Rod Wood: Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn showed Lions the culture they didn’t want

Bob Quinn lasted five seasons as general manager of the Lions. His loss came when he fired Jim Caldwell after two consecutive 9-7 seasons and hired former Patriots colleague Matt Patricia.

The Lions are now rebuilding themselves with new general manager Brad Holmes and new head coach Dan Campbell.

Current and former Lions players have publicly praised the layoffs of Quinn and Patricia, prompting a reporter to ask Lions President Rod Wood if things had gotten “toxic” under the former administration.

“I’m not going to comment on the perception of the prior culture and anything,” Wood said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I just know that this experience informed us of the culture we wanted, I’ll put it that way, and how we pursued the candidates we ultimately hired for our head coach and general manager.

The Lions have also promoted Mike Disner to senior vice president of football and business administration and have hired Chris Spielman as special assistant to the president and president this offseason. The new hierarchy is working as intended, Wood said.

“I can tell you that after attending meetings during the free agencies and sitting periodically in some of the preliminary meetings, all we described and wanted is what happens,” Wood said. “There is excellent collaboration; there is a large turnout. Everyone’s voice is heard, and I think the results so far of what we have done and the results of what will come later will prove it.

The Lions haven’t won a playoff game since 1991, going 0-8 in eight playoff appearances since. They last made the playoffs in 2016.