Lions head coach Matt Patricia believes the team has built the foundation for a competitive team while going 9-20-1 over his first 30 games in Detroit and he’ll have a chance to work with that foundation in 2020.
Lions owner Martha Ford told reporters on Tuesday that Patricia and General Manager Bob Quinn will both return to the team for the 2020 season. It will be Patricia’s third year as head coach and Quinn’s fifth season in Detroit. Both men are under contract through 2022.
Vice chair Sheila Ford Hamp said that firing Patricia and/or Quinn might have been “the popular choice,” but that the organization feels this is the more prudent decision. Ford also shared what she wants to see from the team next year.
“We expect to be a playoff contender and those are our expectations, which we’ve expressed to both Bob and to Matt,” Ford said, via Chris Burke of TheAthletic.com.
It remains to be seen if other changes could be made to the coaching staff. One spot to look at may be defensive coordinator as the team has struggled on that side of the ball with Paul Pasqualoni in that position this season.