New Lions coach Matt Patricia decided to keep offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter. In making the decision, Patricia wasn’t swayed by the endorsement given to Cooter by quarterback Matthew Stafford. Instead, Patricia decided to keep Cooter based on Patricia’s own experiences.
“So Jim Bob, I’ve obviously coached against him a couple of times, I have a lot of people that have worked with him, I have a lot of people that he kind of worked under as they were coordinators,” Patricia told the Detroit Free Press. “Like Brian Daboll, just guys that I’m very close with that know him very well. So I respect him, I respect what he does. So I don’t — for me there was no real reason to make a change if I don’t think a change is necessary.”
Cooter became the offensive coordinator during the 2015 season, after former coach Jim Caldwell fired Joe Lombardi. Cooter has gone from hot seat to head-coaching candidate during his time in that job.