Now that the New Orleans Saints have been eliminated from the NFL postseason, the Detroit Lions are expected to sign Saints / Dan Campbell assistant coach as the next coach, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The two sides have yet to reach an agreement, but it is not considered an obstacle and Campbell is the head coach the Lions plan to hire, sources told Schefter.
Campbell replaces Matt Patricia, who was sacked in November after less than three seasons with the franchise and a 13-29-1 record as the club try to restore the final position in the NFC North over the past three years.
Campbell, 44, who has never been an NFL coordinator, is seen as a motivator and someone who can put together a team instead of an X-and-O guru. The Lions had been looking for people they considered unifiers throughout their search, as they identified qualities they considered important to winning a franchise that won a playoff in the Super Bowl era and won their last title in 1993.
“I think the leadership and someone who can work with the general manager,” team president Rod Wood said earlier this month. “And someone who has had experience as a head coach or you can project that experience as a coordinator to become a head coach and delve into those kinds of questions.
“It’s not that we didn’t do it in search of Matt, but I think by trying to do it differently, I hope we find the right people.”
Campbell doesn’t have much experience as a head coach, but the Lions saw clearly enough to pair him with newly hired general manager Brad Holmes. With no experience in the call for plays on both sides of the ball, who Campbell provides as coordinators will be critical to his success.
After staffing, among the first decisions he and Holmes will have to make are the future of star receiver Kenny Golladay, who is scheduled to be a free agent in March, and quarterback Matthew Stafford, whose contract is develops during the 2022 season. Campbell may also have to make a decision about a former teammate, Don Muhlbach, the long-time pitcher, who before Campbell’s signing had been the team’s last connection to the club without a win. 2008 and is the second starting player in the history of Detroit’s longest team, behind kicker Jason Hanson.
Campbell played 10 seasons in the NFL, including the last three years of his career with the Lions.
After finishing his career as a player after a season on the injured reserve with the Saints, Campbell began his coaching career with the Miami Dolphins as an in-house coach in 2010 before making his way to the close coach and then, after Joe Philbin was fired by Miami in 2015, interim coach of the last 12 games of that season.
Campbell won 5-7 with the Dolphins, but didn’t win the full-time job and landed with the Saints, where he spent the past five seasons under coach Sean Payton. Learning with Payton in case he had another full-time opportunity was part of the reason he went to New Orleans.
“I’d tell you he was number 2 on the list,” Campbell told ESPN’s Mike Triplett in 2018. “Number 1 was that I know Sean and I have a story with Sean. So I only knew about him as a person. and as a coach. So meeting him again meant the world. “
The Lions interviewed at least six candidates for the position: new Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith, new New York Jets coach Robert Saleh, former Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy, Lions interim head coach Darrell Bevell and Campbell. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano reported that the Lions also asked Iowa State coach Matt Campbell.