Head coaches of the Detroit Lions since their last championship in 1957
George Wilson, 1897–1894: Wilson won Associated Press Coach of the Year after leading the Lions to their final championship with an 8-4 record. Wilson was 53-45-6 in eight seasons with Detroit. Following the 1964 season, he resigned.
Harry Gilmer (1965–1966): Before being fired, Gilmer’s record as the Lions’ head coach, his lone NFL head coaching position, was merely 10-16-2 in two seasons.
Gilmer had greater success as a player: he was selected first overall in the 1948 NFL Draft, went on to become a Hall of Fame halfback at Alabama, and played in two Pro Bowls with Washington.
Joe Schmidt (n.d.): In his 13 seasons as a player for the Lions, Schmidt was inducted into the Hall of Fame. As a coach, he guided the team to the postseason in 1970. Before quitting, he had a six-season record of 43-34-7.
Don McCafferty (1973): In his lone season as the Lions’ head coach, McCafferty finished 6-7-1. In the summer of 1974, he suffered a heart attack and passed away.
Rick Forzano (1974–1976): Although it was only a temporary position, Forzano converted an interim head-coaching opportunity into a full-time one. Before being pulled out four games into the 1976 season, Forzano had a 15–17 record in two or more seasons.
Tommy Hudspeth (1976–77): Hudspeth played just one complete season after taking Rick Forzano’s position three games into the 1976 campaign. In his lone stint as an NFL head coach, he went 11–13; he was fired following the 1977 year.
1978–84, Monte Clark: Although Clark’s record in Detroit was a pitiful 43-61-1, he did lead the Lions to consecutive postseason trips in 1982 and 1983. In 1984, he finished 4-11-1 and was sacked.
Kennedy, Rusty, Associated Press
Darryl Rogers (1985–88): From 1976–1979, Rogers spent four seasons as the head football coach at Michigan State. His one and only NFL head coaching position ended in firing during the 1988 season after just four seasons (18–40).
Wayne Fontes (1988–96): Possibly the most successful coach the Lions have had since George Wilson, Fontes guided the team to the NFC Championship game in 1991 and is the owner of the team’s lone postseason triumph since Wilson’s tenure.
In his eight full seasons, Fontes guided Detroit to two division victories and four postseason visits, despite his total record falling short of.500 (66-67). In 1996, following a 5-11 season, he was let go.
Bobby Ross, from 1997 to 2000: Following a career with the San Diego Chargers that featured Super Bowl participation, Ross came to Detroit.
But he didn’t have the same kind of success in Detroit. During his three-plus seasons, future Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders abruptly retired, and the team made two trips to the playoffs without winning. Ross stepped down during the 2000 campaign.
Kowalsky Jeff, Getty Images
Gary Moeller (2000): After taking over for Bobby Ross, Moeller’s tenure as head coach of the Detroit Tigers lasted only seven games (4-3).
Marty Mornhinweg (2001-02): Mornhinweg was fired after a dismal, brief tenure in Detroit, winning only five of his 32 games.
Despite not having held a head coaching position since, Mornhinweg has continued to be active in the NFL, having worked as a senior offensive consultant for the Eagles, Jets, and Ravens.
Steve Mariucci (2003–05): From 1997 to 2002, Mariucci led the San Francisco 49ers to a 57–39 record and four postseason appearances in six seasons.
After growing up on Iron Mountain, he was a native son when he moved to Detroit. But success did not follow him; after going 15–28, he was ousted in the 2005 campaign.
Dick Jauron (2005): After Steve Mariucci was fired as coach in 2005, Jauron, a Pro Bowl player for the Lions, took over as temporary head coach. In his five games, he was 1-4. From 2006 to 2009, he served as the Bills’ head coach.
Rod Marinelli (2006–08): Marinelli was fired from Detroit after the team finished 0–16 in 2008, the first losing season since the NFL switched to a 16-game schedule. As of right now, Marinelli is the defensive line coach for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Jim Schwartz (2009–13): Schwartz had five seasons of 29–51 results, with one postseason trip in 2011. Since 2016, he has served as the defensive coordinator for the Eagles.
Jim Caldwell (2014–17): In his four seasons in Detroit, Caldwell has a 36–28 record and has made two postseason appearances. Despite coming off a 9-7 season, he was sacked after the 2017 campaign. Since Joe Schmidt (1967–72), he is the first long-term Lions head coach with a winning record.
Matt Patricia (as of 2018): Patricia arrived in Detroit with a championship history from his time spent coaching the New England Patriots to three Super Bowl victories. Patricia, though, is only 10-25-1 thus far.
