It has been a rough two years for Matt Patricia. In fact, he has led the Detroit Lions to an abysmal 9-20-1 record over his first two seasons, causing plenty of people to call for his job.
On Monday, following an embarrassing 38-17 loss at home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Patricia spoke to the media and he said he expects to be coaching the Lions in 2020. Patricia would not say if he has already been told he would be back.
Matt Patricia expects to be back next season but he wouldn’t say if he’s been told that he’ll be back.
— Jeff Riger (@riger1984) December 16, 2019
Patricia’s comments come as no surprise as he said pretty much what any other coach would say in his predicament.
He even joked around a bit when asked about the “limbo” he’s in.
Matt Patricia, when asked about the limbo he's in, said that he comes in and tries to earn his job every single day — something he learned early in his career.
Joked he doesn't leave so they won't deactivate his key card while he's not there.— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) December 16, 2019
From Lions Lowdown:
“For me, one of the things that you realize pretty quick when you get in the game of football – college, NFL, it doesn’t really matter what it is – coaching is a tough profession. Playing is a tough profession. It’s a mindset that you probably just develop early on,’’ Patricia said on Monday following the 38-17 loss to the Bucs on Sunday.
“When I was in other places and worked at other places, part of the thing that just makes me, me, is that I go into work every single day trying to earn my job that day. I would go in and make sure that my key card worked, and I was in the building and I was OK,’’ he added.
“It’s most of the reason why I don’t leave the building because they’re going to have to throw me out, like I’ve said before,’’ Patricia said. “From that aspect of it, that’s all you can control is just your effort that day and your drive that day to be better as a player, as a coach, as a team, and that’s all I really worry about.”
“I just expect to be here every day until they tell me not to. Hopefully, that’ll be a long time,’’ Patricia said.
