think Ive hated any Lions coach as much as I hate this guy. He took a perfectly serviceable Lions team and drove them into the ground. Sure Johnson had retired by now and Stafford was injured half of 2019 but fuck this guy. (And Bob Quinn for that matter.) I hated watching the Lions when he was coach. It was a masterclass in making bad coaching decisions. His players hated him. The fans hated him. November 28th should become a national holiday to celebrate Patricia and Quinns firing. Im not a huge fan of firing coaches half way through their third season but this was a long time coming.
So where does that leave us. The Lions trade their franchise QB for a giant pile of draft picks and a young superstar who has lost the trust of the NFL. They cleaned house in the coaching staff, again. And they brought in Dan Campbell to start fresh. 2021 Was slow starting but understandable for a rebuild. 2022 started with a few heartbreakers but they powered through to the first winning record in 5 years. And here we are, its kneecap biting Dans third season as head coach…
Up next I will be looking at the Lions schedule week by week.
