Due to a COVID-19 exposure, the Detroit Lions will need an interim coach to replace their interim coach.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting that wide receivers coach Robert Prince will replace Darrell Bevell as interim coach in Week 16.
Bevell is “deemed a high-risk close contact of someone who tested positive for COVID-19”, Rapoport said, and “won’t coach this Saturday vs the Bucs, sources say. The first head coach to miss a game due to COVID protocols this season.”
Prince, a senior member of the Lions staff that has been with the team since 2014, is highly respected by the players due to his intelligence, energy level, and personality. Prince is familiar with the Lions offensive scheme, but with 30-years of coaching experience, he has experiences that extend beyond just offense.
Prince’s leadership style is highly energetic and infectious, and he is someone the players can rally behind.
Rapoport also reported that quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan, who is considered an offensive coordinator in waiting, will take over offensive play calling in Bevell’s stay. Ryan and Matthew Stafford have built a trusting relationship over the last two seasons and there should be little lag in their ability to produce on offense this week.
