Lions interview Moss for field boss position

NFL veteran is assistant coach of Green Bay

Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn continued his search for a new head coach on Thursday with another interview of a candidate with no head coaching experience.

The Lions announced the team had interviewed 52-year-old Winston Moss, who served as the assistant head coach and linebackers coach for the Green Bay Packers last season.

The 52-year-old Winston played 11 seasons at linebacker in the NFL with Tampa Bay, Oakland and Seattle and began his coaching career immediately after retiring in 1997.

Moss started coaching with Seattle before moving on to New Orleans and finally to the Packers in 2006 as part of head coach Mike McCarthy’s first staff.

So far, the Lions are the only team known to have requested an interview with Winston, who has never been a head coach or a co-ordinator. He was considered for the head coaching job in Oakland in 2012, but that opportunity went to Dennis Allen.

If Moss is not hired by the Lions, McCarthy announced on Thursday that he would be considered for Green Bay’s defensive co-ordinator position, which became vacant when Dom Capers was fired at the end of the season.

Green Bay finished 22nd in the NFL in yards allowed this past season and 26th in points allowed and, should Moss not get the head coaching job in Detroit, he could also be out of a job in Green Bay if a new defensive co-ordinator is hired and opts not to keep him.

Moss is the fourth person to interview for Detroit’s head coaching post, which became open when Quinn fired Jim Caldwell on Monday after four seasons.

Moss is the third person on the defensive side of the ball to be interviewed, joining Detroit defensive co-ordinator Teryl Austin and Houston Texans defensive co-ordinator Mike Vrable. Lions offensive co-ordinator Jim Bob Cooter has also interviewed for the job.

Detroit is also expected to interview Minnesota Vikings offensive co-ordinator Pat Shurmur who is a Dearborn, Mich., native. Shurmur played at Michigan State University and is a former head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

Carolina Panthers defensive co-ordinator Steve Wilks and New England Patriots defensive co-ordinator Matt Patricia are also expected to interview.