Report: Jim Caldwell a leading candidate for Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions will not be hiring Ken Whisenhunt who took the head coaching job with the Tennessee Titans, but as Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter report, the Lions are focusing on former Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Caldwell after his second interview today.
Whisenhunt to Titans; Jim Caldwell emerges w Lions. Mike Munchak still alive with Detroit & Cleveland, sources via @AdamSchefter & me
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) January 13, 2014
Lions have spent day in talks with Ravens HC Jim Caldwell and Detroit has been focusing on him, via @mortreport and me.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 13, 2014
Caldwell has been the Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach the past two seasons.
Caldwell said job in Detroit “an unusual situation because of the fact that you don’t typically walk into a place that has a talented quarterback, one of the best receivers in all the game and just a fine nucleus,” he said, via the team’s website. “Then a defense that has an extremely talented front four. I saw them up close and personal (Week 15).”
The Lions have been one of the most underachieving teams in the NFL the past two seasons under former head coach Jim Schwartz. The Lions are a combined 11-21 in the past two seasons since they lost in the opening round of the playoffs after a 10-6 season in 2011.
Caldwell served as Tony Dungy’s quarterbacks coach and assistant head coach from 2002-2008 before being promoted to the head coach position where he led the Colts to the Super Bowl in 2009. He was fired after a 2-14 year when Peyton Manning was out for the season.