Tuesday Notes: Lions Hire Matt Burke as Linebackers Coach

by Sean Yuille on Jan 27, 2009 5:59 AM EST in Notes Comment 7 comments

The Lions hired Titans defensive assistant/quality control coach Matt Burke to be their linebackers coach. This move was expected after news came out Monday that the Lions were granted permission to speak with Burke. Since he wasn't a position coach in Tennessee, it wasn't hard to figure out that he would be coming to Detroit in the near future to continue his climb up the coaching ranks.
I will put together a table keeping track of the assistant coaching hires sometime later today. Right now, the Lions have hired an offensive coordinator, a defensive coordinator, and a linebackers coach. They reportedly had hired a secondary coach as well, but it doesn't appear that that story was accurate.
Jon Kitna doesn't seem opposed to returning to the Lions next season.
According to Dave Birkett, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan will likely coach quarterbacks as well as the entire offense.
Also on Dave Birkett's blog is a recap of the Lions' town hall meeting from this past weekend.
During a chat on NFL.com, Adam Schefter said this in response to a question about whether or not Ernie Sims might be traded:

Detroit has three untouchable players: wide receiver Calvin Johnson, pass rusher Cliff Avril and Sims. None of those guys is going anywhere. Jim Schwartz needs some building blocks and those are his three best ones. But outside of those players, anyone else is in play. Just make an offer.
I'm a little surprised running back Kevin Smith isn't on that list. He showed quite a bit of promise last season, and that was with a nonexistent offensive line. I think there is probably a near 0% chance that Smith would be traded, but I just found it a bit odd he isn't on the untouchables list, especially since Cliff Avril is.

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Comments

changing the logo

The leaping Lion logo and the Honolulu Blue and Silver uniforms are the best things the Lions have going for them. I hate the idea mentioned in the town hall meeting about changing the uniform.

I hated Millen’s idea of trying to create the Raider’s black mystique in Detroit. If we wanted to wear black, or see our team in black, we would all just switch to being Raider’s fans. It’s just more evidence that Millen thought like a player and not an executive. He just didn’t get it.

If they make any changes I certainly hope it’s in the direction of keeping their two primary team colors and maybe going to a rugby style uniform like Denver did.

The last thing the NFL wants is to end up like the NHL. Almost every team is either red, blue, white, or black. Gone are the days of the purple LA Kings, orange Flyers, green North Stars, and brown Canucks. I hope the NFL doesn’t end up like that.

(Yes I know that San Jose is sea green and the Flyers wear some orange on their away jerseys. My point is that almost every other NHL team has no imagination, especially the Blue Jackets. A state flag as your logo? The only thing more lame was their previous sweather design, that idiotic starred-CB-letters thing. That wasn’t even a logo, IMOH. Sorry didn’t mean to get started on that…)

by birdseed on Jan 27, 2009 8:56 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I agree...

we want to change the culture of winning, not the culture of the franchise. The Lions have the best uniforms in the league… hands down.

by DrewsLions on Jan 27, 2009 1:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

concur

Gotta keep the colors. Gotta keep the logo. If they’re gonna make a change they should go BACK to the old unis without the Millen black. The looked so much better and it would leave the vikings as the only team in the NFC North with those hideous wannabe XFL modern style jerseys. Maybe I’m getting old but I just think that’s how the Lions are supposed to look.

by wumanchu01 on Jan 27, 2009 2:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

cliff avril...

does he truly have that much stock? i’m curious for the reasoning behind it…not agreeing or disagreeing at this point about him

by youtalkintome7 on Jan 27, 2009 10:38 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Avril

Well, he led the league in sacks and Forced Fumbles for Rookies and that was without starting. He shows lots of promise and could be a stud 3rd down rusher or possibly a 3-4 LB, if we change to that scheme.

by Hyperion Ecta on Jan 27, 2009 4:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Leaping lion

They better not drastically change that logo, if they tweak it but still maintain the traditional look i wouldnt mind, but under no circumstances should they take the honolulu blue away

Whether it be this year, next year, or 50 years from now. The Detroit Lions will eventually win a Super Bowl............I f'n hope.

by BoscoHB on Jan 27, 2009 1:10 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

As long as they...

don’t do what the Pisotns did 15 years ago and completely change the uniforms. Incorporating a whole new color scheme. Man, what a disaster that was.

I woldn’t mind some modifications, but nothing drastic. I like what the Vikings did a couple years ago with their uniforms. Making them more modern and the helmet logos 3-dimensional.

Get rid of the black jerseys…they need to go. They are too closely tied to the Millen era.

by TonyDC on Jan 27, 2009 1:35 PM EST reply actions 0 recs