Taking a look back at the Detroit Lions’ GM and head coach search in 2021, what happened to the guys they interviewed and didn’t pick?
Taking a look back at every head coach and GM interview the Lions did before hiring Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell
Earlier today, we discussed how the Detroit Lions have been included in the Brian Flores lawsuit against the NFL. In that story, we discussed the Lions’ coaching and GM searches from that period.
Suddenly, I was hit with a barrage of memories and thoughts like “they interviewed that guy?” Let’s take a look back at the candidates and see where they’re at today.
Lions’ Head Coach Interviews
Marvin Lewis
Lewis was just coming off a 15-year stint with the Bengals and had done some coaching with Herm Edwards at Arizona State. The Lions only interviewed him once. Since then, he continued at ASU, and then he was the Raiders’ assistant head coach in 2024, and that’s been the extent of his coaching career since this interview.
Eric Bieniemy
He was a red-hot name in coaching searches during the time, but he never got the job anywhere. He went back with the Chiefs and had stints as offensive coordinator with the Commanders and UCLA, and then was the Bears’ running backs coach in 2025. The Chiefs hired him back this offseason to once again be their OC.
Darell Bevell
Bevell was the Lions’ interim head coach at the time, and this interview kind of felt like the Lions being nice. He wound up being the Jaguars’ interim head coach the very next year after they fired Urban Meyer. After three years as the Dolphins’ quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator, he joined the Panthers staff as an associate head coach and offensive specialist.
Robert Saleh
The big-time favorite for Lions fans in this search. Pretty much everyone wanted this guy to get hired by Detroit. He wound up getting hired by the Jets instead. Saleh was let go by New York mid-season in 2024. After a year as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator, he was hired by the Titans to be their new head coach.
Arthur Smith
Smith was a hot candidate that cycle too, and he also got hired by another team. He was the Falcons’ head coach for three seasons and was let go. He spent time as the Steelers’ offensive coordinator. The Lions actually interviewed him again this offseason for their offensive coordinator role. He left the NFL to take the OC job at Ohio State after that.
Todd Bowles
An interesting one that I totally forgot about. Bowles is now the Buccaneers’ head coach, and it’s really working out for him over there. He keeps getting that team back in the playoffs. It’s funny because Bowles and Campbell have been so connected over the years.
Matt Campbell
The Lions actually hired Campbell. Both parties agreed, and then Campbell opted out to stay at Iowa State. This offseason, he was hired by Penn State to be their new head coach.
Lions’ GM interviews
Kyle O’Brien
O’Brien was on Bob Quinn’s staff as the director of player personnel. He did not get the job and was not retained by Holmes. He went to the Giants for one season and hasn’t worked in the league since.
Lance Newmark
Newmark was with the Lions for 28 years and stayed on staff with Holmes until he took the assistant GM role with the Commanders. He’s had other general manager interviews in recent years, but has not been hired yet.
Rob Lohman
Although Lohman didn’t get the job, he is still with the Lions as their director of pro scouting. This season will be his 20th with the Lions.
Kevin Colbert
He had just finished up 21 seasons with the Steelers. He was their GM for a good amount of that time as well. Helped them win two Super Bowls. He did not get the job, and he’s now a consultant for Colorado State.
Ed Dodds
He was the Colts’ assistant general manager at the time and is still the Colts’ assistant general manager. He gets interviews for GM jobs every year and has yet to get one.
John Schneider
This one was never real. This was a “Hey Seahawks, pay me” interview. They did pay him. He is still the president of football operations and general manager with the Seahawks and was on stage with the Lombardi trophy in February.
Louis Riddick
Every year, ESPN’s Riddick gets interviews, and everyone says that this guy would be a great GM, but for some reason, it just never happens. It didn’t happen in 2021 either.
Rick Smith
This guy is actually Dan Campbell’s agent. He is also Ben Johnson’s agent. That is weird.
Scott Pioli
A former GM for both the Falcons and Chiefs. He currently works for NFL Network as an insider.
Thomas Dimitroff
The former Falcons GM was fresh on the market and was considered to be a hot candidate in all the GM searches that year. He did not get hired and is now a consultant for the Saints.
Terry Fontenot
He didn’t get hired by the Lions, but he did become the Falcons GM that year and was fired after the 2025 season. He now does some media stuff for CBS and other networks.
Jeff Ireland
He was the Saints’ assistant general manager and college scouting director at the time. He is still in that role.
George Paton
Another guy who got a job that year. He was hired by the Broncos and is still their general manager today.
Jerry Resse
He was the Giants GM until he was fired in 2017, and he has not worked in the NFL since.
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