Thus far this offseason the Jaguars (Urban Meyer), Jets (Robert Saleh), Falcons (Arthur Smith), and Chargers (Brandon Staley) worked out deals with new head coaches, leaving the Texans, Lions, and Eagles as the teams still seeking a new head man. On Sunday night, right as the Chargers deal with Staley was announced, word emerged that the Lions too had settled on a hire, as they will reportedly hire Saints assistant Dan Campbell to take over in Detroit, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Now that New Orleans has been eliminated, the Lions are expected to hire Saints’ Asst HC/TEs Dan Campbell as their next HC, per sources. The two sides still need to work out a deal, but it is not considered an obstacle, and Campbell will be the Lions next head coach.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 18, 2021
Campbell was previously the interim head coach in Miami in 2015 before joining the Saints as their assistant head coach and tight ends coach in 2016. He’ll now take over a Lions team that, while talented, underachieved under the guidance of Matt Patricia who was let go after another dismal season.
With the Saints’ loss to the Bucs on Sunday night in what was very possibly Drew Brees’ final game, the Lions could move forward with their planned hire and that leaves the Texans and Eagles to find a new head coach. Surprisingly, Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy remains untethered to a head coaching vacancy, although it’s possible Houston makes a push for him in an effort to mend fences with Deshaun Watson, who most now believe will be out of a job. Bieniemy was the most prominent Black coach on the market and that he continues to be passed over while less tenured white candidates get jobs is only furthering to illustrate the NFL’s issues with diversity in hiring practices.
