Tag: Chris Spielman

Josh Harris is using relationships to rebuild the Commanders

Josh Harris is making all the right moves.

When the Washington Commanders fired head coach Ron Rivera last week, owner Josh Harris released a statement that he’d hired outside advisors to assist with his search for the franchise’s next head of football operations and head coach.

Joining Harris and minority partners Mitchell Rales, Magic Johnson and David Blitzer on Washington’s advisory committee were former two-time NBA Executive of the Year Bob Myers and former NFL Executive of the Year Rick Spielman.

There was some initial confusion as to why Harris — a longtime NBA owner — would bring on an NBA executive. It didn’t take long to realize that you didn’t need to be an NBA fan to see Myers’ accomplishments. He’s a team builder. He’s a program builder, and he’s all about relationships.

Spielman spent 32 years in different front offices around the NFL, including a stint as general manager of the Minnesota Vikings that ended in 2021.

Shortly after Harris’ statement, the Commanders requested permission to speak to potential GMs and head coaches. They began the interview process on Tuesday and, by Friday, had hired San Francisco 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters as the franchise’s new general manager.

Peters was the most coveted executive available, and Harris and his partners interviewed him on Tuesday, and by Friday, he was Washington’s GM.

What was the connection here? It was Myers.

While Garofolo’s initial report was incorrect — the pair didn’t go to the same high school — they are pretty friendly with one another. Both are natives of the Bay Area, and Peters accepted a position with San Francisco in 2017. At that time, Myers was GM and president of the Golden State Warriors, roles he stepped away from last May.

Myers had been to several 49ers’ games and built a friendly relationship with Peters over the years.

What about Spielman? His younger brother, Chris, a former NFL standout linebacker, is a special assistant to the Detroit Lions’ President/CEO.

What does that have to do with Washington?

Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is reportedly the Commanders’ top target to be their next head coach.

Johnson joined the Lions in 2019, while Spielman returned to the franchise in his role in 2020. Of course, Spielman would know Johnson well.

Well played.

Of course, this doesn’t mean Johnson will be Washington’s next head coach. Johnson may seek another job, or the Commanders may be blown away by someone else in the interview process, such as Texans OC Bobby Slowik or Rams DC Raheem Morris.

You never know.

However, Harris is one step ahead. Could you ever say the same about former owner Dan Snyder? It’s a refreshing change for Washington to be a desirable place.

Chris Spielman has ‘zero agenda other than winning’

Lions special assistant Chris Spielman has “zero agenda other than winning”

Every Lions fan knows Chris Spielman. He’s franchise royalty, from his time as a Pro Bowl linebacker through his current tenure as a special assistant to owner Sheila Hamp.

But what exactly is Spielman’s role in that job title? Justin Rogers of the Detroit News conducted a great, informative interview with Spielman himself to find out. It’s a very worthwhile read.

One thing that stood out was how Spielman operates behind the scenes of pretty much everything the Lions do, but does so in a nonthreatening manner to the people around him.

Here’s what Spielman told Rogers about his goals and ambitions in his unique position,

“I’ve been given the freedom to define the role, but in order to do that, the one thing I had to get, because it’s a paranoid business by nature, I had to make sure I had everybody’s trust, that I have zero agenda other than winning,” he said. “Zero. I tell everyone, ‘I’ve already done my thing, man. I have zero agenda. I don’t want another role. I’m not looking for another role.’ My goal is to help everybody succeed to their highest level. When that happens, I feel like I win.”

For Spielman to embrace the attitude of putting the team over his individual success is another reason why we still see so many No. 54 jerseys around Detroit.

Check out Rogers’ full interview with Spielman at the Detroit News. You’ll be glad you did.

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Ohio State football ‘Face of the Linebacker Position:’ Vote!

When you think of the linebacker position at Ohio State, what historical player comes to mind first? Vote inside the article! #GoBucks

We’re still gearing up for the season and you are most likely stuck between queueing up last year’s Rose Bowl victory over Utah on the DVR for the umpteenth time, reading rankings and listicles that include Ohio State, and yearning for the start of the college football season.

Sounds like a perfect time to continue the series we’ve embarked upon here at Buckeyes Wire. We call it the “Face of the Position,” and it’s really exactly as it sounds. When you think of a position group at Ohio State, who do you think of? From quarterback to linebacker, to placekicker and beyond, OSU has some of the most iconic and historical college football players that have taken their place among the best in the game.

However, one player stands out above all else when you shroud them behind the colors of scarlet and gray, and that’s where we are going to ask for your assistance.

As we get ready for the start of the season, we’ll keep going through these until you identify a winner by vote.

We’ve already looked at the quarterback position, running backs, wide receivers, offensive linemen, tight ends, defensive tackles, and defensive ends. It’s now time to move to the defensive side of the ball and start with an underrated defensive tackle position.

We’ll keep voting up for three days, and at the end of it, we’ll reveal the winner of each. Make sure you scroll to the bottom to cast your vote from the nominees in a Twitter poll and feel free to write in a candidate if you think of another player.

Watch: Chris Spielman gets inducted into the Pride of the Lions

Barry Sanders presented Lions teammate Chris Spielman into the Pride of the Lions during halftime of Detroit’s Week 8 game

There was one bright spot to the Detroit Lions in their Week 8 humiliating loss to the Eagles. At halftime, the team proudly and gracefully inducted linebacker Chris Spielman into the Pride of the Lions.

Spielman is the 19th member of the Lions’ version of the ring of honor. He is the team’s all-time leading tackler, leading the entire NFL over the eight-year span he spent in Detroit (1988-1995) and earning four Pro Bowl nods and one first-team All-Pro (1991).

Now a special assistant to owner Sheila Ford Hamp, Spielman got a warm reception from the otherwise frustrated crowd. The Lions were kind enough to post the video of the presentation, which featured Spielman’s teammate Barry Sanders doing the induction honor.

 

Former Ohio State linebacker Chris Spielman to be inducted into Detroit Lions’ Ring of Honor

A well-deserved honor and a must-watch when it comes to Spielman’s reaction when he finds the news out in a very cool way.

He has to be on the shortlist of all-time favorite Ohio State players, and it’s clear that he’s also one of the Detroit Lions’ most iconic personalities as well.

We are, of course, talking about former Buckeye All-American Chris Spielman, and now it’ll be official up in the Motor City with him being enshrined as the 19th member of the Lions’ Ring of Honor.

It just so happens too, that the news was expertly broken to Spielman in a unique and genius way. Spielman was asked to do a promo spot about honoring a Lions’ legend, and while reading through the teleprompter, it became evident that he was the subject of the event.

It’s easy to gloss over these things, but do yourself a favor and watch one of the all-time OSU greats get emotional when he realizes the magnitude of the situation.

I often thought Spielman’s time in Detroit and the NFL, in general, was severely understated. He led the Lions team in tackles every year he played there (1988-1995), and was named to four Pro Bowls during his career. Much like what he did at Ohio State, he had a nose for the ball and just racked up tackles.

“The Detroit Lions could not be prouder of Chris Spielman’s accomplishments on the field and in the community. He was pivotal to the success the team enjoyed during his time as a player and his induction into the Pride of the Lions cements his place in our history,” team president Rod Wood said in a statement. “We are thrilled Chris has rejoined the organization as a key member to build the future and we are proud to present him with the highest individual honor we can give to a Lions Legend.”

Spielman will be enshrined during a halftime ceremony of Detroit’s homecoming game against the Philadelphia Eagles on October 31.

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Lions to induct Chris Spielman into Pride of the Lions

Spielman is the franchise’s all-time leader in tackles and earned 4 Pro Bowl berths in eight seasons in Detroit

Chris Spielman has long been regarded as one of the all-time greats in Detroit Lions franchise history. And now Spielman will be honored as such.

The Lions announced on Thursday that Spielman, who played linebacker for the team from 1988-1995, will be inducted into the team’s Pride of the Lions ring of honor. The ceremony will take place at halftime of the Week 8 game in Ford Field against the Philadelphia Eagles on Halloween.

The Pride of the Lions is a prominent display inside Ford Field that honors the legends of the franchise. And Spielman is certainly worthy of that status.

“The Detroit Lions could not be prouder of Chris Spielman’s accomplishments on the field and in the community. He was pivotal to the success the team enjoyed during his time as a player and his induction into the Pride of the Lions cements his place in our history,” said Detroit Lions Team President and CEO Rod Wood in a statement. “We are thrilled Chris has rejoined the organization as a key member to build the future and we are proud to present him with the highest individual honor we can give to a Lions Legend.”

Spielman was a 4-time Pro Bowler who led the Lions in tackles in each of his eight seasons in Detroit. He is the all-time franchise leader in tackles. Spielman’s hard-nosed style of play was a perfect fit for Detroit during the most successful era of Lions football in the Super Bowl era. He will be the 19th member of the Pride of the Lions, a group that also includes Barry Sanders, Lem Barney, Dick Lane, Jack Christiansen, Dick Lebeau and Jason Hanson.

He rejoined the Lions in 2020 as a special advisor to ownership, and Spielman is a fixture on the practice fields with GM Brad Holmes and coach Campbell, often paying extra attention to the linebackers.

Chris Spielman bolster coaching role with Lions LB coach Mark DeLeone

Lions LB coach Mark DeLeone spoke on the involvement of Chris Spielman on coaching and proving to be a valuable resource

One of the first moves Sheila Ford Hamp made when taking over as the primary owner of the Detroit Lions was this hiring of Lions great Chris Spielman as a special assistant to the president/CEO and chairperson. Spielman immediately became a trusted brain in the general manager and head coaching searches that led to the hire of Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell and was also on the frontline in the draft process.

Even though he sits near the top of the team hierarchy, he continues to be an ambassador for the organization he sweated and bled for eight seasons. During training camp, you often see him working hand and hand with the players and coaches. Still, he always had a soft spot for his former position as he typically gravitated towards the linebackers.

It is not every day you see someone who is this high on the totem pole out on the field running drills, but Spielman is not your everyday guy as he knows the grind when it comes to playing this game. He is the type of person who starts talking; you better listen to what he has to say. He has proven to be a great resource to the players and inside linebackers coach Mark DeLeone, who has built a strong relationship with the former Lion.

“Who could not have a great relationship with Chris Spielman? He’s the best,” DeLeone said via Dave Birkett of the Free Press. “No, I mean, I love him. I think for me, he’s a lot of things. He’s a friend, he’s a resource. He’s somebody who I count on day in and day out as somebody I can talk to, cause there are certain players who, no matter what era they played in, could play. Like, Chris is one of those guys, man. He understands the linebacker position.”

Unlike past years, there seems to be strong communication from top to bottom, making sure everyone is on the same page about what they are trying to accomplish. That is no different from the communication between DeLeone and Spielman, as they are in sync with one another.

“He’s an unbelievable person, and I think what Chris has done a great job of is listening to me coach, and if he does make a coaching point to a player, he knows it’s the same thing I’ve already said. I think we’re very aligned and very on the same page in that regard.”

The Lions linebacking corps has recently undergone significant changes, with the release of veteran Jamie Collins thrusting rookie Derrick Barnes into the starting lineup. With the injection of youth into the position group, coaching and player development are key to the organization’s future outlook. DeLeone and Spielman are right on the front line, hand-in-hand, and you better believe with these, anything is possible in the turnaround of this franchise.

“I feel like we do a lot of things together. We talk a lot about it together. I think from an on-the-field standpoint, he’s there as a sounding board as somebody who always for me like, I can’t see everything but he helps me cover the whole field.”

Derrick Barnes getting extra coaching, attention from Chris Spielman

Lions rookie LB Derrick Barnes getting extra coaching and attention from Chris Spielman

Chris Spielman is one of the greatest linebackers in Detroit Lions history. The all-time franchise leader in tackles is back as part of the team and doing what he can to help pay it forward to rookie LB Derrick Barnes.

Barnes, a fourth-round draft pick from Purdue, is hoping to become something close to the tackling machine Spielman was in his eight seasons (1987-1995) in Detroit. But he’s coming at it from a different background. Barnes played as a pass-rushing OLB and DE for much of his college career.

Now Barnes is turning to Spielman in hopes of learning from the legend firsthand. And Spielman, a special assistant to owner Shiela Ford Hamp, is going the extra mile to bring the rookie up to speed from the very start of training camp.

A couple of trusted observers in Allen Park took note of the extra attention Barnes sought out from Spielman after practice.

Spielman also spent time on the practice field consulting with Barnes during the team’s rookie minicamp earlier this offseason. It’s great to see one of the most beloved and accomplished Lions defenders grooming an eager young rookie to take over his old role.

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Ohio State commit Gabe Powers has throwback style, attitude like Chris Spielman

Gabe Powers is a four-star recruit that has committed to become an Ohio State Buckeye and the future star has a ton of old-school flavor.

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with four-star linebacker and current Ohio State football commit, Gabe Powers. Unlike the fictional Kenny Powers, Gabe is a phenomenal and humble person with a hometown attitude and an old-school style.

“I know my ability, I don’t need to brag to the world, I’m going to show my ability on the field,” Powers told Buckeyes Wire.

The 6-foot, 4-inch, 230-pound Ohio product was gracious enough to let us sit down with him in the Marysville High School weight room with his coverage coach, Ryan Stewart. It should be noted that Stewart has an extensive résumé which includes stops at Boise State and Ohio State as defensive assistant with his specialty being with defensive backs. We discussed a number of topics, but one of the more interesting subjects was discussing which former Ohio State linebacker Powers admires the most.

“Probably, honestly, Chris Spielman. I’ve watched his highlights,” Powers told Buckeyes Wire. I like his toughness — his grit, and the way he plays, you know it always come down to toughness. That’s also what I pride myself in. I’m a tough, blue-collar kid and that’s what I really admire.”

Ohio State’s Chris Spielman (36). Credit: USA TODAY Sports

Typically when tasked with finding a favorite Buckeye, people usually pick someone they were alive to see, but Powers had a more unique take citing Chris Spielman as his favorite. Spielman’s last season in the NFL was before Powers was even born, but with his family history the answer is not surprising at all.

Powers’ father is not only a linebacker coach, but was a former All-American at Findlay before earning a tryout with the Dallas Cowboys and raised his son on Spielman film. It almost brings a tear to your eye as an Ohio raised linebacker with football bloodlines and an old-school humble mentality talks about the linebacking greats from yesteryear.

And there are some similarities there. Powers is cut out of a little different cloth than most kids these days. His favorite pastime is not playing video games but rather fishing. He has social media, but doesn’t really see many benefits in using it that much. He seems like a high character kid that spends most of his time working on his craft rather than working on his brand.

Powers is much taller than Spielman, but has the same type of sideline to sideline athleticism, and as Ryan Stewart also mentions in the interview, a more recent comparison to Gabe Powers is James Laurinaitis. This comparison maybe even more appropriate considering Laurinaitis has a more similar body type and athleticism.

“I think that the linebacker that reminds me the most of Gabe, that like I’ve met him and he’s a nice guy,” Stewart Said “But just like their physical build and how they play is James Laurinaitis … could run, cover.”

That may be, but we couldn’t help but think about how much Chris Spielman was in Powers’ attitude, work ethic, and outlook on the game of football as we sat in the gym and talked to him. And, you know what number he wears? That’s right, the No. 36.

We’ll have more on Powers and our interview with him in the coming days, but it’s been awhile since Ohio State has had a great linebacker like the Spielman and Laurinaitis. Could Powers be a guy similar to those two? Time will tell, but if his play on the field is anything like his character off of it, there’s a good chance Buckeye Nation is going to fall in love with the kid that has the right attitude to become a fan favorite.

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Report sheds more light on the Lions pursuit of Iowa State coach Matt Campbell

A new report from SI’s Albert Breer sheds more light on the Lions pursuit of Iowa State coach Matt Campbell

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The Detroit Lions had strong interest in hiring Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell as the new head coach in Detroit this offseason. That’s not fresh news, but just how close they came and how much the Lions pursued Campbell is coming to light. A report this week from SI’s Albert Breer sheds more light on how heavily the Lions pursued Campbell and how close he came to biting on the interest.

Here’s what Breer wrote in this week’s MMQB at Sports Illustrated,

But in January, he did at least give the Detroit job some thought. He and Lions special assistant to the owner Chris Spielman have a strong relationship—the two are both from the football-mad city of Massillon, Ohio—and, as such, Campbell spoke with the Lions brass a couple times about the job opening as the NFL hiring cycle got revved up. And Detroit was preparing to fly out to visit with Campbell just before Campbell pulled his name out of the running

The connection with Spielman is important here. It’s something I’ve discussed repeatedly on the Detroit Lions Podcast as a driving force behind the entire Matt Campbell dalliance in Detroit. It’s a big factor in why Matt Campbell had such strong odds to succeed Matt Patricia early in the process, too.

Breer also reinforces the notion that the Lions were not the only team coveting Campbell this offseason. He notes,

But as we’ve been saying in this space for some time, power brokers in the league are well aware of how good he is. And it’s fair to assume that will manifest in more opportunities down the line. As for right now? I don’t know if the Lions’ getting on that plane and visiting Campbell would have led, eventually, to an offer being made. What I do know is that one wasn’t made. And, again, that Detroit’s not alone in its interest in the Cyclones coach.

One key piece of information there is that the Lions did not make a formal offer to Campbell. That verifies a report from Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press from last week, too. A wild report from CBS Sports listed actual figures in the discussion, but it’s now clear the talks never progressed to that stage. Campbell didn’t allow it to get that far.

The Lions quickly hired Dan Campbell, a much different style and path despite a similar surname.