Easy to see coming and reported a day before, Anthony Lynn is officially out after one season as Detroit Lions offensive coordinator.
Upon losing play calling duties coming off the bye week in Week 9, Anthony Lynn was heading into the stretch run of what was surely going to be just one season as Detroit Lions offensive coordinator. A Sunday morning report confirmed it would be happening, though head coach Dan Campbell stopped short of announcing the move after the win over the Green Bay Packers.
During his Monday press conference, surely after giving Lynn the respect and acknowledgement of a meeting telling him he was gone, Campbell confirmed Lynn will not be back.
Dan Campbell said the Lions are parting ways with offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn
— Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) January 10, 2022
Campbell went further, praising Lynn’s work while acknowledging it was never a fit with him.
Campbell on Anthony Lynn: "I wish him the best. He's been a true pro. He works his tail off and gave us everything he had so I appreciate him for that."
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) January 10, 2022
#Lions coach Dan Campbell confirms the news that they’ve let go of OC Anthony Lynn: “It just wasn’t a fit. We never found our groove or a rhythm.”
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) January 10, 2022
Dan Campbell announces that the Lions and Anthony Lynn will part ways. "It just wasn't a fit. You want it to be, but I think we just never found our groove or our rhythm. ... Sometimes, it just doesn't work out the way you want."
— Chris Burke (@ChrisBurkeNFL) January 10, 2022
Lynn accepted his reduced role after the bye, as he became the run game coordinator. He gets some credit for a good rushing attack that remained productive without D’Andre Swift for four games, even if he wasn’t calling plays.
Anthony Lynn may not be unemployed for very long
Prior to landing with the Lions, Lynn went 33-31 over four seasons as head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. Before that he was mostly a running backs coach as an NFL assistant going back to 2003, save for nearly one full season as the Buffalo Bills’ offensive coordinator in 2016–a season he also ended as Buffalo’s interim head coach after Rex Ryan was fired.
Lynn may not be head coach material, thus he’s unlikely to surface as a candidate for any of the current openings in Minnesota, Chicago, Denver, Jacksonville, Las Vegas and Miami. But the door probably isn’t closed on him getting another chance as an offensive coordinator/play caller at some point, even if it’s not in 2022.
If Lynn wants another job right away, he will get one. He has a potential place on a lot of NFL coaching staffs, he just wasn’t a fit for the Lions.