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List of Detroit Lions head coaches

Updated: Wikipedia source

List of Detroit Lions head coaches

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. 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. 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. 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.

Tables

· Coaches
W
W
GC
W
Games coached
Wins
L
L
GC
L
Games coached
Losses
T
T
GC
T
Games coached
Ties
Win%
Win%
GC
Win%
Games coached
Win – Loss percentage
Div
Div
GC
Div
Games coached
Division titles
†
†
GC
†
Games coached
Spent entire professional head coaching career with the Lions
GC
Games coached
W
Wins
L
Losses
T
Ties
Win%
Win – Loss percentage
Div
Division titles
Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
†
Spent entire professional head coaching career with the Lions
· Coaches
L
L
#
GC
Name
L
Term
T
Regular season
Win%
Regular season
GC
Regular season
W
Regular season
L
Regular season
Win%
Hal Griffen†
Hal Griffen†
#
1
Name
Hal Griffen†
Term
1930
Regular season
14
Regular season
5
Regular season
6
Regular season
3
Regular season
464
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
George "Potsy" Clark
1931
1931–1936
George "Potsy" Clark
#
2
Name
George "Potsy" Clark
Term
1931–1936
Regular season
74
Regular season
48
Regular season
20
Regular season
6
Regular season
689
Division titles
1
Playoffs
1
Playoffs
1
Playoffs
0
Playoffs
1.000
Earl "Dutch" Clark*
1937
1937–1938
Earl "Dutch" Clark*
#
3
Name
Earl "Dutch" Clark*
Term
1937–1938
Regular season
22
Regular season
14
Regular season
8
Regular season
0
Regular season
636
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Gus Henderson†
Gus Henderson†
#
4
Name
Gus Henderson†
Term
1939
Regular season
11
Regular season
6
Regular season
5
Regular season
0
Regular season
545
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
George "Potsy" Clark*
George "Potsy" Clark*
#
–
Name
George "Potsy" Clark*
Term
1940
Regular season
11
Regular season
5
Regular season
5
Regular season
1
Regular season
500
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Bill Edwards†
1941
1941–1942
Bill Edwards†
#
5
Name
Bill Edwards†
Term
1941–1942
Regular season
14
Regular season
4
Regular season
9
Regular season
1
Regular season
321
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
John Karcis†
John Karcis†
#
6
Name
John Karcis†
Term
1942
Regular season
8
Regular season
0
Regular season
8
Regular season
0
Regular season
000
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Gus Dorais†
1943
1943–1947
Gus Dorais†
#
7
Name
Gus Dorais†
Term
1943–1947
Regular season
53
Regular season
20
Regular season
31
Regular season
2
Regular season
396
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Bo McMillin
1948
1948–1950
Bo McMillin
#
8
Name
Bo McMillin
Term
1948–1950
Regular season
36
Regular season
12
Regular season
24
Regular season
0
Regular season
333
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Buddy Parker
1951
1951–1956
Buddy Parker
#
9
Name
Buddy Parker
Term
1951–1956
Regular season
72
Regular season
47
Regular season
23
Regular season
2
Regular season
667
Division titles
3
Playoffs
4
Playoffs
3
Playoffs
1
Playoffs
750
Awards
UPI NFL Coach of the Year (1956)
George Wilson
1957
1957–1964
George Wilson
#
10
Name
George Wilson
Term
1957–1964
Regular season
104
Regular season
53
Regular season
45
Regular season
6
Regular season
538
Division titles
1
Playoffs
2
Playoffs
2
Playoffs
0
Playoffs
1.000
Awards
AP Coach of the Year (1957)
Harry Gilmer†
1965
1965–1966
Harry Gilmer†
#
11
Name
Harry Gilmer†
Term
1965–1966
Regular season
28
Regular season
10
Regular season
16
Regular season
2
Regular season
393
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Joe Schmidt*
1967
1967–1972
Joe Schmidt*
#
12
Name
Joe Schmidt*
Term
1967–1972
Regular season
84
Regular season
43
Regular season
34
Regular season
7
Regular season
554
Division titles
0
Playoffs
1
Playoffs
0
Playoffs
1
Playoffs
000
Don McCafferty
Don McCafferty
#
13
Name
Don McCafferty
Term
1973
Regular season
14
Regular season
6
Regular season
7
Regular season
1
Regular season
464
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Rick Forzano†
1974
1974–1976
Rick Forzano†
#
14
Name
Rick Forzano†
Term
1974–1976
Regular season
32
Regular season
15
Regular season
17
Regular season
0
Regular season
469
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Tommy Hudspeth†
1976
1976–1977
Tommy Hudspeth†
#
15
Name
Tommy Hudspeth†
Term
1976–1977
Regular season
24
Regular season
11
Regular season
13
Regular season
0
Regular season
458
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Monte Clark
1978
1978–1984
Monte Clark
#
16
Name
Monte Clark
Term
1978–1984
Regular season
105
Regular season
43
Regular season
61
Regular season
1
Regular season
414
Division titles
1
Playoffs
2
Playoffs
0
Playoffs
2
Playoffs
000
Darryl Rogers†
1985
1985–1988
Darryl Rogers†
#
17
Name
Darryl Rogers†
Term
1985–1988
Regular season
58
Regular season
18
Regular season
40
Regular season
0
Regular season
310
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Wayne Fontes†
1988
1988–1996
Wayne Fontes†
#
18
Name
Wayne Fontes†
Term
1988–1996
Regular season
133
Regular season
66
Regular season
67
Regular season
0
Regular season
496
Division titles
2
Playoffs
5
Playoffs
1
Playoffs
4
Playoffs
200
Awards
AP Coach of the Year (1991)Pro Football Weekly Coach of the Year (1991)UPI NFC Coach of the Year (1991)
Bobby Ross
1997
1997–2000
Bobby Ross
#
19
Name
Bobby Ross
Term
1997–2000
Regular season
57
Regular season
27
Regular season
30
Regular season
0
Regular season
474
Division titles
0
Playoffs
2
Playoffs
0
Playoffs
2
Playoffs
000
Gary Moeller†
Gary Moeller†
#
20
Name
Gary Moeller†
Term
2000
Regular season
7
Regular season
4
Regular season
3
Regular season
0
Regular season
571
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Marty Mornhinweg†
2001
2001–2002
Marty Mornhinweg†
#
21
Name
Marty Mornhinweg†
Term
2001–2002
Regular season
32
Regular season
5
Regular season
27
Regular season
0
Regular season
156
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Steve Mariucci
2003
2003–2005
Steve Mariucci
#
22
Name
Steve Mariucci
Term
2003–2005
Regular season
43
Regular season
15
Regular season
28
Regular season
0
Regular season
349
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Dick Jauron
Dick Jauron
#
23
Name
Dick Jauron
Term
2005
Regular season
5
Regular season
1
Regular season
4
Regular season
0
Regular season
200
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Rod Marinelli†
2006
2006–2008
Rod Marinelli†
#
24
Name
Rod Marinelli†
Term
2006–2008
Regular season
48
Regular season
10
Regular season
38
Regular season
0
Regular season
208
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Jim Schwartz†
2009
2009–2013
Jim Schwartz†
#
25
Name
Jim Schwartz†
Term
2009–2013
Regular season
80
Regular season
29
Regular season
51
Regular season
0
Regular season
363
Division titles
0
Playoffs
1
Playoffs
0
Playoffs
1
Playoffs
000
Jim Caldwell
2014
2014–2017
Jim Caldwell
#
26
Name
Jim Caldwell
Term
2014–2017
Regular season
64
Regular season
36
Regular season
28
Regular season
0
Regular season
563
Division titles
0
Playoffs
2
Playoffs
0
Playoffs
2
Playoffs
000
Matt Patricia†
2018
2018–2020
Matt Patricia†
#
27
Name
Matt Patricia†
Term
2018–2020
Regular season
43
Regular season
13
Regular season
29
Regular season
1
Regular season
314
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Darrell Bevell
Darrell Bevell
#
28
Name
Darrell Bevell
Term
2020
Regular season
4
Regular season
1
Regular season
3
Regular season
0
Regular season
250
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Robert Prince†
Robert Prince†
#
29
Name
Robert Prince†
Term
2020
Regular season
1
Regular season
0
Regular season
1
Regular season
0
Regular season
000
Division titles
0
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Playoffs
–
Dan Campbell
Dan Campbell
#
30
Name
Dan Campbell
Term
2021–present
Regular season
72
Regular season
43
Regular season
29
Regular season
1
Regular season
596
Division titles
2
Playoffs
4
Playoffs
2
Playoffs
2
Playoffs
500
#
Image
Name
Term
Regular season
Division titles
Playoffs
Awards
GC
W
L
T
Win%
GC
W
L
Win%
Portsmouth Spartans
1
Hal Griffen†
1930
14
5
6
3
464
0
–
–
–
–
Portsmouth Spartans / Detroit Lions
2
George "Potsy" Clark
1931–1936
74
48
20
6
689
1
1
1
0
1.000
3
Earl "Dutch" Clark*
1937–1938
22
14
8
0
636
0
–
–
–
–
4
Gus Henderson†
1939
11
6
5
0
545
0
–
–
–
–
–
George "Potsy" Clark*
1940
11
5
5
1
500
0
–
–
–
–
5
Bill Edwards†
1941–1942
14
4
9
1
321
0
–
–
–
–
6
John Karcis†
1942
8
0
8
0
000
0
–
–
–
–
7
Gus Dorais†
1943–1947
53
20
31
2
396
0
–
–
–
–
8
Bo McMillin
1948–1950
36
12
24
0
333
0
–
–
–
–
9
Buddy Parker
1951–1956
72
47
23
2
667
3
4
3
1
750
UPI NFL Coach of the Year (1956)
10
George Wilson
1957–1964
104
53
45
6
538
1
2
2
0
1.000
AP Coach of the Year (1957)
11
Harry Gilmer†
1965–1966
28
10
16
2
393
0
–
–
–
–
12
Joe Schmidt*
1967–1972
84
43
34
7
554
0
1
0
1
000
13
Don McCafferty
1973
14
6
7
1
464
0
–
–
–
–
14
Rick Forzano†
1974–1976
32
15
17
0
469
0
–
–
–
–
15
Tommy Hudspeth†
1976–1977
24
11
13
0
458
0
–
–
–
–
16
Monte Clark
1978–1984
105
43
61
1
414
1
2
0
2
000
17
Darryl Rogers†
1985–1988
58
18
40
0
310
0
–
–
–
–
18
Wayne Fontes†
1988–1996
133
66
67
0
496
2
5
1
4
200
AP Coach of the Year (1991)Pro Football Weekly Coach of the Year (1991)UPI NFC Coach of the Year (1991)
19
Bobby Ross
1997–2000
57
27
30
0
474
0
2
0
2
000
20
Gary Moeller†
2000
7
4
3
0
571
0
–
–
–
–
21
Marty Mornhinweg†
2001–2002
32
5
27
0
156
0
–
–
–
–
22
Steve Mariucci
2003–2005
43
15
28
0
349
0
–
–
–
–
23
Dick Jauron
2005
5
1
4
0
200
0
–
–
–
–
24
Rod Marinelli†
2006–2008
48
10
38
0
208
0
–
–
–
–
25
Jim Schwartz†
2009–2013
80
29
51
0
363
0
1
0
1
000
26
Jim Caldwell
2014–2017
64
36
28
0
563
0
2
0
2
000
27
Matt Patricia†
2018–2020
43
13
29
1
314
0
–
–
–
–
28
Darrell Bevell
2020
4
1
3
0
250
0
–
–
–
–
29
Robert Prince†
2020
1
0
1
0
000
0
–
–
–
–
30
Dan Campbell
2021–present
72
43
29
1
596
2
4
2
2
500

References

  1. 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
  2. NFLTeamHistory.com
    https://web.archive.org/web/20080527081115/http://www.nflteamhistory.com/nfl_teams/detroit_lions/championship_history.html
  3. "Marty Mornhinweg's Coaching Record"
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/MornMa0.htm
  4. Pro Football Hall of Fame
    http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/teams.aspx
  5. detroitlions.com
    https://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-agree-to-terms-with-dan-campbell-to-become-team-s-new-head-coach
  6. "Potsy Clark's Coaching Record"
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/ClarPo0.htm
  7. Databasefootball.com
    https://web.archive.org/web/20080127185338/http://www.databasefootball.com/leagues/leagueyear.htm?yr=1951&lg=nfl
  8. Databasefootball.com
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/WilsGe0.htm
  9. pro-football-reference.com
    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/FontWa0.htm
  10. Pro Football Hall of Fame
    http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/release.jsp?release_id=2102
  11. "Barry Sanders retire? No Payton record? Not a chance"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20080928114241/http://archive.profootballweekly.com/content/archives/features_1999/vainisi_071299.asp
Image
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