After calling an unauthorized fake punt in the 4th quarter of Sunday's loss against the Tennessee Titans, the Detroit Lions made the “agonizing” decision to fire first-year special teams coach Brayden Coombs.
“If we’re going to say, ‘Hey, we’re doing this,' then I feel like it’s important that I come through with that,” interim head coach Darrell Bevell said afterwards. “And sometimes when it goes the other way, there’s moments that you can really help yourself or hurt yourself, and I thought this was really an important moment.”
During today's Zoom media session, punter Jack Fox, who was named to the Pro Bowl earlier this week, said that while fake punts are part of the team playbook, he was unaware that the play call was a rouge one.
“I knew it was in our playbook, but I didn't know on that specific play,” Fox said of the fake punt.
Additionally, Fox stated that the first time he learned the play wasn't authorized by Bevell was when the interim head coach called him to notify him of the personnel change.
“It was an interesting phone call,” Fox explained. “The whole thing – I guess I was in shock.”
– – Quotes via Detroit Lions Link – –
