Odds to Be Lions Next Head Coach After Patricia Fired – Robert Saleh Favored, Jim Harbaugh Listed at 7-1
By Robert Duff in NFL Football
Published:
- San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is the +575 favorite to be the next head coach of the Detroit Lions
- Detroit fired coach Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn on Saturday
- Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy (+590) and Michigan Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh (+725) are other top betting choices
By now, you’d think the Detroit Lions would have this coach search down pat. Yet, the fact that the team is again searching for a coach tells you they’re still trying to work out the kinks in terms of finding the right man for the job.
Matt Patricia was fired as coach of the 4-7 Lions on Saturday. He suffered his final humiliation on Thanksgiving Day when the Houston Texans served the Lions a 41-25 drubbing.
In a prop wager asking who will be the next head coaching hire by the Lions, Robert Saleh is the betting favorite at odds of +575. The defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers has been a top head coaching candidate for a couple of seasons now.
Likewise, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy is considered to be another head coach in waiting. Bienemy is the second betting choice at +590.
Odds to be Next Coach of Detroit Lions
| Coach | Odds |
|---|---|
| Robert Saleh | +575 |
| Eric Bienemy | +590 |
| Lincoln Riley | +670 |
| Jim Harbaugh | +725 |
| Darrell Bevell | +775 |
| Brian Daboll | +950 |
| Byron Leftwich | +950 |
| Dan Mullen | +1100 |
| Josh McDaniels | +1300 |
| Kevin O’Connell | +1300 |
| Matt Campbell | +1400 |
| Arthur Smith | +1400 |
| Dabo Swinney | +1500 |
| Leslie Frazier | +1600 |
| Matt Eberflus | +1600 |
| Nick Saban | +1800 |
| Joe Brady | +1900 |
Odds as of Nov. 30.
An intriguing possibility is Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh. He’s listed with a betting line of +725.
Coordinated Effort
Whoever replaces Patricia will be the 11th coach the Lions have employed since 2000. Only two of those 11 have managed to post a winning record while in charge of the team. None of them have won a game during the postseason.
Historically, the Lions like to bring in coordinators from the NFL at the top of the food chain. Patricia, for example, was defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots prior to becoming the Lions head coach.
That would explain the presence of Saleh and Bienemy high on the odds board. Saleh is also a Detroiter, which makes him even more interesting as a candidate.
If 49ers DC Robert Saleh regarded this as a showcase game for his hometown Lions … looking pretty good so far.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) November 29, 2020
The problem is, none of these coordinators have looked very coordinated as the man in charge. Patricia was 13-28-1 as Lions coach. Still, his .321 winning percentage only leaves him as the fourth-worst Lions coach since 2000.
Jim Schwartz (29-51, .363), Rod Marinelli (10-38, .208), and Marty Mohrninweg (5-27, .156) are other coordinator hires who failed spectacularly as Lions coach.
Do They Want A Michigan Man?
Would a Michigan man interest Detroit? Or, to be more precise, would Michigan man Jim Harbaugh be interested in the Lions?
Can I be the first to start the rumour that Jim Harbaugh will be the next coach of the Lions!!! https://t.co/RlXMozyO3f
— Joe Bowen (@PixelOhne) November 28, 2020
He’s not been the answer at Michigan that Harbaugh was expected to be, bottoming out this season. The Maize and Blue are 2-4 this season. Harbaugh looks to be on his last legs in Ann Arbor.
But Harbaugh was 49-22-1 as coach of the 49ers. He took San Fran to a Super Bowl.
Perhaps he’s just a better fit as a pro coach than at the college level.
Smith Offers Intriguing Value
In case you haven’t noticed, NFL head coaching hires are getting younger. Some teams are even willing to think outside the box.
That being the case, it might not be a bad idea to make a play on someone further down the odds board. Arthur Smith, for instance.
Absolutely perfect opening drive for the Titans. Arthur Smith is phenomenal at first drives.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) November 29, 2020
The offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans, Arthur Smith, is the man who resurrected the career of Ryan Tannehill.
If the Lions opt to move on from Matthew Stafford at the season’s end, it wouldn’t hurt to have a quarterback guru in charge of the team.
A New View
What makes this Lions hire even more fascinating is that it will be the first made by owner Sheila Ford Hamp. Her initial mission will be to convince quality candidates that the Lions aren’t going to continue to be the NFL version of the Gong Show.
Sheila Ford Hamp: "I wanted to do the right thing by this organization and that's the bottom line. Hoped the season would have played out differently, but it hasn't. Just felt like now is the time to make the change and move forward."
— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) November 28, 2020
Bienemy and Saleh will be wooed by every team looking for a coach. Harbaugh will want to get far away from Michigan.
The Lions will be low on the pecking order. Unless Saleh gives them a hometown discount, look for Smith to be the man.
Pick: Arthur Smith (+1400)
Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
