Detroit Lions: Anthony Lynn a valuable asset to the coaching staff
By Bob Heyrman
The Detroit Lions hired former Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn as their offensive coordinator replacing Darrell Bevell who has accepted the same role under Urban Meyer with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The thing that stood out about this new regime constructed by the Detroit Lions brass had one thing in common; limited-to-no experience in their current role. With guidance from Special Assistant Chris Spielman and the Vice President of Football Administration, Mike Disner, President Rod Wood, and principal owner Sheila Ford Hamp hired Brad Holmes to be the teams’ new general manager.
Nearly immediately after hiring Holmes, who made a name for himself in the Rams organization as a draft expert, the organization hired Dan Campbell to be the next head coach of the Detroit Lions. Campbell has limited experience in the role after producing a 5-7 record back in 2015 as an interim head coach with the Miami Dolphins.
Campbell joins the Lions’ way of the New Orleans Saints, where he served under Sean Payton as assistant head coach/tight ends coach. Campbell brought the Saints secondary coach Aaron Glenn to run the Detroit defense.
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So the Lions have a first time GM, a limited experienced head coach, and a first-time defensive coordinator. Adding an experienced Lynn to an inexperienced coaching staff is a brilliant addition for the Lions.
Anthony Lynn’s addition to this Detroit Lions coaching staff is well calculated and should pay off in various ways next season.
Lynn joins Detroit after producing an overall record of 33-31 as the Chargers head coach. It’s exactly the type of experienced coach Campbell needed to add to his staff. Lynn’s greatest weakness during his tenure as head coach was his inability to manage the clock. Fortunately for the Lions, Lynn won’t need to worry about calling time outs or when to challenge or not to challenge a call that will fall on Campbell.
Lynn, a two-time Super Bowl champion as a backup running back to Terrell Davis with the Denver Broncos, totaled just 177 yards on 28 totes as a professional. Those numbers won’t impress anyone, but those two rings surely will. Lynn may not have had a historic run as a player, but he’s done a fine job as an NFL coach following his playing days.
After spending time with the Jaguars, Cowboys, Browns, and Jets as a running back coach, he’d finally be promoted to Buffalo’s OC for one season before landing the head coaching gig in San Diego (later Los Angeles). During that 2016 season with the Bills, Buffalo led the league in rushing behind a rejuvenated LeSean McCoy. McCoy galloped for 1,267 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Quarterback Tyrod Taylor also added 580 rushing yards and six touchdowns in ’16 behind Lynn’s playcalling.
Next. Goodbye to the greatest quarterback in franchise history. dark
Although Lynn likely won’t be working with Matthew Stafford, I am excited to see how D’Andre Swift produces as a dual-threat, playmaking running back in Lynn’s system.