Read About Joe Lombardi, Descendant Of Vince, As He Lands Detroit Lions Offensive Coordinator Gig
While the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks are firmly transfixed on the 2014 Vince Lombardi Trophy, to be awarded in the coming weeks to the Super Bowl Champions, the Detroit Lions have another Lombardi in mind when it comes to the franchise’s immediate future; his name is Joe, and it will be his job to help newly-hired Lions head coach Jim Caldwell put the rock back in Detroit Rock City.
Joe Lombardi, grandson to Vince, was brought aboard as the new offensive coordinator after serving as quarterbacks coach for the New Orleans Saints for the past four seasons, ESPN reports.
For a team looking to get back into it by inducing Matthew Stafford to return to form, Joe Lombardi, the man who helped do the same for Drew Brees, is a great place to start.
While the details of the deal still need to be ironed out, Detroit Lions head writer Tim Twentyman confirmed the hiring news, originally reported by ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, just eight hours after saying Caldwell had no specific time frame for filling the coordinator position.
Joe Lombardi spent a decade in various departments on several college football staffs, plus a year in between on the staff of the New York/New Jersey Hitmen of the defunct XFL, before landing a job as a defensive assistant with the Atlanta Falcons in 2006. His resume gives him an equal amount of experience on the offensive and defensive sides of the game, giving him insight into prospective defensive schemes when developing and potentially calling plays for Detroit.
As a member of the Saints’ personnel for the 2010 Super Bowl, Joe Lombardi has already embraced the trophy named for his renowned forebear. Mind you, that brush with glory came at the expense of his new boss, as Caldwell was head coach for the Indianapolis Colts, the losing team in Super Bowl XLIV. Given Caldwell’s two rings—one as Indy’s quarterbacks coach in 2003 and one as offensive coordinator for last year’s champions, the Baltimore Ravens—it’s unlikely he bears his new charge any ill will.
What do you think of Detroit hiring Joe Lombardi? What will Joe have to do in order to turn the Lions around? Is there any special significance to the Lombardi name or is Joe just another staffer with a job to do?
Saints QB coach Joe Lombardi, the grandson of Vince Lombardi, will be hired as Lions new offensive coordinator. per league sources
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) January 21, 2014
