Jim Caldwell will have some peace of mind as he leads the Detroit Lions into the NFL playoffs.
The Lions announced Wednesday on their website that Caldwell will return as head coach in 2017.
The Lions will visit the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday in an NFC Wild Card Game, but the outcome of the contest won’t determine Caldwell’s future in Detroit. His 27-21 record during his three-year tenure has convinced the club he is the right man for the job.
The Caldwell news follows Detroit’s late-season slide from the top of the NFC North. The Lions lost their last three regular-season games to finish 9-7 and allow the Green Bay Packers to surge to the division title. Some speculated the Lions might change course at coach this offseason, but the team dispelled those rumors.
Caldwell’s .563 winning percentage is modest but represents unprecedented success in Detroit. He boasts a higher winning percentage than any other full-time Lions coach in the Super Bowl era, and he has led Detroit to two playoff appearances in three seasons — something the franchise hadn’t achieved since the period between 1997 and 1999.
Detroit’s timely support of its head coach could galvanize the squad at a critical moment in the season. Whether that will be enough to edge past Seattle remains to be seen, but it’s certain to have no impact on Caldwell’s job security.
Thumbnail photo via Tim Heitman/USA TODAY Sports Images
