The Detroit Lions quickly shut down on their coach. According to Tom PelisseroLions are expected to appoint Mark Brunell to the post.
According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Brunell interviewed for the job on Thursday and was one of the three candidates. The identities of the other two candidates were never disclosed.
As for Brunell, this will be his first foray into NFL coaching. He spent 19 years in the league as a quarterback, picking up three Pro Bowls, 184 touchdowns, 108 interceptions, a career-high 84.0 and an overall record of 78-73.
He spent his last eight years as head coach of the Episcopal High School soccer team in Jacksonville, Florida. Brunell inherited a football team of 3-8 in 2013 and took them to 10-2 in 2019, thus achieving the school’s first victory in the playoffs and the rankings in the history of the program. In 2020, the team finishes 6-3 and reaches the local semifinals in the playoffs.
Brunell will have the most important task of training whoever is the successor to Matthew Stafford, as the Lions have mutually agreed to trade the franchise quarter before the start of the 2021 season.
This hire follows on from the Lions’ recent tendency to appoint former players to their coaching staff. Head coach Dan Campbell, coach Duce Staley, offensive coach Hank Fraley, offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn and defense coordinator Aaron Glenn all had important NFL careers as players.