Finally there is the head coaching situation. The Lions have had very few head coaches that have been difference makers since Buddy Parker who coached the dominant Detroit teams of the 1950’s left for Pittsburgh himself.
Since Parker left, only George Wilson who coached the team from 1957-1964 was able to secure another head coaching job in the NFL after his tenure in Detroit when he became the first head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 1966.
Coaching the Lions has been hazardous to the health and career of everyone who has taken the job since. Don McCafferty passed away after one season as the Lions head coach in 1973 and the others who tried to turn this franchise around like Rick Forzano, Tommy Hudspeth, Darryl Rodgers, Bobby Ross, Marty Mornhinweg, Steve Mariucci, Rod Marinelli, Jim Schwartz and most recently Jim Caldwell have discovered on their own just how imposing it is to make this franchise a champion.
Consider this; the Lions winningest coach in team history is Wayne Fontes who finished his tenure with a 66-67 record which also made him the losingest coach in team history as well.
To their credit, both Schwartz and Caldwell did help elevate this franchise from the 0-16 laughingstock it was before them, but apparently it take even more than what they could accomplish to turn this team into champions.
Two years ago the Lions started on the way towards a turnaround with the hiring of general manager Bob Quinn from the New England Patriots. Now Quinn has hand-picked former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia as the man to get this team over the top.
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Lions fans everywhere are hoping this is our version of 2016 with the Chicago Cubs. That maybe Patricia will be the one who can make this defense good enough to combine with their franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford and innovative, effective coaching that will finally lead Detroit to not only their first Super Bowl, but first title since 1957.
Perhaps even allowing Lions fans to put the Bobby Layne ‘curse’ to rest forever.