5 potential candidates to replace Dan Campbell as Detroit Lions head coach

1. Brian Flores, Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers coach

Flores was fired as Miami Dolphins head coach after last season because he apparently wouldn’t tank properly a couple years ago, and he has active litigation against the league over that and the process which led to Brian Daboll getting the New York Giants head job over him.

But the bottom line is this–the Dolphins had two winning seasons in three under Flores, and he proved he can lead a locker room.

After the Matt Patricia experience, which still feels like it was longer than less than three full seasons, the Lions (not to mention Lions’ fans) might be loathe to pluck from Bill Belichick’s coaching tree again.

Flores was a Patriots’ assistant coach in various roles from 2008-2018, going from a special teams assistant to linebackers coach and to being the defensive play caller in his final season.

But Flores is wired way differently than Patricia. He can motivate players, and players don’t lament playing for him the way many current and former Lions have about playing for Patricia.

Flores will have to hire the right offensive coordinator to have better success in his next head coaching stop, as strugges on that side of the ball helped derail his tenure in Miami. And he will have a next head coaching stop at some point, regardless of his suit against the league. If Campbell is fired, that stop could very well be Detroit next season.