Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions wide receiver Kenny Golladay said Friday he'd like to re-sign with the organization as he nears the end of his four-year rookie contract. 

"I'm a loyal person. Of course I want to be here," Golladay told reporters.

The 27-year-old Chicago native hasn't played since the Lions' Nov. 1 loss to the Indianapolis Colts because of a hip injury.

Detroit interim head coach Darrell Bevell shot down speculation the wideout's continued absence was more about his contract status than the hip.

"I can be clear that he's not [holding out]," Bevell told reporters. "The guy is competing, he's working hard. The good thing for me is that I'm in here every day, I get to see what he's doing. I get to see what he's putting his body through to try to get back for us and for his teammates. He's doing that."

The longtime NFL offensive coordinator, who's working as a head coach for the first time in his career, said the Lions may have to shut Golladay down because of his slow-healing hip and the team's fading playoff hopes with three games remaining, though.

"I think that's a conversation that’s coming," Bevell said. "We're really trying to get him back. He really wants to play, he wants to be in there. But that's a conversation that's—where we're at in the season that it might come to that."

Golladay recorded a modest 20 catches for 338 yards and two touchdowns in five appearances before the injury.

The Northern Illinois product was highly productive over the previous two seasons, compiling 135 receptions for 2,253 yards and 16 scores in 31 games (29 starts). His 11 touchdown catches during the 2019 campaign led the NFL.

Detroit is currently searching for a new general manager after Bob Quinn was fired in late November as part of the overhaul that also led to the departure of head coach Matt Patricia.

Getting that vacancy filled is of the utmost importance before the Lions head into an offseason facing several key decisions, led by picking a new head coach and deciding whether to re-sign Golladay.

Former Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff will reportedly interview for the Detroit Lions' GM opening next week, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Detroit had a vacancy last month when the team fired Bob Quinn after nearly five years on the job. Head coach Matt Patricia was also fired.

Dimitroff was also fired this season, ending a nearly 13-year run as the Falcons general manager. He was dismissed along with head coach Dan Quinn after Atlanta got off to an 0-5 start.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport noted that the Lions are also set to interview Rick Smith, who served as the Houston Texans GM from 2006-17.

While the 4-9 Falcons will miss the playoffs for a third consecutive season, Dimitroff experienced a great deal of success during his time in Atlanta, including being named NFL Executive of the Year twice by Sporting News.

The 54-year-old led the Falcons to the playoffs five times, including three years in a row from 2010-12. He also was the architect of the team that reached the Super Bowl in 2016.

Atlanta held a 28-3 lead over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI, only to blow the lead and lose the game in heartbreaking fashion in overtime by a 34-28 score.

In addition to building a team that came agonizingly close to winning a Super Bowl, Dimitroff was in the Patriots front office from 2003-07 as director of college scouting. The Lions clearly value Patriots ties significantly.

Their previous GM, Quinn, was in the Patriots front office from 2000-15 and held many positions, including director of pro scouting. Patricia was a former Patriots defensive coordinator as well.

Regardless of who lands the GM job in Detroit, they will have their work cut out for them. The Lions are 5-8 this season and on track to miss the playoffs for the fourth year in a row.

The new general manager figures to play a big role in the interviewing process for a new head coach this offseason.

Among the other responsibilities for the new GM will be figuring out the long-term future of quarterback Matthew Stafford and continuing to add supporting talent on both sides of the ball.

Per Pelissero, the Lions have interviewed ESPN Monday Night Football analyst Louis Riddick and three internal candidates for the GM job in addition to the upcoming interviews for Dimitroff and Smith.

Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow could miss the team's next game after suffering a fractured throat during Sunday's 31-24 loss versus the Green Bay Packers, per multiple reports.

Despite suffering the injury in the first quarter, Ragnow finished the game, a remarkable show of toughness.

You can be forgiven if you didn't know you could fracture your throat, let alone finish a football game with such an injury. And Ragnow didn't even allow so much as a quarterback hurry with the injury, per Kyle Meinke of MLive.com.

But that doesn't mean Ragnow's brother, Jack Ragnow, was impressed:

Everyone else was, though:

Ragnow, 24, has been excellent for the Lions this season and has emerged as one of the top centers in football. His absence would be huge for a 5-8 team already facing the prospect of playing without starting quarterback Matthew Stafford (rib injury) and wide receiver Kenny Golladay (hip).

If Ragnow misses Sunday's game at the Tennessee Titans, Joe Dahl or rookie Jonah Jackson would be in line to start at center, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford's status for Week 15 against the Tennessee Titans is in question after he suffered a rib cartilage injury in Week 14 against the Green Bay Packers.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Lions are "not overly optimistic" he'll be able to suit up, but they are "leaving open the possibility" that he could since Stafford tends to play through injuries often.

The 32-year-old exited Sunday against the Packers after playing just eight games in the 2019 campaign because of a non-displaced fracture in his spine. Prior to that, though, he played all 16 games in eight straight seasons from 2011 through 2018.

When healthy, Stafford has put up head-turning numbers throughout his career. 

The Georgia product threw for more than 4,000 yards seven straight years from 2011 through 2017 and has never hesitated to take chances when looking for open receivers. While that hasn't always been conducive to winning, it helped establish him as a force in the NFL.

Stafford has completed 63.9 percent of his passes for 3,522 yards, 22 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 13 games this year.

He also sports a 5-8 record for a Lions team whose playoff hopes are now on life support following the loss to Green Bay.

If Stafford is unable to play against Tennessee, veteran journeyman Chase Daniel is likely to get the start in his place.

Daniel is in his 11th NFL season and with his fifth different team. In five career starts, he owns a 2-3 record.

Detroit Lions interim coach Darrell Bevell told reporters quarterback Matthew Stafford underwent X-rays on the rib injury he suffered during Sunday's loss to the Green Bay Packers, though it's "too early to tell" if the veteran will miss any time.

"I think it's too early to tell," Bevell said after the Lions' 31-24 loss to the Packers on Sunday. "Matthew Stafford is as tough as they come. He's a huge competitor. I know he's going to want to be out there with his team, so it's going to have to be pretty drastic for him not to be in there."

The 12th-year veteran missed time last season with a non-displaced fracture in his spine, which limited him to just eight appearances, but that was the first significant setback for the 32-year-old since he had surgery to repair his AC joint in 2010. He collected more than 4,000 passing yards every year from 2011-17.

Stafford entered play with 3,278 passing yards, 21 touchdown throws and nine interceptions.

Chase Daniel slots in as the backup in Detroit and played some in Sunday's game.

An NFL journeyman, the 34-year-old has played for the New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, Lions and Philadelphia Eagles. In his lone appearance for the Lions this season before Sunday, he went 8-of-13 passing for 94 yards, a touchdown and an interception in the team's Week 9 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Detroit Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah will miss the remainder of the 2020 season because of a core muscle injury. 

Per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Okudah will undergo surgery to repair the issue next week. 

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport confirmed the news, adding Okudah will be "full strength for the offseason program with a new coach and GM."

The 21-year-old has immediately moved into a key role with the Lions, starting in Week 2 after missing the first game with a hamstring injury. He will finish his rookie campaign with 47 combined tackles and one interception.

Okudah was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the earliest a cornerback has been selected since Shawn Springs in 1997.

"It's a crazy feeling being drafted that high," he said in April, per Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. "The Detroit Lions think a lot about me, and I think it's up to me to return that and give them all that I have and go to work every single day with my teammates and be the best player that I can be."

The selection was earned after an impressive college career at Ohio State, featuring a junior season that saw him become a consensus All-American and Jim Thorpe Award finalist.

Despite his upside, the latest injury gives Okudah an early start on his offseason. Justin Coleman and Darryl Roberts could see bigger roles over the final four weeks of the season.

While the Detroit Lions know they will have a new head coach and general manager in 2021, there is a question about what the next step will be for their starting quarterback. 

Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, there's currently a feeling that Matthew Stafford "might not have the stomach for another go-around with a new coach."

The Lions fired head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn on Nov. 28, two days after a 41-25 loss to the Houston Texans on Thanksgiving Day. 

Patricia went 13-29-1 with no playoff appearances in three seasons as Detroit's head coach. He is the third head coach Stafford has played for in his NFL career, joining Jim Schwartz (2009-13) and Jim Caldwell (2014-17).

The Lions have only made the playoffs three times with no wins during Stafford's career. The 32-year-old's contract has a $34.95 million cap hit next season, but that number drops to $27.95 million in 2022. 

Speculation about Stafford's future with the Lions isn't new. 

NFL Network's Michael Silver reported in February that some general managers and coaches "around the league believe Stafford is the one who wants the Lions to move him."

Even though nothing materialized at that point, the Lions are facing a crucial moment with their star quarterback.

Stafford has spent his entire 12-year career with the organization since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2009. He's played well during that time with 44,303 career passing yards, 277 touchdowns and a 62.5 completion percentage. 

Detroit Lions running back Adrian Peterson said football is "back to being fun" after his team fired head coach Matt Patricia following a 41-25 loss to the Houston Texans on Thanksgiving Day, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

The Lions went 13-29-1 under the former New England Patriots defensive coordinator in two-plus seasons and were 4-7 this year before his departure.

Former Lions who played under Patricia reacted upon news of his firing, including Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Eric Ebron and San Francisco 49ers defensive end Ezekiel Ansah, among others. None of the reactions supported Patricia.

Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell has taken over as the team's interim head coach, and the Lions' first game under him resulted in a 34-30 comeback victory over the Chicago Bears. Peterson scored a pair of rushing touchdowns.

In the wake of the Detroit Lions' firing of head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn last week, a group of Michigan state legislators have asked Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp to consider hiring San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as the team's next head coach.

According to ESPN's Michael Rothstein, the legislators wrote a letter to Hamp that stated:

"We understand the difficulty of these upcoming decisions. As passionate and loyal Lions fans, we are asking you to hire Robert Saleh as the head coach of our team. He is the best candidate for the job and measures as such across every metric. A head coach like Robert can bring tremendous energy and heart to the franchise and would help us reach peaks that have seemed unobtainable for so long. We have an exceptional opportunity here and we trust you to make the best decision.

"To turn the corner and become a winning franchise, these next hiring decisions are critical. We hope that you will consider Robert Saleh as the head coach, not only for us, but for everyone across the loyal fanbase of our beloved Detroit Lions."

Saleh is considered one of the best defensive minds in football and figures to be a hot head-coaching candidate during the offseason. He also has ties to the state of Michigan—he was born in Dearborn, Michigan, played college football at Northern Michigan and served as an assistant coach at Michigan State and Central Michigan.

Michigan state Rep. Abdullah Hammoud tweeted that representatives from both parties came together to endorse Saleh:

The 41-year-old Saleh became the Niners' defensive coordinator in 2017 after the team hired Kyle Shanahan as head coach.

Over the past two seasons, San Francisco has been one of the NFL's top defensive teams. En route to reaching the Super Bowl last season, the 49ers ranked second in total yardage allowed and eighth in points allowed.

This season, the 49ers are sixth in total defense and 11th in scoring defense, which has helped keep the team's playoff hopes afloat with a 5-6 record.

Several key players on that side of the ball are injured, including defensive linemen Nick Bosa, Dee Ford, Solomon Thomas and Ziggy Ansah, making the defense's performance even more impressive.

By comparison, the Lions have struggled mightily on defense over the past two seasons despite Patricia's defensive background.

Last season, Detroit was 31st in total defense and 26th in scoring defense, and it ranks 29th in total defense and 31st in scoring defense this year.

The 4-7 Lions are unlikely to make a run toward the playoffs under interim head coach Darrell Bevell, meaning they are in line to miss the postseason for a fourth consecutive year.

While the Lions need to make some big changes to their on-field personnel to become playoff contenders, bringing in a respected voice like Saleh to be the head coach could help reverse their fortunes as well.

The Detroit Lions parted ways with head coach Matt Patricia last week, but the changes might not end there after their franchise quarterback was noncommittal about his future with the team.

"As far as my future goes past the season, I'll figure that out and talk about that later on," Stafford said, per Rod Beard of the Detroit News. "I've got a lot of work to be done. ... There's a lot to a lot to be done here for the rest of the season." 

Stafford will hit free agency in 2023 at the end of the five-year, $135 million deal he signed in 2017, which made him the league's highest-paid player at the time. 

If the Lions elect to part ways with Stafford at the end of this season, the team would take a $19 million dead hit on the salary cap, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. 

After team owner Sheila Ford Hamp fired Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn, she did not comment on Stafford's future with the Lions but called him an "extremely talented young man," according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

"Well, since I'm not the coach, I'm probably not the right person to ask that question to," she said. "We'll see what the new coach has to say." 

Through 12 seasons in Detroit, Stafford has amassed multiple NFL records, but it seems as though his best days may be behind him. He started every game for Detroit from 2011 to '18 but was moved to injured reserve after missing six games with non-displaced fractures in his spine in 2019. 

This season, he has led the Lions to a 4-7 record, throwing for 2,876 yards and 18 touchdowns while being picked off eight times and sacked 31 times.

The Lions would hold the ninth pick in next year's draft if the season ended today, at which point the NCAA's top quarterbacks (Clemson's Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State's Justin Fields) won't be around. So to find a replacement for Stafford, they'll need to consider taking a lower-rated QB prospect or trading Stafford for a veteran.