MMQB’s Albert Breer and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport have reported several interviews this week for the Detroit Lions general manager and coaching vacancies.
In total, the Lions reportedly will interview four general manager and three coaching candidates over the next five days, as well as two more coaching interviews set up for next week.
At a glance interview schedule
| Monday | Eric Bieniemy, Chiefs’ OC (source) | |
| Tuesday | Darrell Bevell, Lions’ OC (source) | Terry Fontenot, Saints’ Asst. GM, VP Pro personnel (source) |
| Wednesday | Brad Holmes, Rams’ Dir. College Scouting (source) | Geroge Paton, Vikings’ Asst. GM (source) |
| Thursday | Robert Saleh, 49ers’ DC (source) | |
| Friday | Jeff Ireland, Saints’ Asst. GM, VP college scouting (source) | |
| Next Week | Arthur Smith, Titans’ OC (source) | Dan Campbell, Saints’ Asst. Head Coach, TE coach (source) |
| TBD | John Schneider, Seahawks’ GM (source) |
Bieniemy, Saleh, and Smith were all identified and profiled in Lions Wire’s Top-10 coaching options for the Lions, and fans should be familiar with Bevell as he was the Lions OC over the last two seasons, but this is the first time we have discussed Dan Campbell.
Campbell is a former NFL tight end, spent three seasons (2006-08) with the Lions, and began coaching in 2010 with the Miami Dolphins. After five years as their tight ends coach, he was promoted to interim coach in 2015 but was let go after the season. He joined the Saints the next season as their tight ends coach and also carried an assistant head coach (to Sean Payton) title.
Paton and Ireland were candidates identified and profiled in Lions Wire’s Top general manager candidates, we also profiled Holmes last week, then Schneider over the weekend, and while we have mentioned Fontenot in other articles, we haven’t profiled him yet.
Fontenot, like Ireland, is an assistant general manager with the Saints, but while Ireland is focused on the college scouting side of the front office, Fontenot deals with their pro personnel department. Fontenot has been with the Saints’ organization for 16 seasons, beginning his career as a scout, and overseeing the pro scouting department for the last six seasons.
Lions completed GM interviews:
- 3 Internal personnel: Kyle O’Brien, Lance Newmark, and Rob Lohman
- Former Eagles director of pro personnel Louis Riddick
- Former Texans GM Rick Smith
- Former Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff
- Former Chiefs GM Scott Pioli
Lions completed coaching interviews:
Names the Lions are reportedly interested in but nothing set up yet
- Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern HC
- Matt Campbell, Iowa State HC
- Omar Khan, Steelers’ VP of football administration
- Will McClay, Cowboys VP of player personnel
- Eliot Wolf, Patriots front office consultant, who is better known for his time with the Packers front office