With the announcement that the Detroit Lions are reportedly hiring Drew Petzing as their latest offensive coordinator got here a bunch of reactions from followers and analysts alike. One of many extra widespread reactions was frustration that the Lions didn’t land former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, a candidate extensively believed to be the very best offensive thoughts out there this teaching cycle.
McDaniel was a candidate for the Lions’ job and interviewed for the place final Tuesday. Why didn’t the Lions select him? We don’t have 100% readability on that but, however ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington offered some perception into Detroit’s thought course of with McDaniel.
“Of coordinator jobs that Mike McDaniel has interviewed for, the Lions gig was the least prone to materialize,” Darlington tweeted on Monday. “Campbell favored McDaniel so much, however Lions didn’t view it as fairly the best match for them.”
Now, let’s be clear about this quote, as a result of I’ve already seen some potential misinterpretations of this. That final sentence has some believing that Campbell needed him, however he was overridden by others inside the group. I can see why that’s a doable learn on the scenario, however I believe Campbell could possibly be included within the “Lions” that didn’t view him as a match. You possibly can like a candidate whereas additionally admitting he’s not precisely what you’re searching for. Leaping to the conclusion that Campbell didn’t get his man due to Brad Holmes, or Sheila Hamp, or Mike Disner is making an enormous leap in logic.
What can be extra attention-grabbing to seek out out is why the group didn’t like McDaniel’s match. There may be definitely a notion that McDaniel’s offense is a bit more gadgety and primarily based on velocity, the place the Lions have proven they like physicality and energy. Personally, I believe McDaniel has proven a few of these gritty soccer tendencies when the personnel is true.
Possibly the persona match wasn’t proper. Possibly McDaniel doesn’t see play-calling the best way Campbell desires him to. Possibly the reference to Jared Goff wasn’t very best. Possibly there was simply going to be an excessive amount of schematic and verbiage overhaul when the Lions are searching for extra of a tweak.
Regardless of the purpose, one factor seems clear from Darlington’s reporting: the Lions rejected McDaniel moderately than the opposite approach round.
