| Detroit Free Press
Do Detroit Lions have any good reason to start Matthew Stafford again?
Dave Birkett and Carlos Monarrez debate if the Detroit Lions should start Matthew Stafford again this year. Filmed Dec. 17, 2020.
Dave Birkett and Carlos Monarrez, Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Lions are expected to interview a wide range of candidates for both their head coach and general manager jobs. They began GM interviews in early December, and are expected to continue talking to candidates for both positions into early 2021. As part of an ongoing series, here is a look at one known candidate on the Lions’ list:
[ How is Lions’ GM/coach search different this time? ‘Identifying what we want’ ]
Louis Riddick
Current role: ESPN analyst.
Background: Riddick has been a rising star in the TV world since he joined ESPN in 2014. He was featured prominently on the network’s draft coverage for years, and after two seasons working on the Monday Night Football halftime and postgame shows, Riddick joined the broadcast booth as an analyst this fall. He’s not just a TV presence. Riddick played parts of seven seasons for four different teams and spent more than a decade in the personnel departments of Washington and the Philadelphia Eagles, serving as director of pro personnel in both stops.
When interviewed: Dec. 18 (reported).
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Why he makes sense: If you’ve heard Riddick on TV you know he’s a smart football man with strong but well-reasoned opinions. As a scout, Riddick helped secure talent for a wide range of coaches, from Andy Reid and Chip Kelly in Philadelphia to Steve Spurrier and Joe Gibbs in Washington. He’s been out of personnel for going on a decade, but has seen the NFL from a different perspective as a broadcaster. More than any candidate, he would bring a diverse background to the job.
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Why he doesn’t: Riddick has a much less defined track record as a talent evaluator than just about every other candidate, and the Lions should have pause about turning their franchise over to someone who has been formally out of the league since the 2013 season. In Washington and Philadelphia, Riddick worked exclusively in the pro scouting department, so he has limited experience on the college side. It’s not fair to Riddick, but it’s understandable if the Lions are gun shy about hiring from the TV booth after their last experience with an analyst-turned-GM, Matt Millen, was an abject failure.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.