By MIchael Stets
The questions about Jim Caldwell’s future in Detroit beyond the 2017 season have now been answered.
Caldwell signed a multi-year contract with the Lions, the team confirmed to WJR on Saturday evening. ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the news, saying the deal was signed “months ago” but just not disclosed, which the Lions also confirmed.
Caldwell’s original contract with the team was set to expire after this season. He was asked if he signed an extension with the team this past Tuesday, but declined to answer.
“Just like I’ve said before, I’ll say it a thousand times, I’ve told you guys I’ll answer it the same way now and you ask me eight weeks down the road, I’m only concerned about a couple things: It’s my men and my mission,” he said. “And our mission is to win. Everything else will take care of itself. And they aren’t worried about anything else other than that. So, that’s our focus.”
When asked if he would tell the media if he were to sign an extension, he replied, “No. That’s the honest truth.”
Caldwell became the Lions head coach in 2014 and now holds a 29-21 record with the team. In his first season, Caldwell led the Lions to an 11-5 mark before losing to the Dallas Cowboys 24-20 in the NFC Wildcard round. The team began the 2015 season with a 1-7 record, before winning out to finish the year at 7-9. And in 2016, the Lions finished 9-7, which was good enough to earn the team’s second playoff appearance under Caldwell, a 26-6 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Wildcard round.
The LIons announced Caldwell would return for a fourth season as head coach this past January after the final game of the 2016 regular season, a home loss to the Green Bay Packers, which decided the NFC North division title.
“I want to say obviously I’m appreciative, thankful,” Caldwell said last January, after the news was announced he would return in 2017. “Express my gratitude to Bob [Quinn] and Mrs. [Martha] Ford and the Ford Family and Rod Wood for their support.”
The Lions, now 2-0 after wins over the Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants, return to Ford Field on Sunday for an undefeated showdown against the Atlanta Falcons.