Mike Mulholland / Associated Press
The Detroit Lions announced Head coach Matt Patricia and CEO Bob Quinn were fired on Saturday after the 4-7 start of the season.
Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell will be interim head coach Ian Rapoport the NFL network.
The team not only dealt with the consistent loss of the season, but in a historical way:
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The Lions are the first team in NFL history to lose 4 smooth games with a double-digit lead, writes @EliasSports. Detroit have lost 11 straight games, the most since losing 19 in a row between 2007 and 2009, including the first 0-16 season in league history. https://t.co/VCpZsI6mIl
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To this day, the Lions have never been locked up with Matthew Stafford at QB. They were last locked in 2009 with Daunte Culpepper in the quarterback. Only saints, ravens, panthers, steelmen, Vikings, and jaguars had longer active stripes without being locked up. https://t.co/cPbaZ2WZ7d
Detroit’s series of losses covered 11 games in the first two weeks, eventually the Arizona Cardinals There were other positive moments in Week 3, including a road win against the Atlanta Falcons and a 10-week win against the Washington Football Team, which remained at 4-5 in the playoffs.
The team was shut down in Week 11 before losing to Houston Texans on Thanksgiving Day.
These ongoing struggles cost Patricia her job, less than three seasons at the organization.
Patricia, 46, inherited a team for which Jim Caldwell had his most recent winning season, but the organization earned more after more than two decades without winning the playoffs. Perfectly matched by an experienced defense coordinator who was on the New England Patriots staff for 14 years – including three Super Bowl victories.
However, the team struggled with a 6-10 record in 2018 and the situation only worsened in 2019.
After starting with a 2-0-1 balance, the lions fell apart as injuries became an important issue, including starting quarterback Matthew Stafford. The team finished 3-12-1, closing the season with nine straight defeats.
The slow start in 2020 raised new questions about the coach’s work, although he dismissed the blame.
“I think when I came to Detroit, a lot of work awaited us, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” Patricia said in October.
Quinnt was hired as the CEO of the Lions in January 2016 after spending the previous four seasons as director of the Patriots Professional Scout. The ability to build a competitive list through draft and free agency contributed to his struggles on the Detroit pitch.
One of the hallmarks of Quinn’s Detroit office was his endless desire to bring in former Patriots players who didn’t often play at the same level as in New England.
The front office eventually ran out of patience with the latest moves, which started a fresh start for the Lions.
Detroit still has a franchise quarterback in Stafford and has quality building blocks in Kenny Golladay, D’Andre Swift, Jeffrey Okudah and more. However, the next employees will be important in putting it all together and leading the franchise to further success.
The Lions have not won a playoff since 1991, which has put a lot of pressure on a new coach and CEO to reverse the situation.
