As you have almost certainly heard by now, Martha Ford has stepped down as principal owner of the Detroit Lions, and her daughter, Sheila Ford Hamp, is taking the reigns.
Ever since the Lions made the announcement on Twitter, I have seen plenty of reactions from the fans. Some fans are thrilled that Martha is stepping down, while others believe this ‘change in ownership’ means absolutely nothing.
One question that I would like to address, since it has been brought up by quite a few people, is “what does this mean for Lions GM Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia?”
Towards the end of the 2019 season, many fans were begging for Martha Ford to cut ties with Quinn and Patricia but instead, she decided that both would return for the 2020 season, with the ultimatum that they would contend for the playoffs. (Whatever that means)
It is important to know that Martha did not make that decision on her own as her daughter Sheila played a big role in the “top-secret” meeting (only a handful of chosen beat writers were invited to attend) where it was revealed that Quinn and Patricia would be back for another season.
“(Changing coaches) would have been the popular choice, the popular decision, and we knew that,” Ford Hamp said at the time. “But as I say, we’re doing what is right for the organization.”
That statement by Ford Hamp says it all. She was/is clearly in agreement with the decision to keep Quinn and Patricia around for at least one more season.
The question is, with the challenges presented because of COVID-19, is there still an ultimatum for the Lions to contend for the playoffs in 2020, or does this pandemic but them even more time?
One thing that will buy Quinn and Patricia more time is winning football games and that is exactly what I believe will happen in 2020.
