Rod Wood suggests roster of GM Lions and head coach candidates finalized

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Detroit Lions President and CEO Rod Wood met with the media on Tuesday morning to discuss the team’s 2020 season and the latest news on their search for a new GM and coach- chief.

Towards the end of the Zoom session, Wood revealed something very important about their position in the research. He said the team have probably already sent out the interview requests they’ll need to find their new GM and head coach.

“I think we’re probably at the point where we’ve come up with all the names we’re going to consider,” Wood said. “But we’ve had names that we’ve looked at, repackaged and rearranged, and there are a few that we can still pursue. But for now, I’m guessing for the candidates we’re interviewing, one of them will be our next head coach and one of them will be our next GM.

In other words, of the completed interviews and those to come, we probably have our list of finalists for each position.

For the head coach job, Wood confirmed talks with Marvin Lewis last week and Eric Bieniemy on Monday. He also confirmed that interim Lions head coach Darrell Bevell will be interviewed later on Tuesday. He said he would not confirm any further upcoming interviews, but said there were later this week and more next week as well. National reports suggest the Lions will interview 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and Saints assistant head coach Dan Campbell on Thursday next week.

As for the search for a general manager, the Lions have already confirmed the interviews of seven candidates: Kyle O’Brien, Lance Newmark, Rob Lohman, Louis Riddick, Rick Smith, Scott Pioli, Thomas Dimitroff. There are reports that the Lions will interview four other candidates later this week: Terry Fontenot, Brad Holmes, Jeff Ireland and George Paton.

There’s also the team’s interest in Seahawks general manager John Schneider. Wood has not confirmed or denied the Lions’ interest in him, as it could be seen as an alteration at this point in the process.

So this is what the “finalized” Lions nominee slate looks like based on the reports that have surfaced. Of course, it should be noted that there is a very real chance that other candidates exist, but they just haven’t been reported yet.

Lions Head Coach Candidates:

  • Former Bengals HC Marvin Lewis

  • OC Chiefs Eric Bieniemy

  • HC Lions Acting Darrell Bevell
  • 49ers DC Robert Saleh
  • Titans OC Arthur Smith
  • Assistant Saints HC Dan Campbell

GM Lions Candidates:

  • Lions Vice President of Player Staff Kyle O’Brien
  • Lions Director of Player Staff Lance Newmark
  • Lions Director of Professional Scouting Rob Lohman
  • Former Eagles Professional Personnel Director Louis Riddick
  • Former Texans general manager Rick Smith
  • Former GM Falcons assistant Scott Pioli
  • Former Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff
  • Vice President of Saints / Assistant General Manager of Professional Staff Terry Fontenot
  • Vice President of Saints / Deputy Director General of College Staff Jeff Ireland
  • Rams Director of University Screening Brad Holmes

  • Vikings Deputy General Manager George Paton

  • Seahawks GM / Executive Vice President John Schneider

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