Lions hand Rams exec keys to GM'S office
Brad Holmes was not considered the front-runner to replace Bob Quinn as general manager of the Detroit Lions.
Emerging from a field of 12 candidates, the 41-year-old Holmes — who has no experience as a GM — was given a five-year contract on Thursday to become Detroit's executive vice-president and general manager.
“Throughout our search for a new general manager, Brad was someone who stood out immediately,” Lions president Rod Wood said. “His abilities as a critical thinker, along with his extensive experience implementing technology and analytics into his approach to scouting, were among the many decisive qualities Brad displayed in our time getting to know him during the interview process. We look forward to him helping lead our organization as we take the next steps as a team.”
Holmes has spent the previous 18 seasons with the Los Angeles Rams and the past eight years as the team's director of college scouting.
Lions owner Sheila Ford Kamp promised an exhaustive search to find a new general manager and head coach after firing Quinn and Matt Patricia in November.
“Several weeks ago when we embarked on this process, it was critical that we find the right person to fit our vision for this team,” Ford Kamp said. “It was evident early on that Brad is a proven leader who is ready for this opportunity. We are thrilled to introduce him to our fans as a member of our football family.”
While Holmes was one of a dozen candidates to interview for the job, he was the first to get a second interview when the Lions brought him in for a face-to-face meeting on Wednesday.
Detroit was said to be interested in Minnesota Vikings assistant general manager George Patton, but he signed on as general manager with the Denver Broncos. The Atlanta Falcons also were said to be interested in Holmes, but reportedly will hire Terry Fontenot, who also interviewed in Detroit.
Holmes, who will become one of the youngest GMS in the league, impressed the Lions enough to give him his first general manager's role as he beat out experienced candidates such as former Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff, former Houston general manager Rick Smith and former Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli
Holmes is the son of former NFL offensive lineman Mel Holmes, who spent three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Holmes himself was a team captain at North Carolina A&T, where he was a standout defensive tackle and helped the school win the Black College National Championship in 1999.
But when it came to the NFL, Holmes literally worked his way up from the bottom. Holmes once interned with the NBA'S Atlanta Hawks before joining the Rams in 2003 as a public relations intern.
The nephew of former Lions defensive back Luther Bradley, Holmes became a scouting assistant in 2004 and worked his way up to national combine scout, area scout and national scout before being named director of college scouting in 2013 and becoming the right-hand man for Rams general manager Les Snead.
Holmes played a big role in the Rams selecting two-time NFL defensive player of the year Aaron Donald with the 13th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft after the Lions had passed on him at No. 10 to take Eric Ebron.
Under Holmes, the Rams have also landed running back Cam Akers (second round in 2020), receiver Cooper Kupp (third round in 2017), safety John Johnson (third round in 2017) and tight end Tyler Higbee (fourth round in 2016).
With his hiring, it remains to be seen how involved Holmes will be in the team's search for a new head coach with several interviews for that position having already been conducted.