The Detroit Lions have basically agreed on a six-year deal with Dan Campbell to become the team’s next head coach, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Sunday, after the New Orleans Saints were eliminated in the postseason, that Campbell was expected to be hired as the head coach of the Lions.
Campbell, the Saints’ assistant head coach / tight end coach, replaces Matt Patricia, who was fired in November after less than three seasons with the Lions and a record of 13-29-1. The Lions will now attempt to reset after finishing last in the NFC North for the past three seasons.
Campbell is expected to bring fellow Saints assistant coach Aaron Glenn as defensive coordinator. Glenn has a few other suitors, but Detroit is the favorite, the source told Fowler.
Campbell, 44, who has never been a coordinator in the NFL, is seen as a motivator and someone who can bring a team together, rather than an X-and-O guru. The Lions were looking for people they saw as unifying as they identified qualities they considered important in building a winner from a franchise that had one playoff win in the Super Bowl era and claimed its last division title in 1993.
Campbell doesn’t have much experience as a head coach – just 12 games as an interim head coach for the Miami Dolphins – but the Lions clearly saw enough to pair him up with recently hired general manager Brad Holmes. Having no experience calling plays either side of the ball, which Campbell brings in as coordinators, will be paramount to his success.
During Holmes’ introductory press conference on Tuesday, the Lions said that all three Holmes, Campbell and vice president of football administration Mike Disner will report to team chairman Rod Wood, creating a balanced structure. When asked if Holmes or Campbell would have the final say on the 53-man hiring, Wood said it would be a collaborative process.
“They’ll all have input,” Wood said. “As we’ve discussed – we want a culture where everyone works together, and I think that will work well once we get our new head coach.”
The Lions had carried out their search for Holmes and Campbell at the same time, often asking candidates if they had people in mind for the other position they would like to work with. After Holmes was hired last week, Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp said Holmes had spoken to some of their remaining candidates.
Campbell played 10 seasons in the NFL, including the last three years of his career for the Lions.
ESPN’s Michael Rothstein contributed to this report.