I'm so glad Jets didn't hit the market searching for a new HC. So many shitty candidates and hires this offseason.
This is an interesting hire. Caldwell probably isn't going to lead the Lions to the promised land but he has coached in some great organizations and maybe he has something left in his last major job. He's 59 next year. This is probably it for him as an NFL coach.
Its crazy how Caldwell and Wisenhunt were a drive away from Super Bowl greatness and how they are viewed now because they didnt win the big one.
Both those guys rode great QB's (Warner and Manning) to the superbowl. They didn't build those teams, they inherited them. Caldwell barely lasted a season as an offensive coordinator for the Ravens, and that is after he helped them win a superbowl.
Wow, I don't think it's a bad hiring. Caldwell gets a bad rap for just inheriting Manning and winning, but WTF was he supposed to do? Turn down the job because if he might win it will only be because he had a great QB? I don't see people saying the same statements about Dungy or Belichick who only have won because they had great QBs... He did a very good job in Baltimore. That team was on the fringe for years but couldn't get over the top. It was looking the same way with Cam Cameron as OC, but they made the switch and he did a very good job getting the most out of Flacco. He got the most out of Flacco, now if he could get the most out of Stafford, Detroit could be a force. That team also needs discipline and a calming influence. They weren't getting that with Schwartz. They will get that with Caldwell.
My thoughts exactly. He has already taken a team to the Super Bowl in his first year, he also got Flacco to play one of the greatest postseasons of all time. I think this could turn out to be a great hire for the Lions.
He got Flacco to play a great postseason, but he followed it up by having his WORST regular season. Also, I totally call Dungy out on riding Manning to the SB. He never truly developed the defense in Indianapolis like he was brought in to do.
agree to a point but u still have to have players buy into ur system. not always the easiest thing to do with mostly 20 something year olds.
I would argue that is why these guys got fired and have bounced around the NFL. Their message only lasts so long. Same with guys like Norv Turner, Wade Phillips. They have been successful in the league, but as a head coach, it doesn't always show. Some people are meant to be positional coaches or coordinators and there is nothing wrong with that. Herman Edwards was a terrible head coach, but he is a guy I would want on "my" coaching staff. He understood the game, if not the X's and O's, and got his guys ready to play.
I think Caldwell gets his bad rap from being like a pair of penny loafers, he's boring like death. If I were a Lions fan I wouldn't be happy or excited yet maybe he's exactly what this team needed. They seemed to get by on the "thug" mentality under their former coach, who I thought had the kind of face you wanted to just punch! Maybe Caldwell will add some respectability to these guys.
Hiring Lazor as their new OC is more impressive than the Caldwell hire. Caldwell is indecisive and clueless.
I'm more impressed by the Zimmer hiring. He may end up being a bust, but he is a smart coach, his players love him and he's had head coach buzz for a few years now. Caldwell was basically given the job by Dungy, no one around the league was saying this guy deserves a shot. Ok, I'm done taking shots at Caldwell.
