San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
LYNN TO TAKE JOB WITH LIONS AS OC
Sources close to the negotiations confirmed Saturday former Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn will be hired as the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator under new head coach Dan Campbell.
Lynn went 33-31 with the Chargers from 2017-20. He was fired after this season following a 7-9 campaign, despite the success of quarterback Justin Herbert, the favorite for offensive rookie of the year after throwing for 31 touchdowns against 10 interceptions in 15 starts.
Lynn, 52, played running back at Texas Tech, then played in 83 games in the NFL as a reserve with the Broncos and 49ers.
Campbell was hired Wednesday, and he’s bringing New Orleans assistant Aaron Glenn to be the Lions’ defensive coordinator.
Before his tenure in New Orleans, Glenn was an assistant defensive backs coach for the Browns. He also worked as a personnel scout for the Jets for two seasons.
Glenn was a three-time Pro Bowler as a player and played in 205 games in 15 years for the Jets, Texans, Cowboys, Jaguars and Saints.
Stafford wants out
The Lions and quarterback Matthew Stafford are planning to part ways.
The Lions and Stafford have mutually agreed to explore the possibilities of trading him, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team and Stafford did not announce the decision.
Stafford expressed an interest in being traded after the season ended and the team responded by tabling the idea until a new general manager and coach were hired, the person said. Stafford was on a call with Lions General Manager Brad Holmes and Campbell last week, according to the person, and they discussed moving on without each other.
Detroit drafted Stafford No. 1 overall in 2009 and he has two years left on a $135 million, five-year contract.
Stafford surpassed the 45,000-yard mark in the 165th game of his career, the fewest games an NFL player has had to reach that number, during the finale of the 2020 season.
He threw three touchdown passes in that game against Minnesota to raise his career total to 282.
Like many of Stafford’s accomplishments in Detroit, they were marred by a loss as the Lions fell to 5-11 for their third straight double-digit loss season and his career record dropped to 7490-1 in the regular season.
Detroit drafted the strong-armed Stafford out of Georgia with the hopes he could help the franchise have playoff success, building on the one playoff victory it has earned since winning the 1957 NFL title.
Stafford, though, was 0-3 in the 2011, 2014 and 2016 postseasons.
The Colts and Patriots are among the teams that may have an interest in Stafford, who turns 33 in February.
Stafford earned Pro Bowl recognition in 2014 season and was AP’S Comeback Player of the Year in 2011 after bouncing back from an injury-stunted start of his career.
He is No. 16 on the league’s all-time list with 45,109 yards passing and 282 passing touchdowns.
Notable
The Bills elevated two players from the practice squad for today’s AFC championship game — wide receiver Kenny Stills (La Costa Canyon High) and cornerback Dane Jackson.
Stills is elevated for the first time this season. He signed with the practice squad on Jan. 4 after the Bills lost WR Jake Kumerow to the Saints after he was released off Buffalo’s active roster.
The Packers elevated recent cornerback acquisition Tramon Williams to their active roster for the NFC championship game with the Buccaneers.
New Falcons coach
Arthur Smith is building his staff. He added four assistants, including veteran defensive line coach Gary Emanuel.
The Falcons also named
Steve Hoffman as a senior assistant, Justin Peelle as tight ends coach and Matt Pees as a defensive assistant. Pees is the son of new Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees.