The Lions and offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn are set to end their relationship after just one season, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The parties are expected to part ways following Detroit’s 2021 finale this afternoon.
One year ago, the Chargers fired Lynn as their head coach after he spent four years in that role. Lynn initially planned to sit out the 2021 season, but he had discussions with the Seahawks about their OC post, and he ultimately elected to join Dan Campbell‘s inaugural staff in Detroit.
As it turns out, Lynn may have been better off following through on his original plan to take the year off. In November, he was stripped of his play-calling duties, and although he continued to help run the offensive meetings and structure the game plan and rushing attack, he conceded that he was not happy about the loss of responsibility (Twitter link via Justin Rogers of the Detroit News).
The Lions were averaging only 16.8 points per game during Lynn’s eight games as the offensive play-caller, and they failed to record a win during that time. In the following eight contests, they averaged 19.25 points per game and squeezed out two victories and a tie. Correlation does not equal causation, and myriad factors have contributed to another lost season for the Lions, but his time in the Motor City clearly did not help Lynn’s stock as a coach.
The 53-year-old may end up having to accept a position coach post to start working his way back up the ladder (he has previously served as the RBs coach of the Jaguars, Cowboys, Browns, Jets, and Bills). The fact that he is a highly-respected figure in the league will certainly help him get a job somewhere, and his HC experience could be especially useful to someone who lands a head coaching gig for the first time in 2022. He might also be interested in a job in the college ranks.
The Lions, meanwhile, will have to search for a new OC. Ben Johnson, the club’s TE coach who was appointed pass game coordinator when Campbell took over play-calling responsibilities from Lynn, is perhaps the top in-house option. It will also be interesting to see if Campbell wants to remain the play-caller going forward.
The team has started winning (and tying) as soon as Campbell took over play calling.
He took the year off anyways. I still like Lynn but his play calling was predictable.
I agree. I don’t believe he was ever really engaged this season.
Lynn was in way over his head as a head coach. He cancelled a scrimmage because he had more important social issues to attend to. What a joke.
The whole team cancelled their practice actually, Campbell included. If you think a preseason football practice is more important than allowing the players to speak their minds and stand up for a cause then you should probably rethink your own priorities in life
Lol
BOOM!
Ah, excuse us….when I watch sports, I watch the players to see their skills at the game they are paid to play…and these particular players are paid very well to play, they’re not paid to tell us about the social issues of the day…..these are outside the locker roomand I don’t really care to hear from guys who have problems putting full sentences together….and by the way, my priorities are just fine…..football is football not a social issue party!
Don’t be so hyperbolic. Just because they get paid well doesn’t mean they don’t have a right to speak out on social issues just as you do. Do you just do your job and shut up or do you come online anonymously and complain on sports sites?
Besides, for you to say “I don’t really care to hear from guys who have problems putting full sentences together”, when you evidently don’t know how to use a period, is irony at its finest. I don’t get people who hold others to standards they themselves couldn’t possibly meet.
Nagy will be available in a few hours.
Nagy turns a likely win into another humiliating loss. Nagy would be a great coach if you want the number 1 draft choice. Assuming that is, Pace wasn’t your GM trading them all away for peanuts.
Campbell and the entire Lions organization are a joke.
What a profound statement. Never heard that one before. Brad Holmes has a plan and I am confident he will elevating the talent quickly. Although this year’s draft doesn’t have a clear top 5 QB, it has very high end DE’s & WR’s that Brad will address. I am high on Kenny Pickett so If they can trade down and grab him & additional assets, things will be looking good for 2023. 2022 is still a foundation building year but one that should get them 6 wins.
I was thinking your first two sentences, but chose to ignore it. That dude copy/pastes the same exact comment on every Lions post.
Lynn’s best option might be to join Hue Jackson at Grambling.
The Lions represent the bottom of the NFL and have been for over 60 years. Coaches, players, trainers, waterboys can’t fix the outdated Ford Model T! Once this team moves on from the current ownership group maybe someone will open their purse and build a franchise? If a owner looks at the team as a way to pocket cash you’ll never see it in another way.
It’s official now, Lynn is out as of Monday afternoon