Michigan lawmakers urge Lions to hire Saleh
Politicians lobby for 49ers' defensive guru after commending owner for firing Patricia
Clearly, it's come to the point where politicians are so drunk on all the power they've bestowed on themselves as a result of the pandemic, someone needs to grab their car keys.
Or, at least, escort them to the bathroom.
Did you hear what happened in Michigan on Friday? A bipartisan group of 36 state lawmakers, led by a congressman from the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, sent Detroit Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp an official letter urging her to hire Robert Saleh as the NFL team's next head coach.
Saleh, the San Francisco 49ers' widely respected defensive co-ordinator, grew up in Dearborn. Furthermore, he played his college ball at Northern Michigan and launched his coaching career at Michigan State and Central Michigan.
It's not that he's not worthy of the job, either. Saleh, 41, already is widely viewed as one of the hottest NFL head coaching prospects for next month's post-season, post-firings hiring cycle. Perhaps only Kansas City Chiefs offensive co-ordinator Eric Bieniemy will garner more interest from teams with a vacancy, which already numbers three (Detroit, Houston, Atlanta) and seems sure to grow to six or more.
Saleh has been coaching in the NFL — always on the defensive side — since interning in 2005 in Houston. He ascended to assistant linebackers coach with the Texans from 2009-10, was defensive quality control coach for Pete Carroll in Seattle from 2011-13, coached linebackers in Jacksonville for Gus Bradley from 2014-16 and since 2017 has been Kyle Shanahan's defensive co-ordinator with the Niners.
So come January, if Ford Hamp chooses Saleh as the 10th head coach this young century already (including interims), the decision likely would be hailed by all football people except, in a way, Shanahan, who — as much as he wants and has lobbied for Saleh to get a head-coaching gig in the league — already has said publicly he'd selfishly prefer not want to lose his valued defensive mastermind.
On media night at the Super Bowl in Miami this past January, Saleh was asked about the disappointment of interviewing for but not getting the Cleveland Browns' head coaching job; Minnesota offensive co-ordinator Kevin Stefanski was hired.
“God always has a plan,” Saleh said.
“I'm grateful for the opportunity I was given by Cleveland, but staying here in San Francisco is a pretty good deal, too.”
He added that the best advice for career advancement he embraces is: “Don't chase money. Chase wanting to wake up in the morning and being happy. If you do that, everything will take care of itself.”
By all accounts, the man is ready to lead an NFL team. He's entering the prime years of his career. So, yeah, Saleh doesn't need the help of state politicians in Michigan to be under consideration to succeed the now-fired, disastrous Matt Patricia and his interim replacement, Darrell Bevell.
Might it help apply a bit of pressure on the Ford family that owns the Lions? Maybe. Sure.
But look, the NFL isn't U.S. college football, where in many states the highest-paid employee on the state payroll is the foremost university's head coach. Such as Nick Saban in Alabama.
Bottom line, is it really the place of local, state or national lawmakers to publicly urge a professional sports team to hire a certain man or woman as head coach?
Of course not.
Yet three dozen Michigan state legislators, led by Democratic
Rep. Abdullah Hammoud, not only wrote Ford Hamp to lobby for Saleh, but they commended her for firing Patricia and GM Bob Quinn, per a transcription at Mlive.com: “These decisions are often difficult, but are necessary to move forward. For many in our state, and across the globe, the Detroit Lions hold a special place in our lives. We look forward to future success through transitioning to a new ( general) manager and head coach.
“Speaking of head coach, we have one name in mind — Robert Saleh. A hometown hero … Everywhere Robert has been he has achieved success … He has built and maintained one of the best defences in the league … Robert Saleh is well-respected by the players and coaching staffs across the league and is viewed as one of the brightest minds in the profession … He is the best candidate for the job.”
Well, alrighty then. So it was written by Michigan state lawmakers.
What if the Lions don't hire Saleh? Because they legitimately felt another candidate was better? (Notwithstanding the Lions' chronically bad decision-making under generations of Ford ownership, going all the way back to the late 1950s).
What are any of these state representatives going to do then? Hold a news conference and criticize the Lions? Draft another letter, urging Ford Hamp to reconsider? Or say nothing, and pretend it all didn't happen?
We all know the Fords need as much help as they can get to finally make winning football hires that long-suffering Lions fans deserve. Politicians should keep out of it, however, and maybe spend more of their time not clandestinely disobeying the sometimes arbitrary COVID-19 edicts they demand that the rest of us abide by.
EXTRA POINTS
New York Giants QB Daniel Jones (hamstring) is doubtful to play at Seattle … Baltimore placed QB Robert Griffin III (hamstring) on IR … Miami QB Tua Tagovailoa (thumb) is questionable to play vs. Cincinnati … Las Vegas RB Josh Jacobs (ankle) is out this week … Atlanta WR Julio Jones (hamstring) and RB Todd Gurley (knee) are questionable vs. New Orleans … The NFL tightened COVID-19 protocols again at all 32 team facilities. For two days following each of every team's remaining games, all in-person meetings are prohibited; they must be conducted virtually, even between coaches … The league is permitting teams to now travel with more than 62 players … Yahoo Sports reported that the NFL has discussed potential relocation for the Rams and Chargers somewhere outside California in the event Los Angeles politicians temporarily ban football, as happened in Santa Clara County, which forced the 49ers this week to relocate for at least three weeks. They chose suburban Phoenix.