Jim Caldwell may have been the Detroit Lions鈥� most successful coach in the Super Bowl era.
That was not enough to save his job.
The Lions fired Caldwell on Monday after a season in which the team raised hopes before fading and missing the playoffs for the second time in three years.
Lions owner Martha Firestone Ford called Caldwell 鈥渙ne of the finest leaders we鈥檝e ever had as our head coach.鈥�
鈥淣ot only did he guide us on the field to three winning seasons, but he also set a standard of excellence off the field that had a tremendous impact on everyone in our organization and our entire community,鈥� she said in a statement.
鈥淎s many of our players have already said, his influence on them transcended the game of football and will positively serve them throughout their lives. Our organization is better because of Jim, and we are forever grateful.鈥�
Caldwell received a multiyear contract extension before the season, but the team didn鈥檛 announce the move for months.
The Lions beat Green Bay 35-11 Sunday to finish 9-7, their third winning record in Caldwell鈥檚 four years. Detroit met relatively modest expectations this season after a promising start that left the team at 3-1 and 6-4. But the Lions then dropped out of post-season contention by losing three of their next five.
Caldwell was 36-28 with Detroit and 0-2 in the post-season. Including three years with the Indianapolis Colts, he is 62-50 and 2-4 in the playoffs.
When Caldwell was hired almost four years ago, he was working for a franchise with only one winning season in a 13-season stretch.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to be smart,鈥� Caldwell said when he was hired Jan. 14, 2014. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to be a football team that takes the field that鈥檚 not going to shoot itself in the foot.鈥�
Detroit鈥檚 defence, though, was short-handed in consecutive games late in the season.
The Lions were down a player for a snap when Minnesota scored a touchdown in a win at Detroit on Thanksgiving and were missing two players when Baltimore converted a third down to help it take a two-TD lead in a victory. After bouncing back with two straight wins, the Lions lost what shot they had to rally for a spot in the playoffs by losing to Cincinnati in Week 16.
Even as it became clear Caldwell鈥檚 job may be in jeopardy, he took it in stride.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 part of our business,鈥� he insisted going into his last game as Detroit鈥檚 coach. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 kind of the way it goes. That鈥檚 every year, right? I told you guys a story a long time ago about Marty Schottenheimer. He got fired at 14-2. So anything less than a Super Bowl, obviously it could happen.鈥�
The Lions have never played in a Super Bowl. And since winning the 1957 NFL title, they have won only one playoff game and that lone victory was in 1992.
Caldwell, who led the Colts to the Super Bowl nearly seven years ago in his first season as an NFL head coach, got off to a solid start in Detroit with 11 wins in 2014 that was the franchise鈥檚 best regular season since 1991.
His second season got off to a slow start with a 1-7 record. But the team rallied for a 7-9 finish, and general manager Bob Quinn stayed with him. When the Lions hired Quinn shortly after the 2015 season, he kept Caldwell around for a third season. The Lions were 9-7 in 2016, putting Caldwell in company with Bobby Ross and Buddy Parker as Detroit coaches to earn playoff bids in two of their first three seasons.
He became Detroit鈥檚 first coach to have at least three winning seasons in his first four years since the early 1950s.
Caldwell didn鈥檛 scream at his players and showed an interest in their lives off the field.
鈥淚 love Caldwell,鈥� receiver Marvin Jones said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been here for two years and he鈥檚 the best coach I鈥檝e ever had. Everybody is quiet two minutes before his meetings because he demands respect without yelling. He doesn鈥檛 yell at all. You never want to disappoint him. We just had to make more plays for him.鈥�
He went 16-8 against NFC North teams, but wasn鈥檛 able to help the franchise win its first division title since 1993.
In each of Caldwell鈥檚 four years of leading the Lions, they ranked among the NFL鈥檚 worst in yards rushing. That glaring weakness put a lot of pressure on quarterback Matthew Stafford and a shaky line, leading to an offence that struggled to move the ball and score consistently.
鈥淗e does a great job in our locker room help getting us ready to go play football,鈥� Stafford said days before the season finale. 鈥淎nd the rest is up to the players to go out there and make plays and win games.鈥�
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Larry Lage, The Associated Press
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