Ranking Detroit Lions head coaches since 2000

8. Matt Patricia (2018-2020, 13-28-1 record)

It still feels like Patricia was the Lions head coach for longer than less than three mostly miserable seasons. A blowout loss to the Houston Texans on Thanksgiving 2020 was the nail in the coffin for him and general manager Bob Quinn. There was no point in waiting until the Monday after the season ended to inevitably clean house again.

Patricia tried to bring "The Patriot Way" to Detroit, without ever building his own credibility to do so. His interpersonal skills were lacking, as the list of former Lions who played under him and despise him is long. He even critiqued the posture of a media member during a press conference, as if he was any authority on professional presentation--he often looked like he dug to the bottom of the laundry hamper for his outfit.

There were some good candidates for the lowest spot on this list. But Patricia earned it just a little more than the others, with his "smartest guy in the room" personality and the lackluster results on the field.

7. Marty Mornhinweg (2001-2002, 5-27 record)

Mornhinweg was simply overmatched as a first time (and only time) head coach. In his second and final season, he made the controversial decision to defer when the Lions won an overtime coin toss in Chicago.

On the surface it wasn't necessarily ridiculous, with the wind a huge factor in Chicago. But then Mornhinweg accepted a penalty to give the Bears a third down re-do, which they took advantage of to better line up the game-winning field goal. With today's overtime rules, the Lions would had a chance with the ball after that field goal.

Mornhinweg's tenure as Lions head coach was equally brief and awful. That's about all that needs to be said to sum it up.