The Lions facility remains closed after learning of two positive tests for COVID-19. One player and one coach have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, and the number of close contacts on the coaching staff may leave the team in a difficult spot.
[RELATED: Peterson Wants To Stay With Lions]
Interim head coach Darrell Bevell and nearly all of the defensive staff have been classified as close contacts. The Lions have a short week, too — they face the Buccaneers at 1pm ET on Saturday. We’ve seen players, executives, and coaches held out of team activities, but a scenario of near-zero coaches would be completely new territory for this NFL season.
Of course, the 5-9 Lions won’t be playing for much this week when they face Tampa Bay. After Saturday, they’ll close out the season against the Vikings. All that’s really left for Detroit is NFL Draft placement. If the season ended today, they’d own the No. 11 pick, behind the Cowboys, Chargers, and Giants.
They’ve been playing for years with no real coaches on the sidelines so this week won’t be much different.
Well played
Coaching staffs like so many other aspects of the NFL are bloated far beyond what is actually required. When the AFL started in 1960 I believe those teams had a HC, 3 assistants and a team trainer.
Cue the oh-so funny, highly predictable “they never had any coaching” comments.
And would you look at that…