The Detroit Lions have made it official and hired Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell to be their head coach, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Caldwell was the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2009 to 2011 and Wake Forest University from 1993 to 2000.
NFL roundup: Lions hire Jim Caldwell, Browns waiting on Adam Gase
The Lions head coaching hire and the Browns coaching search are making headlines on Tuesday.
Rob Carr
Caldwell has coached in the NFL since 2001 and got his start with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a quarterbacks coach. His relationship with Tony Dungy led to both going to Indianapolis after being fired by the Buccaneers in 2002. Caldwell succeeded Dungy as head coach of the Colts in 2009 and was dismissed in 2011 following a horrid season that featured a year-long absence from quarterback Peyton Manning. He won a Super Bowl as an assistant head coach and lost one as the main play-caller while in Indianapolis.
After his Colts tenure, Caldwell resurfaced as the quarterbacks coach with the Ravens in 2012. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in the middle of the season and Baltimore finished the year with a Super Bowl win. The Ravens, however, struggled on offense this season.
In Detroit, Caldwell will take the place of Jim Schwartz, who was fired earlier this month. Caldwell plans to hire Ravens defensive backs coach Teryl Austion to be his defensive coordinator and Rutgers offensive coordinator Ron Prince to fill the same role with the Lions, according to the Baltimore Sun’s Aaron Wilson.
Here are some more headlines you might have missed on Tuesday:
The Cleveland Browns are still without a head coach and are waiting to make a hire until they can interview Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. The 35-year-old was promoted to his current position this offseason after Mike McCoy was hired by the San Diego Chargers to be their head coach.
Gase has told the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland that he will not interview for a coaching job until after the Broncos' season is over. The Browns have interviewed several candidates in the meantime, as they have talked to Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach Ben McAdoo, Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Munchak.
Gase has been coaching in the NFL since 2003, but has only one year of coordinator experience.
At the age 32, Buffalo Bills running back Fred Jackson wants to play three to four more seasons, he said in a radio interview on Monday. Jackson is already one of the oldest backs in the league, which is quite an accomplishment for an undrafted player out of Coe College. He rushed for 896 yards and nine touchdowns this season, despite sharing carries with former first-round pick C.J. Spiller. Jackson is set to turn 33 next month.
The Bills went with a run-heavy offense, as Spiller gained 927 rushing yards on the season. Both Spiller and Jackson are entering the final years of their respective deals. Spiller is still just 26 years old.
Veteran lineman David Diehl is expected to retire this offseason, according to David Hutchinson of The Star-Ledger. Diehl has played for the New York Giants for his entire 11-year career and is set to become a free agent in March. After a rough season, the Giants were not expected to re-sign the former Pro Bowl lineman.
Diehl has won two Super Bowls with the Giants and was a Pro Bowl selection in 2009. He has played both guard and both tackle spots for New York during his career and has played in 164 regular-season games. He has also appeared in 11 postseason games.
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