Ranking Detroit Lions head coaches since 2000

4. Steve Mariucci (2003-2005, 15-28 record)

That Mariucci, who came to the Lions (and back to his home state) after a good run as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, lands No. 4 on this list says it all about those who are below him. And the dismal run the Lions have been on for most of the last 20-plus years.

"Mooch" lasted less than three seasons as Lions' head coach, before being fired in November of 2005. Dick Jauron became interim head coach, with a 1-4 record in the remaining five games on the way to a 5-11 overall mark.

What exactly the expectations realistically should have been, or even what they were for Mariucci in Detroit, is hard to remember. But two full double-digit loss seasons, and a third that would have surely also happened had he remained in place, was not anything close to the expected outcome for someone with his previous resume.

3. Jim Schwartz (2009-2013, 29-51 record)

Schwartz led the Lions to an 10-6 record and a playoff berth in his third season, which was notably the Lions' first playoff berth since Ross' last full season in 1999.

But the rest of Schwartz's tenure in Detroit was pretty dismal, with 2-14, 6-10, 4-12 and 7-9 marks surrounding that fine middle season (19-45 in those seasons).

Schwartz gets the title of longest-tenured Lions' head coach since 2000 right now--five seasons. And since the mid-1980s, only Wayne Fontes has had a longer run as Lions' head coach at this point.

A playoff berth lands Schwartz pretty easily at No. 3 here.