Barry Sanders, Chris Spielman to help hire Lions new regime
The Detroit Lions will rely on a pair of legends to help hire their new regime
In order to build a better future, sometimes it takes a little help from the past. That appears to be the philosophy the Detroit Lions‘ brass is taking to their latest rebuild attempt.
On Tuesday, the Lions announced the hiring of Chris Spielman as the team’s special assistant to the Chairman and President & CEO, Rod Wood. A linebacker for Detroit for ten years, from 1988-1997, the four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro has vacated his position with FOX Sports as a color commentator and broadcaster to accept the new role with his former team.
Partnering alongside Ron Wood, Spielman gives the front office in Detroit more credibility as a knowledgeable football guy. Something Woods has admitted to not being himself. Speilman’s expected to aid in the Lions’ hiring of a new general manager and head coach, as both Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia were fired late last month.
But Spielman isn’t the only former player that will provide some help in the hiring of the new regime in the Motor City. The Lions also announced the addition of Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders as an advisor to the team in regards to the search for a new general manager and head coach in Motown.
Sanders will be joined by Rod Graves, the Executive Director of the Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation, and Mark Hollis, Vice President of Business Development for Rock Ventures, as fellow advisors.
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Barry Sanders is, of course, the Detroit Lions’ greatest player in franchise history and one of the greatest running backs in NFL history. The 10-time Pro Bowler and 10-time All-Pro played in Detroit from 1989-1998, spending nine of those years as teammates with Chris Spielman. Both were on the roster as players the last time the Lions won a playoff game, that following the 1991 season.