The Detroit Lions officially hit the reset button, announcing on Saturday that the organization had fired head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn. While the seismic shift the organization is about to go through is about to shake the foundations, the news that Patricia and Quinn have been unleashed is not entirely surprising. The duo were on thin ice heading into the 2020 season and after a 4-7 record that recently featured a 41-25 loss to the Texans at Thanksgiving, the property had no other choice. than cutting the bait.
And now? Well the Lions go handed over the keys to the organization offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, who will be interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Of course, if Bevell leads a miraculous turnaround for Detroit, he will naturally take a closer look at ownership as a long-term option. In case they are looking outside of the organization this offseason, however, here are some of the notable names Lions should have on their wishlist.
Eric Bieniemy, Chiefs OC
You’ve probably heard it before, but it’s worth repeating: Eric Bieniemy should already be a head coach somewhere in the NFL. The Kansas City offensive coordinator has Patrick Mahomes and his company seemingly playing Madden at times and the franchise looks set to seriously defend their Super Bowl LIV title won a year ago. Allowing Bieniemy to work with attacking talents like Matthew Stafford, running back D’Andre Swift and others would be fascinating. He’ll likely be the best option for a number of teams, so Detroit will have to make a compelling pitch to sell Bieniemy to help the Lions turn things around.
Brian Daboll, Bills OC
Do you know how Josh Allen flipped a switch this season? Well, you can thank Brian Daboll in part for that. The Bills boast of being one of the best coaches in the entire NFL under Sean McDermott and Daboll is arguably the best of the bunch. He was named CO in Buffalo in 2018 and transformed that unit into a group that currently sits at No. 1 in the AFC East, scoring 27.2 points per game. He also has a habit of preparing great plays.
Daboll also has a strong pedigree, winning five Super Bowls as a member of the New England Patriots and a national championship as an CO in Alabama under Nick Saban. While Detroit might not want to pick another head coach from Bill Belichick’s tree, Daboll would be a good rookie.
It would be a meteoric rise for Joe Brady if he was hired as head coach after a year as offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, but we are in the age of young head coaches so I guess that’s is possible. Brady set college football on fire as the passing coordinator and receiver coach at LSU with Joe Burow as QB and brought out his potential as the Panthers’ head coach. While he might be a little too green, Brady will absolutely be mentioned for a number of vacancies over the years. It’s only a matter of time before a team picks him up to lead their club. For the Lions, perhaps they would like to be too early on a coaching prospect like Brady, 31, rather than too late.
Arthur Smith, OC Titans
Arthur Smith’s job with Ryan Tannehill, making the Titans quarterback one of the NFL’s best signalers, is what’s going to give him a lot of looks as a possible head coach somewhere. Since being named a starter in Week 7 of last season, Tannehill has completed over 67% of his regular season passes, averages nearly 250 yards per game, has 44 touchdowns for just nine interceptions and has a passer rating of 112.7. . Tannehill also added 288 yards and five rushing touchdowns during that streak. Whether or not Matthew Stafford stays for rebuilding or the Lions decide to bring in another young quarterback to really start a new era, Smith has shown he can fashion a QB and take him into the NFL.
Jim Harbaugh, Michigan HC
Sounds like it’s too obvious, right? Harbaugh’s time in Michigan appears to be in its final stages, which could open the door for a potential return to the NFL where he is 49-22-1 in the regular season as a head coach and a record of 5-3 in the playoffs. Harbaugh also has a habit of turning a team on his resume, which could be of interest to the Lions. Before landing in San Francisco in 2011, the 49ers were a team of .500 or under for eight years. Upon their arrival, Harbaugh immediately had them at 13-3 and the NFC Championship. The following year, they were in the Super Bowl. His ties to the state are obvious, and he could make a compelling case that he could quickly turn things around in Detroit.