Detroit Lions: It’s time for Dick LeBeau to come home
By Matt Bosko
As the Detroit Lions consider candidates to fill their new coaching staff, a top defensive mind – and former Lions great – is available.
With the Detroit Lions seemingly locked in to hiring Matt Patricia as their new head coach, a move that will require two more weeks of patience to become official, the team will need to fill the rest of the coaching staff.
Since the New England Patriots are once again on their way to the Super Bowl, the Lions’ front office will remain silent as the fan base grows anxious to turn their calendars to the next month.
Behind the scenes, however, the wheels are turning, and you can rest assured that Bob Quinn and Patricia are discussing options.
One of the many things Patricia and the Lions will have to sort out is who they will tab as the team’s defensive coordinator.
The answer may lie in former Detroit Lion and Hall of Famer Dick LeBeau, who just became available.
With the Tennessee Titans’ recent hiring of Mike Vrabel, reports indicate that LeBeau will not return as the team’s defensive coordinator.
Age is a concern for the two-time Super Bowl champion. LeBeau is 80 years old, and has either played or coached for a total of 59 years in the NFL. With retirement a consideration, there is a chance that his time with the Titans was his last ride.
If he is still interested in coaching, however, pairing up with Patricia could be a perfect fit. They have won seven Super Bowls combined, with that number subject to change in two weeks. A winning pedigree is what the Lions need to take the next step.
It would be understandable if Patricia, just 43 years of age, wants to bring in a colleague already familiar with his scheme. First-year head coaches, however, can likely benefit from having an experienced coordinator at their side.
Patricia would be able to lean on LeBeau’s wealth of experience and have a reliable coaching veteran working right alongside him. Plus, one would be hard-pressed to find a better duo of defensive minds working together. Both Patricia and LeBeau are known for their savvy play calling and aggressive style, and a coaching staff with nearly 75 years of experience and numerous Super Bowl rings certainly sounds like a winning formula.
Next: Matt Patricia 'fundamentally' perfect fit for Lions
For LeBeau, a return to the Lions would bring his storied career full circle. He played 14 seasons as a defensive back in Detroit from 1959 to 1972, where his 62 interceptions are still an all-time franchise record.