Since late November, the Detroit Lions have been searching for the team’s next head coach. That after the firing of Matt Patricia, who led the team to three-straight losing seasons after being hired back in early 2016.
While offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell was named interim head coach in Patricia’s absence, he was only able to lead the Lions to a single win in the team’s final five games of the season. And while Bevell was still a potential candidate to become the new head coach in Detroit, that job has now been awarded to someone else.
On Wednesday, the Lions made the hiring of Dan Campbell as their next head coach official. The two sides have reportedly agreed to terms. Detroit intends to sign him to a six-year deal. That according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The 44-year old Campbell has spent the past five years as the assistant to head coach Sean Payton with the New Orleans Saints. He also served as the team’s tight end coach.
A former tight end himself, Campbell had an 11-year NFL career as a player. That included a three-year stint with the Lions from 2006-2008. He also played for the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Saints. Campbell was awarded a Super Bowl ring following his one-year stint as a player in New Orleans in 2009 despite suffering a season-ending injury in training camp.
Campbell started his coaching career the year after, serving as a coaching intern with the Miami Dolphins in 2010. He would eventually be promoted to interim head coach for 12 games in 2015 following the dismissal of Joe Philbin. That team would post a record of 5-7 under his short tenure.
In the Motor City, Dan Campbell joins newly-hired general manager Brad Holmes to lead the retooling of the Detroit Lions in 2021. Campbell has seemingly already decided on a critical member of his coaching staff, with fellow Saints’ defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn reportedly in talks to become the Lions’ new defensive coordinator.