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List of Detroit Lions head coaches

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File:Rivera-Campbell-shake (cropped).jpg is the current head coach of the Detroit Lions]]

The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are currently a member of the North Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The franchise has had 30 head coaches in team history, which includes its existence as the Portsmouth (Ohio) Spartans (1930–1933). In the 1934 NFL season, the franchise moved to Detroit and changed their name to the Lions.

George "Potsy" Clark is the only coach to have more than one tenure. Three coaches have won NFL championships with the team: Potsy Clark in 1935, Buddy Parker in 1952 and 1953, and George Wilson in 1957.{{Cite web |title=Detroit Lions Championship History |url=http://www.nflteamhistory.com/nfl_teams/detroit_lions/championship_history.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527081115/http://www.nflteamhistory.com/nfl_teams/detroit_lions/championship_history.html |archive-date=May 27, 2008 |access-date=March 19, 2008 |website=NFLTeamHistory.com}} Wayne Fontes is the all-time leader in games coached and wins, and Clark leads all coaches in winning percentage with .679 (with at least one full season coached). John Karcis is statistically the worst coach the Lions have had as he never won a game.{{Cite web |title=Marty Mornhinweg's Coaching Record |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/MornMa0.htm |access-date=March 20, 2008 |publisher=Pro Football Reference |archive-date=December 20, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071220021913/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/MornMa0.htm |url-status=live }} Karcis is followed by Marty Mornhinweg with a winning percentage of .156.

Of the 30 Lions coaches, two have been elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Dutch Clark and Joe Schmidt.{{Cite web |title=Hall of Famers by Franchise |url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/teams.aspx |access-date=March 19, 2008 |website=Pro Football Hall of Fame |archive-date=October 15, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015213446/http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/teams.aspx |url-status=live }} Gus Dorais was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1954.

Several former players have been head coach for the Lions, including Dutch Edwards, Buddy Parker, Harry Gilmer, Joe Schmidt, Dick Jauron, and the current head coach Dan Campbell, who was hired on January 20, 2021.{{Cite web |date=January 20, 2021 |title=Lions agree to terms with Dan Campbell to become team's new head coach |url=https://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-agree-to-terms-with-dan-campbell-to-become-team-s-new-head-coach |access-date=January 20, 2021 |website=detroitlions.com |archive-date=February 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227201222/https://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-agree-to-terms-with-dan-campbell-to-become-team-s-new-head-coach |url-status=live }}

Coaches

Note: Statistics are accurate through Week 18 of the 2024 NFL season.

class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%;"

|GC

|Games coached

W

|Wins

L

|Losses

T

|Ties

Win%

|Win – Loss percentage

Div

|Division titles

style="background: #FFE6BD;" |*

|Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame

style="background: #DDFFDD;" |†

|Spent entire professional head coaching career with the Lions

class="wikitable" width=75%

! rowspan="2" | #

! rowspan="2" | Image

! rowspan="2" | Name

! rowspan="2" | Term

! colspan="5" | Regular season

! rowspan="2" | Division
titles

! colspan="4" | Playoffs

! rowspan="2" | Awards

GC

! W

! L

! T

! Win%

! GC

! W

! L

!Win%

align="center" colspan="19" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Detroit Lions|border=2}};" | Portsmouth Spartans
bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|1

|

|Hal Griffen†

|1930

|14

|5

|6

|3

|{{Winning percentage|5|6|3}}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

align="center" colspan="19" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Detroit Lions|border=2}};" | Portsmouth Spartans / Detroit Lions
2

|60px

|George "Potsy" Clark{{refn|Potsy Clark's full coaching record with the Lions is 85 regular season games coached with a record of 53–25–7 and a W–L percentage of .665. He is also 1–0 in 1 Playoff game.{{Cite web |title=Potsy Clark's Coaching Record |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/ClarPo0.htm |access-date=March 20, 2008 |publisher=Pro Football Reference |archive-date=February 11, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110211230444/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/ClarPo0.htm |url-status=live }}|name=Potsy|group="N"}}

|1931–1936

|74

|48

|20

|6

|{{Winning percentage|48|20|6}}

|1

|1

|1

|0

|{{Winning percentage|1|0}}

|

bgcolor="#FFE6BD"

|3

|

|Earl "Dutch" Clark*

|1937–1938

|22

|14

|8

|0

|{{Winning percentage|14|8}}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0|0}}

|

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|4

|60px

|Gus Henderson†

|1939

|11

|6

|5

|0

|{{Winning percentage|6|5}}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

–

|60px

|George "Potsy" Clark*{{refn|name=Potsy|group="N"}}

|1940

|11

|5

|5

|1

|{{Winning percentage|5|5|1}}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|5

|60px

|Bill Edwards†

|1941–1942

|14

|4

|9

|1

|{{Winning percentage|4|9|1}}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|6

|

|John Karcis†

|1942

|8

|0

|8

|0

|.000

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|7

|

|Gus Dorais†

|1943–1947

|53

|20

|31

|2

|{{Winning percentage|20|31|2}}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

8

|60px

|Bo McMillin

|1948–1950

|36

|12

|24

|0

|{{Winning percentage|12|24}}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

9

|60px

|Buddy Parker

|1951–1956

|72

|47

|23

|2

|{{Winning percentage|47|23|2}}

|3

|4

|3

|1

|{{Winning percentage|3|1}}

|UPI NFL Coach of the Year (1956){{Cite web |title=Buddy Parker |url=http://www.databasefootball.com/leagues/leagueyear.htm?yr=1951&lg=nfl |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080127185338/http://www.databasefootball.com/leagues/leagueyear.htm?yr=1951&lg=nfl |archive-date=January 27, 2008 |access-date=April 12, 2008 |website=Databasefootball.com}}

10

|60px

|George Wilson

|1957–1964

|104

|53

|45

|6

|{{Winning percentage|53|45|6}}

|1

|2

|2

|0

|{{Winning percentage|2|0}}

|AP Coach of the Year (1957){{Cite web |title=George William Wilson |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/WilsGe0.htm |access-date=April 12, 2008 |website=Databasefootball.com |archive-date=November 24, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124113633/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/WilsGe0.htm |url-status=live }}

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|11

|60px

|Harry Gilmer†

|1965–1966

|28

|10

|16

|2

|{{Winning percentage|10|16|2}}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

bgcolor="#FFE6BD"

|12

|60px

|Joe Schmidt*

|1967–1972

|84

|43

|34

|7

|{{Winning percentage|43|34|7}}

|0

|1

|0

|1

|{{Winning percentage|0|1}}

|

13

|

|Don McCafferty

|1973

|14

|6

|7

|1

|{{Winning percentage|6|7|1}}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|14

|

|Rick Forzano†

|1974–1976

|32

|15

|17

|0

|{{Winning percentage|15|17}}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|15

|60px

|Tommy Hudspeth†

|1976–1977

|24

|11

|13

|0

|{{Winning percentage|11|13}}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

16

|

|Monte Clark

|1978–1984

|105

|43

|61

|1

|{{Winning percentage|43|61|1}}

|1

|2

|0

|2

|{{Winning percentage|0|2}}

|

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|17

|

|Darryl Rogers†

|1985–1988

|58

|18

|40

|0

|{{Winning percentage|18|40}}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|18

|

|Wayne Fontes†

|1988–1996

|133

|66

|67

|0

|{{Winning percentage|66|67}}

|2

|5

|1

|4

|{{Winning percentage|1|4}}

|AP Coach of the Year (1991){{Cite web |title=Wayne Howard Joseph Fontes |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/FontWa0.htm |access-date=April 12, 2008 |website=pro-football-reference.com |archive-date=December 9, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209133852/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/FontWa0.htm |url-status=live }}
Pro Football Weekly Coach of the Year (1991){{Cite web |title=Pro Football Hall of Fame Field at Fawcett Stadium |url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/release.jsp?release_id=2102 |access-date=April 12, 2008 |website=Pro Football Hall of Fame |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930041107/http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/release.jsp?release_id=2102 |url-status=live }}
UPI NFC Coach of the Year (1991){{Cite web |last=Vainisi |first=Jerry |title=Barry Sanders retire? No Payton record? Not a chance |url=http://archive.profootballweekly.com/content/archives/features_1999/vainisi_071299.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080928114241/http://archive.profootballweekly.com/content/archives/features_1999/vainisi_071299.asp |archive-date=September 28, 2008 |access-date=April 12, 2008}}

19

|60px

|Bobby Ross

|1997–2000

|57

|27

|30

|0

|{{Winning percentage|27|30}}

|0

|2

|0

|2

|{{Winning percentage|0|2}}

|

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|20

|60px

|Gary Moeller†

|2000

|7

|4

|3

|0

|{{Winning percentage|4|3}}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|21

|

|Marty Mornhinweg†

|2001–2002

|32

|5

|27

|0

|{{Winning percentage|5|27}}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

22

|60px

|Steve Mariucci

|2003–2005

|43

|15

|28

|0

|{{Winning percentage|15|28}}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

23

|

|Dick Jauron

|2005

|5

|1

|4

|0

|.200

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|24

|

|Rod Marinelli†

|2006–2008

|48

|10

|38

|0

|{{Winning percentage|10|38}}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|25

|60px

|Jim Schwartz†

|2009–2013

|80

|29

|51

|0

|{{Winning percentage|29|51}}

|0

|1

|0

|1

|{{Winning percentage|0|1}}

|

26

|60px

|Jim Caldwell

|2014–2017

|64

|36

|28

|0

|{{Winning percentage|36|28}}

|0

|2

|0

|2

|{{Winning percentage|0|2}}

|

bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|27

|60px

|Matt Patricia†

|2018–2020

|43

|13

|29

|1

|{{Winning percentage|13|29|1}}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

28

|60px

|Darrell Bevell

|2020

|4

|1

|3

|0

|{{Winning percentage|1|3

}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

|-bgcolor="#ddffdd"

|29

|

|Robert Prince†

|2020

|1

|0

|1

|0

|{{Winning percentage|0|1|}}

|0

|–

|–

|–

|{{Winning percentage|0|0}}

|

|-

| 30

| 60px

| align="left"|{{sortname|Dan|Campbell}}

|2021–present

| 68

| 39

| 28

| 1

|.581

| 2

| 4

| 2

| 2

|{{Winning percentage|2|2}}

|

|}

Notes

{{Reflist|group="N"}}

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

External links

  • {{Cite web |title=Detroit Lions History |url=http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/history/DET |access-date=March 19, 2008 |website=CBS Sports |archive-date=August 11, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811002313/http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/history/DET |url-status=live }}
  • {{Cite web |title=Hall of Famers by Franchise |url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/teams.aspx |access-date=March 19, 2008 |website=Pro Football Hall of Fame |archive-date=October 15, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015213446/http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/teams.aspx |url-status=live }}
  • {{Cite web |title=Portsmouth Spartans Coaching Records and History |url=http://www.databasefootball.com/coaches/coachteam.htm?tm=POR&lg=nfl |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111121112336/http://databasefootball.com/coaches/coachteam.htm?tm=POR&lg=nfl |archive-date=November 21, 2011 |access-date=March 19, 2008 |website=DatabaseFootball.com}}
  • {{Cite web |title=Detroit Lions Coaching Records and History |url=http://www.databasefootball.com/coaches/coachteam.htm?tm=DET&lg=nfl |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070409150731/http://www.databasefootball.com/coaches/coachteam.htm?tm=det&lg=nfl |archive-date=April 9, 2007 |access-date=March 19, 2008 |website=DatabaseFootball.com}}
  • {{Cite web |title=Detroit Lions History |url=http://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/teams.nsf/histories/lions |access-date=March 19, 2008 |website=JT-SW.com |archive-date=February 9, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080209100143/http://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/teams.nsf/histories/lions/ |url-status=live }}
  • {{Cite web |title=Coaching Roster - Detroit Lions |url=http://www.hickoksports.com/history/detroitlions.shtml#coaches |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040410103518/http://www.hickoksports.com/history/detroitlions.shtml#coaches |archive-date=April 10, 2004 |access-date=March 19, 2008 |website=Hickoksports.com}}

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