In 2010 Veteran cornerback Dre’ Bly returns to the team that feels like home, the Detroit Lions. Bly signed a two contract with the Deroit Lions. The Lions look like they are piecing together a strong defensive front with the signing of Kyle Vanden Bosch and Corey Williams and the drafting of Ndamukong Suh.
The 2008 Detroit Lions accomplished something no other team in NFL History had before. They became the first team to ever record an 0-16 season thus securing their rights for the #1 pick in the draft. On September 24, 2008, the Lions fired GM Matt Millian, who was hired on in 2001 and the President and CEO. Three months and 5 days later, with the team tanking, the franchise fired head coach Rod Marinelli who had compiled a 10-38 record in 3 seasons with the Lions.
On the 15th of January 2009, the Lions hired Tennessee Titans Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz as the new head coach. The franchise also hired former St. Louis Rams head coach Scott Linehan as their Offensive Coordinator. Together he and Schwartz have the major task of turning around a losing (in every sense of the word) franchise and getting back to the post Matt Millen days when the team finished the 2000-01 season at 9-7, missing the playoffs by just a field goal.
With the first pick in the draft, the Lions selected University of Georgia QB Matthew Stafford and signed him to a reported 6-year $78million contract with $41.7 million of it guaranteed, which is the most guaranteed any player in NFL history. The Lions also selected Safety Louis Delmas and TE Brandon Pettigrew and Coach Schwartz is happy with the work ethic and knowledge of his newest players. “This was the first time we saw them all together. It was a preview of what we’ll see in training camp,” said Schwartz. “It’s putting little pieces together and this is the first time we saw the whole puzzle coming together,” the head coach recently posted online.
Whatever the outcome, with two young coaches leading the team and a QB of the future in their pocket, it will be almost impossible to overachieve when just winning one game will post a better record than the 2008 incarnation of the team so be sure to get your tickets and cheer on the Lions to a successful season.