Lions Request Interviews with Jason Garrett, Jim Schwartz, and Leslie Frazier

by Sean Yuille on Dec 29, 2008 6:10 PM EST in News Comment 13 comments

Although I am not enthused with the decision to promote Martin Mayhew, I will give him a pat on the back for being so proactive with the Lions' search for a new head coach. Earlier today the Lions requested an interview with Redskins secondary coach Jerry Gray and Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, and since then they have added a few more names to the list, according to (who else) Adam Schefter.

The Lions have asked for and received permission to interview Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, once viewed as the successor to coach Wade Phillips, league sources confirmed Monday. The Lions and Garrett are in the process of trying to set up the interview. It could happen this week. [...]

The Lions did not stop there. They also have requested an interview with one of the most sought-after assistants on the market, Tennessee defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, whose team has a bye this weekend. Schwartz is thought to be intrigued with the Browns job, but perhaps the Lions could sell him on Detroit.

I'm not a huge Jason Garrett fan after what the Cowboys did this past season, but I would definitely be happy with Schwartz. The Titans' defense was amazing this season and is largely responsible for Tennessee having the league's best record.

Schwartz isn't the only defensive coordinator being added to the list of candidates in the last couple of hours, as the Lions have requested an interview with Minnesota's Leslie Frazier as well.

One year after Frazier interviewed for the Falcons and Dolphins coaching jobs, he has been asked to interview for the Lions’ vacant position. The hard part is figuring out when Frazier can talk to the Lions about the job. Minnesota is hosting Philadelphia in one of the NFC Wild-Card games this weekend. Coaches involved in games this weekend can interview for coaching jobs next week, but it’s possible the Vikings will be playing then. Minnesota is trying to figure out what would be the optimum time for Frazier to meet with the Lions.

I would be very happy with Frazier if he were hired. The Vikings' defense has been great, and as Schefter pointed out in his post about Frazier, Tony Dungy and Mike Tomlin both were once Minnesota's defensive coordinator. Dungy's track record speaks for itself, and Tomlin is doing an outstanding job as head coach of the Steelers.

Pride of Detroit's coverage of the Lions' search for a new head coach can be found here.

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vikings fan here as well

i think that leslie frazier would make a great coach for any team interested in him

everything Rays,Marlins,Twins and Reds
who needs k-rod for 37 million when you can have d-rod for 50k?
twins sign ty wigginton ASAP!!!!

by RaysOfHope on Dec 29, 2008 6:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

MAYHEW!!

Glad to hear you are coming around…Mayhew will be the 2009 NFL Executive of the Year. Get your bandwagon stickers here.

i agree with you about garrett as well. his own players are already throwing him under the bus. lets get a sick defensive coordinater like spag, frazier, or schwartz.

by cridg1zt on Dec 29, 2008 6:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

OK, I guess I am retarded...

Sean, will you explaiin the responsibilities of the Team PResident and GM for me. I know GM is in charge of negotiating contracts and the business end, but who reports to whom?

by TonyDC on Dec 29, 2008 7:11 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Who is in charge of putting a

talented team on the field?

by TonyDC on Dec 29, 2008 7:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm really not that sure

I think that Mayhew is primarily responsible for scouting, talent, personnel decisions, but Lewand deals with the business side of it. Not positive, though.

Check out Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions Blog

by Sean Yuille on Dec 29, 2008 7:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

OK, Thanks.

I had it completely the other way in my head. I figured Lewand was in charge of scouting, etc. and Mayhew was in charge of contracts. Thanks Sean!

by TonyDC on Dec 29, 2008 7:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

fairer than weather fan

Please forgive a brief trip down nostalgia lane; I spent a lot of my childhood in Detroit, walking to the school bus stop, both ways, uphill in the snow with rocks for shoes… that includes a Thanksgiving Day game against the Redskins, outdoors at old Tiger Stadium. One of many reasons I live in CA and haven’t been back to the MI in a quarter century. Can you also tell I am new to this posting thing? I must admit I was quietly rooting for the Lions to win 1 game; they’d still have the #1 pick but wouldn’t have gone down in history as the worst ever. Spot on comments about the shame of it all now.

I don’t follow the team or the league closely enough to offer any great insights. But, my $.02+ — Millen should have been fired a long time ago, and if Marinelli was going to go, why wait until the end of the season? While QBs and defense win championships in football, I still think they should trade out of #1 and get more help. They need a pancake-crushing OL, a pass-rushing demon and more secondary help than is humanly available. As for coaches, wasn’t Marinelli supposed to be a defensive guru, cover 2 and all? Some of his own players complained they had to practice too hard earlier in his tenure!?>!?! So, really, since it all starts at the top anyway (I will never buy a product named Ford for as long as he owns this team), the next coach is going to inherit an awful mess. Just like Marinelli. Having no pro football team to root for or continuing a futile quest to hope the Lions improve, aye, there’s the rub.

by Rollah on Dec 29, 2008 7:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Welcome

I’m with you on the Ford boycott. I will never, ever buy a Ford product.

Check out Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions Blog

by Sean Yuille on Dec 29, 2008 7:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh c'mon Sean

You can’t compare Fords awful ownership of this franchise and Ford products.

I have no connections with the Auto industry anywhere in my family (thankfully), but I have plenty of friends and people I know that do, and not supporting this team is different then not supporting the company. When you support Ford, you are supporting the careers of people you know, but not necessarily the football team. Boycotting Ford puts the hurt on the people who’s careers depend on it, and I would much rather have people in our state have jobs and be successful than having a winning football team. To me, at least, that’s more important. Your choice though, I don’t want to sound condescending.

by The Prodigy on Dec 29, 2008 8:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

valid concern

I had relatives who worked in a steel mill their whole adult lives; I get your point. But I think I was using this more as an excuse. Leadership is still about accountability; and we’re talking about 2 different products, both owned by Ford, with varying results. An 0-16 football team is about as bad a product as you can put out there in the marketplace of professional football. Does that mean a factory worker helping build a Fusion or Explorer should suffer? Of course not. But as a consumer, it also doesn’t mean I have to buy the car out of pity or shared suffering either. This blog stuff is engaging, by the way.

by Rollah on Dec 30, 2008 12:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i have a 2007 ford fusion

its been pretty good for me so far

by cridg1zt on Dec 29, 2008 8:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

very happy with the interest in Schwartz

see my post about that

"Sometimes Joe (morgan) doesn't like facts to get in the way of his opinions."- billy beane
"That was a great pick...if this was 2002" Me, to guy who selected Barry Zito in a fantasy draft

by harendaman365 on Dec 29, 2008 11:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs