When Bob Quinn was hired by the Detroit Lions in 2016, many wondered if he would retain head coach Jim Caldwell, who had just followed up a 11-5 2014 season with a 7-9 record in 2015. As we know, Caldwell was retained but according to the former head coach, had the initial decision been up to Quinn, he would have been fired immediately. On Thursday night, Caldwell was a guest on former Lions’ safety Glover Quin’s “The DB Room” YouTube show and he shared his thoughts on what happened.
“I think without question that had he been left to his own devices I probably would have been gone the day he came in.”
“I think without question that had he been left to his own devices I probably would have been gone the day he came in, just kind of the feeling that I got even though obviously it went through a two-week process of kind of going through an interview process with him in order to keep my job,” Caldwell said. “And I was thankful to be able to continue because I did think that we were going to move in the right direction, I did think that we had something that was pretty special.”
Caldwell, who had back to back 9-7 seasons before being fired, went on to explain that winning in the NFL is not easy but the bottom line was that Bob Quinn wanted somebody he was “comfortable with.”
“It’s not easy to win and I think that oftentimes people kind of take it for granted,” Caldwell said in his most extensive interview since his firing. “But nevertheless, it’s their choice to make in that regard and I wish them well. But I think he wanted to get his own guy in there, he wanted to get someone that spoke the same language that he speaks. He wanted someone that he was comfortable with, and that’s what he got. And obviously, I think that’s the way things go.”
–Quotes via Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press– LINK
Jim Caldwell says he was the Detroit Lions second choice in 2014
On Thursday night, former Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell joined former Lions safety, Glover Quin, on his “The DB Room” YouTube show and he revealed a little nugget that we had previously suspected.
Caldwell told Quin that he believes he was the Lions’ second choice to become their next head coach prior to the 2014 season.
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Jim Caldwell says he was the Detroit Lions second choice in 2014
