DETROIT, MI – DECEMBER 31: Head coach Jim Caldwell of the Detroit Lions watches his team against the Green Bay Packers during the first half at Ford Field on December 31, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
In his criticism of Urban Meyer, former Lions quarterback Dan Orlovsky mentioned a former Lions head coach.
Last weekend’s report about the dysfunction in Jacksonville under head coach Urban Meyer this season had a bit of a Detroit Lions angle. Former Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones apparently left the building at some point recently, and then came back and had an argument with Meyer at practice that day. Meyer of course has denied that happened, as he would be expected to do.
Former Lions quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky joined the convoy criticizing Meyer with a tweet on Monday. There wasn’t any reason to say much more, in that forum or otherwise.
“Urban Meyer being a Head Coach in the #NFL and Jim Caldwell not is an absolute joke,” Orlovsky wrote.
Dan Orlovsky puts praise for former Lions head coach in criticism of Urban Meyer
Jim Caldwell was fired by the Lions after back-to-back 9-7 seasons in 2016 and 2017, as then-general manager Bob Quinn moved on the opportunity to hire “his guy” Matt Patricia. No need to remind anyone how that worked out.
Caldwell had a 36-28 record over four seasons as Lions’ head coach, with a least nine wins three times and two playoff appearances. Overall, including three seasons (2011-2013) with the Indianapolis Colts, Caldwell has a 62-50 record as an NFL head coach. He last worked in the league with the Miami Dolphins during the 2019 season, before taking a leave of absence to address health concerns. He was not retained by the Dolphins after that season, and it’s not clear if those health concerns have prevented him from returning to coaching.
Caldwell also spent eight seasons (1993-2000) as head coach at Wake Forest, before starting a long run coaching in the NFL.
Orlovsky spent time during his playing career with Caldwell in Indianapolis (2011) and Detroit (2014-2016). So that familiarity and affinity is certainly laced into the mention of Caldwell within the lament of Meyer being an NFL head coach, but there’s also some food for general thought in there.