Lions fire Marinelli; Mayhew named GM, Lewand team president

Lions fire Marinelli; Mayhew named GM, Lewand team president

FREE PRESS STAFF REPORTS • December 29, 2008

The Free Press has confirmed that the Lions fired coach Rod Marinelli this morning. In addition, Tom Lewand has been named club president and Martin Mayhew the team’s general manager, according to a Lions official.

The Lions also announced the firings of the following assistant coaches: defensive coordinator Joe Barry, assistant offensive line coach Mike Barry, and secondary coach Jimmy Lake. Also fired was assistant director of pro personnel Dave Boller.

The contract of defensive line coach Joe Cullen will not be renewed and offensive coordinator Jim Colletto has been re-assigned to offensive line coach.

The Lions lost to the Green Bay Packers, 31-21, on Sunday, making them the first team to go winless through a 16-game season. The 1976 expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-14) were the last NFL team to complete a season without a victory.

Marinelli told reporters that he expected to have a routine Monday — watch film of Sunday's game, meet with the team and then with owner William Clay Ford Sr. later in the day.

Marinelli was 10-38 in three seasons in Detroit.

The Lions have lost 23 of their last 24 games. The 0-16 record will be a lasting testimony to the Matt Millen era. With Millen as president of the team from 2001 until he was fired on Sept. 24, Detroit won only 31 games.

Is Parcells coming in, does anyone know?

It is a wait and see. The Mayhew and Lewand assignments may stop that.

Bring back Wayne Fontes

Why did Mayhew get the job? What exactly has he done this year? I can smell 0-32 already.

I still say bring back Fontes


I miss the days of the Lions going 9-7 or 10-6 and getting their asses kicked in the first round of the playoffs


Marinelli sucked so bad he made Fontes look like Tom Landry or Vince Lombardi

gs78 wrote:

I miss the days of the Lions going 9-7 or 10-6 and getting their asses kicked in the first round of the playoffs

Me, too! At least then you knew they might get lucky for a couple games and win a Super Bowl. Yeah, they weren't that good but 5 and 6 teams win the Super Bowl every now and then. When you can only win 3-4 games a year like the Lions do now, there's no chance at getting lucky.

catbox_9 wrote:

gs78 wrote:

I miss the days of the Lions going 9-7 or 10-6 and getting their asses kicked in the first round of the playoffs

Me, too! At least then you knew they might get lucky for a couple games and win a Super Bowl. Yeah, they weren't that good but 5 and 6 teams win the Super Bowl every now and then. When you can only win 3-4 games a year like the Lions do now, there's no chance at getting lucky.

I would have been happy if they won 3 or 4 this season



Had season tickets and they lost all eight home games

gs78 wrote:

catbox_9 wrote:

gs78 wrote:

I miss the days of the Lions going 9-7 or 10-6 and getting their asses kicked in the first round of the playoffs

Me, too! At least then you knew they might get lucky for a couple games and win a Super Bowl. Yeah, they weren't that good but 5 and 6 teams win the Super Bowl every now and then. When you can only win 3-4 games a year like the Lions do now, there's no chance at getting lucky.

I would have been happy if they won 3 or 4 this season



Had season tickets and they lost all eight home games

They were 7-9 last year....why can't they build on their "success"? Millen took over a 9-7 team and spent 25 years (or so it seemed) to get the team almost back to where it was when he started and now look where they are. They have to start all over....again

It is a rotten shame Catbox


A rotten shame

I might not sound like a good Lions fan (I always expect them to lose, I wanted 0-16 once they were 0-8, etc.) but make no mistakes - I am a Lions fan. I'm just cynical or something. I still pay attention to what they do, I have Lions memorabilia hanging on my wall, etc. I just realize Ford is the biggest moron in all of sports and won't get my hopes up until he dies....I'm saving a bottle of Dom Perignon for that day.

Monday, December 29, 2008
Fans upset about Lewand-Mayhew promotions
Tim Twentyman / The Detroit News

DETROIT -- The Lions' firing of Rod Marinelli on Monday was not unexpected. How can a coach survive an 0-16 season?

But many Lions fans were disappointed and skeptical about Monday's other big announcement -- that Tom Lewand would be team president and Martin Mayhew would be general manager on a permanent basis. They were appointed to those positions on an interim basis when Matt Millen was fired in September.

"I know a scapegoat needs to be found, but I don't really think Marinelli was the scapegoat," said longtime Lions fan Mitch Spies, who grew up in Northville and now lives outside Cincinnati. "Millen put the personnel on the field.

"As for the promotion of Lewand and Mayhew, really, I'm shocked anybody currently part of the organization would have any chance to get promoted. This organization, top to bottom, needs a swift kick in the pants, and that never usually comes from within an organization. They needed an outside individual to come in and shake things up. With the history of this team, I'm already set up for 2009 to be more of the same."

Mayhew is considered by some in NFL circles to be an up-and-comer in the NFL's general manager ranks. However, was his promotion, not even 24 hours after the Lions finished perfectly imperfect, the right move?

"Mayhew was under the tutelage of Matt Millen, and that's supposed to make me excited?" said Scott Michael of Hazel Park, whose family has owned Lions season tickets for 32 years. "I was actually hoping it was an early April Fools joke, but the Lions have such a history of ineptitude that this actually makes sense for them.

"I honestly don't know if we are going to renew our tickets next year," Michael added. "I can't see myself spending $1,000 on this team. They had a chance to create some real excitement and this move creates no excitement and no buzz. I'm really just sick."

Scott Pioli and Bill Parcells have been mentioned recently as men who would have the best chance at success in making the Lions' personnel decisions. Pioli is vice president of player personnel for the Patriots and Parcells is executive vice president of football operations for the Dolphins.

When Parcells joined the Dolphins last year, his deal included a clause that would allow him to walk away with the balance of his $12 million guaranteed contract if Huizenga were to sell the team.

Earlier this year, Wayne Huizenga agreed to sell 95 percent of the Dolphins to New York developer and team part-owner Stephen Ross.

"Bill Parcels would be the natural choice -- look what he did in one season at Miami," said Jeff St. Andre of Sterling Heights. "They won one game last year and they are in the playoffs. But the Lions don't want to wait and maybe hire that guy? It bums me out that this team is still not going to be winners anytime soon."

You can reach Tim Twentyman at ttwentyman@detnews.com

I am more upset they ain't slashing ticket prices


Ticket Freeze my ass


Tigers should have done that

But Lions ticket prices should be cut at least 10-15 percent across the board

Mike Shanahanan was fired today

Maybe the Lions can hire him? He has an M in his name.

They would work

Lions coach update; Marinelli could go to Bears

BY NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • January 7, 2009

Could Rod Marinelli find another job before the Lions replace him?

The Lions fired Marinelli as coach last week after he led them to the NFL's first 0-16 season. But he has been offered a spot on the Bears' staff, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Marinelli and Bears coach Lovie Smith are close friends. They broke into the NFL together in 1996 with Tampa Bay, with Marinelli as the Buccaneers' defensive line coach and Smith as linebackers coach.

Bears defensive line coach Brick Haley is expected to leave for the same job at Louisiana State, the Tribune reported.

Marinelli reportedly interviewed Monday with the Seattle Seahawks. He also has Tampa Bay connections in that organization. He was in the Detroit area Tuesday but could not be reached for comment.

The Lions continue to seek Marinelli's replacement.

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier is scheduled to interview with the Broncos today, the Denver Post reported. He is expected to interview with the Lions later this week.

The Lions already have interviewed at least New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and Washington Redskins secondary coach Jerry Gray.

Other candidates are Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey, Miami Dolphins secondary coach Todd Bowles and Baltimore Ravens defensive coach Rex Ryan.

The Lions inquired about San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera, ESPN reported. But Rivera announced he will not consider any jobs until after the season.

Nationalfootballpost.com listed the Lions as one of three teams interested in Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh. A Stanford spokesman said Tuesday the school does not respond to reports but Harbaugh -- a former U-M quarterback -- is finalizing a contract extension.

Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett reportedly pulled his name out of consideration.

Contact NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA at 313-222-8831 or ncotsonika@freepress.com. Check out his Lions blog at www.freep.com/sports