Lions fire head coach Matt Patricia, GM Bob Quinn after Thanksgiving blowout against Texans
The Detroit Lions are starting over. The team announced the firing of head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn on Saturday.
The team made the decision two days after the Lions lost to the Houston Texans 41-25 on Thanksgiving. Following that loss, Patricia was asked whether he believed he would coach the team in Week 13. He avoided answering the question, stating he was focused on helping Lions players get better every day.
Patricia was hired prior to the 2018 season. The Lions went 9-7 under Jim Caldwell in 2017, but failed to make the playoffs. Caldwell was let go after that and replaced with Patricia. In his first season with the team, Patricia and the Lions went 6-10. Things didn’t get better from there. In two-and-a-half seasons in Detroit, Patricia put up a 13-29-1 record.
Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell will take over as interim coach, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Bevell, 50, has served as an offensive coordinator around the NFL since the 2006 season. He has never been a head coach.
Lions general manager Bob Quinn also fired
Quinn has served as the Lions’ general manager since the 2016 season. Quinn, who previously worked for the New England Patriots, played a crucial role in bringing Patricia to the Lions. Prior to joining the Lions, Patricia served as a defensive coordinator with the Patriots.
While Quinn brought in talented players like Kenny Golladay and Taylor Decker, his biggest move with the Lions was signing quarterback Matthew Stafford to a five-year, $135 million extension in 2017. At that time, the deal made Stafford the highest-paid player in the NFL.
Since then, Stafford has thrown 87 touchdowns and 34 interceptions over 51 games. Normally an iron man at the position, Stafford missed eight games in 2019 due to a back injury. He has bounced back well in 2020, throwing 18 touchdowns against eight interceptions in 11 games, but his production hasn’t led to wins.
The Lions sit at 4-7 this season, good for last place in the NFC North.
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