Yesterday, the Detroit Lions announced to a dismayed fanbase that maligned coach and general manager Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn would both be retained for the 2020 season, despite an underwhelming two years together.
This came not long after the news that former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy was interested in returning to the NFL.
Can anyone list any serious reasoning as to why the Lions should not have put Matt Patricia out to pasture and considered bringing aboard McCarthy?
Four straight NFC North division titles (six in total), an NFC championship, and a Super Bowl. Oh, and add on three more NFC title game appearances to that resume. Why should the Lions have not at least gone the Ken Holland route of “kicking the tires” on McCarthy?
Current head coach Matt Patricia has won nine games in nearly two years as head coach after coming over from the New England Patriots. There’s no reason to believe why the Lions would have a chance to win either of the two games remaining on their schedule that would kindly add to his winning percentage as a head coach.
Lions owner Martha Ford had somehow been sold on Patricia and Quinn deserving a third year together, a move that’s been almost universally panned by the fan base.
Jettisoning Patricia and bringing aboard McCarthy would have indicated to the fan base that the former’s record wasn’t consistent with Quinn’s infamous statement following Jim Caldwell’s dismissal that a winning record of 9-7 wasn’t cutting it, and that the team needed to take the next step.
This team almost immediately rebelled against Patricia from the moment he arrived in Allen Park.
The Lions have a long and infamous history of bad decisions, and you can add this latest one to the ever-growing pile of regrettable moves.
