Lions interview coordinators Cooter, Austin for head-coach opening
A day after announcing that head coach Jim Caldwell will not return, the Detroit Lions interviewed both of their current coordinators for the vacant position on Tuesday.
The team announced Tuesday evening via Twitter that it had completed an interview with offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, about six hours after announcing the conclusion of an interview with defensive coordinator Teryl Austin.
Both coaches have drawn interest for openings elsewhere in the past.
Austin, 52, has interviewed for NFL head-coaching jobs in each of the last three hiring cycles, dating back to January of 2015. The Lions finished second in yards allowed and third in points allowed in 2014, Austin's first as coordinator. However, the team has finished 18th or worse in total defense in each of the last three seasons, including 27th in 2017.
While this is the 33-year-old Cooter's first known interview for a head job, he was one of 12 names on the NFL's Career Development Advisory Panel's annual list of recommended head-coaching candidates, which was distributed to teams in December. According to multiple reports, Cooter also drew interest in the head-coaching search of his alma mater, the University of Tennessee, but he declined to interview, preferring to remain in the NFL.
Cooter became the Lions' offensive coordinator midway through the 2015 season, and quarterback Matthew Stafford has thrived since. The QB finished the 2017 season with career-highs in yards per attempt (7.9) and QB rating (99.3), while posting a career-low 10 interceptions for the second consecutive season.
The Lions have been connected to at least five external candidates in the search, which is being led by general manager Bob Quinn.
NFL Media reports the Lions have requested permission to interview Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and Packers assistant head coach/linebackers coach Winston Moss. ESPN reports the team has also requested to interview Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, while The MMQB reports Detroit will interview Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel on Wednesday.
Having spent 16 years with the Patriots before joining the Lions, Quinn has ties to Patricia, who has coached for the team since 2004, and Vrabel, who played for the Patriots from 2001 to 2008.
--Field Level Media
