Detroit Lions: Calvin Johnson Wants Team to Keep Jim Caldwell

Jim Caldwell’s status as Detroit Lions head coach is up in the air, but star wide receiver Calvin Johnson would like him to stay around next season.

The Detroit Lions head coaching position is up in the air. Jim Caldwell remains under contract for next season, but it’s likely that the next general manager will want to name his own head coach.

Perhaps the new general manager will seek input from the current team. If he were to do that, he’d likely get a glowing review of Caldwell. According to Calvin Johnson, everybody on the team loves the current head coach.

Here’s what Johnson had to say about Caldwell to ESPN’s Michael Rothstein. 

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"“Love him,” Johnson said. “Everybody in the locker room would probably say the same thing. He commands respect but he doesn’t have to do much. It’s just his character. Guys gravitate towards [him]. Easily one of my favorite coaches I’ve had come through.”"

It is notable that Johnson would include Caldwell among his favorite coaches, but, in fairness, his previous NFL head coaches were Rod Marinelli and Jim Schwartz.

Johnson’s own status with the Lions is uncertain as well. Like Caldwell, he too is under contract with Detroit for next season, but there’s been some chatter about whether the team would be better off trading him than keeping him (and paying him) through his decline phase.

Smart money is on the Lions keeping Johnson though, whether that’s through restructuring his contract or simply paying him what he’s due.

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If the Lions are to let Caldwell go at the end of the season, he would become the first full-time* head coach to end his tenure with the Lions with a record better than .500 since Joe Schmidt (1967-1972). Caldwell’s two-year record with the Lions is 17-14 with one game left to play this season.

*This excludes Gary Moeller’s 4-3 record as interim head coach in 2000.