Tracking former Lions

[Futureshock]

Long-time NFL special-teams coach John Bonamego retires

Posted by Mike Florio on February 18, 2023, 7:30 AM EST

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John Bonamego, who spent 16 years coaching in the NFL and 19 at the college level, has retired from football, at the age of 59.

“It’s been an incredible journey,” Bonamego told ESPN.com on Friday. “But [my wife] Paulette and I, we’re super excited about the next chapter of our lives.”

Bonamego worked as a special-teams coordinator or assistant at the NFL level with the Jaguars (1999-2002, 2012), the Packers (2003-05), the Saints (2006-07, 2011), the Dolphins (2008-10), the Lions (2013-14, 2019), and the Rams (2020). In 2021, he was a senior coaching assistant with the Rams in 2021, capping his NFL career with a Super Bowl win.

He also served as head coach at Central Michigan from 2015 to 2018. He capped his career in 2022, as a senior special-teams assistant at Iowa State.

[froot loops]

Good hire for the Colts with JBC.

[Cody_Russell]

Shane Steichen + Jim Bob Cooter seems like a positive support system for whoever the Colts draft at QB (Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, Will Levis, or Anthony Richardson).

Cooter had issues that led to his downfall, but perhaps it’s correctable with experience. Opposing teams knowing the Lions play calls and the regression in 2018 were problems. Though the Lions offense had several injuries and traded Golden Tate during that season. I certainly liked Cooter more than Lombardi! That’s for sure.

[dpatnod]

Shane Steichen + Jim Bob Cooter seems like a positive support system for whoever the Colts draft at QB (Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, Will Levis, or Anthony Richardson).

Cooter had issues that led to his downfall, but perhaps it’s correctable with experience. Opposing teams knowing the Lions play calls and the regression in 2018 were problems. Though the Lions offense had several injuries and traded Golden Tate during that season. I certainly liked Cooter more than Lombardi! That’s for sure.

Cooter's greatest asset, and his biggest hinderance.... is always going to be his name.

[froot loops]

The biggest issue with JBC was Matt Patricia. Patricia took a top 10 offense and tanked it.

[dpatnod]

At one time at least, JBC > Lombardi. Shit, Linehan (sp?) was too.

Or else it was the novelty, that everyone figured out in a couple seasons. But yeah.... nobody is going to look good under that fat garbage bag wearing fukk.

[Futureshock]

Caldwell's biggest problem was JBC. Got him fired. His catalog is small.

[froot loops]

Caldwell's last season in Detroit the Lions were 7th in the league in points. Caldwell and JBC maxed out the offense. He got fired because Quinn had a hard on for Patricia the day he got there.

[Cody_Russell]

Matt Patricia’s Darrell Bevell led Lions offense was pretty good in 2019 until the Stafford injury. 3-4-1 start because the Stafford offense carried the crappy Matt Patricia defense to modest success.

Refreshing my memory about Cooter’s last year in 2018. There were injuries to Marvin Jones, Kerryon Johnson, TJ Lang, and Stafford at the end of the season. Plus the Golden Tate trade. Seems like reasonable factors to help explain the regression on offense. Among other factors.

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/n...ns/2442923002/

Point being… I can see a scenario where Cooter has success as Colts OC. Pick the right QB, Colts!

[Futureshock]

Jim Caldwell: You’d love to have a head coaching opportunity, but Panthers an ideal situation

Posted by Josh Alper on February 21, 2023, 11:01 AM EST

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Jim Caldwell passed on opportunities to be an assistant coach in recent years because nothing “quite clicked” for a two-time NFL head coach who was hoping for a third tour of duty in that role.

Caldwell never got an offer for that job, but did change his view on working as an assistant when new Panthers head coach Frank Reich called him. Reich had worked under Caldwell with the Colts and Caldwell said what he learned about Reich at that time made joining the staff as a senior assistant “an ideal situation” when other assistant coaching jobs were easier to pass over.

That was a change in view for Caldwell, who was fired as the Lions head coach in 2018 after posting three winning seasons in four years for a team that had one in 13 years before his arrival. Many think Caldwell, who took the Colts to a Super Bowl in his first head coaching stint, was deserving of a longer run or another run as a head coach and Caldwell acknowledges it is something he wants, but adds that he’s not angry that it hasn’t materialized.

“You know, to be honest with you, I’ve never looked at it that way,” Caldwell said, via Darin Gantt of the Panthers website. “And oftentimes, people will look at it from the outside and voice their opinions about whether I should be here or there. But the fact of the matter is, I really think the Lord kind of has a plan. And you know, you’d love to have gotten an opportunity. But, you know, at this stage of the game, I’m appreciative of where I am. It’s never been difficult for me. First of all, I’ve had a great career. I’ve had two opportunities. Very few guys get three. But that’s the way of the National Football League. So I’m thankful, grateful for the opportunities that I’ve had.”

Caldwell said he’s “happy to be able to kind of redirect my career path” with the Panthers and the Panthers should benefit from having a coach with his experience on hand as they try to make it to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

[whatever_gong82]

Jim Caldwell: You’d love to have a head coaching opportunity, but Panthers an ideal situation

Posted by Josh Alper on February 21, 2023, 11:01 AM EST

Getty Images

Jim Caldwell passed on opportunities to be an assistant coach in recent years because nothing “quite clicked” for a two-time NFL head coach who was hoping for a third tour of duty in that role.

Caldwell never got an offer for that job, but did change his view on working as an assistant when new Panthers head coach Frank Reich called him. Reich had worked under Caldwell with the Colts and Caldwell said what he learned about Reich at that time made joining the staff as a senior assistant “an ideal situation” when other assistant coaching jobs were easier to pass over.

That was a change in view for Caldwell, who was fired as the Lions head coach in 2018 after posting three winning seasons in four years for a team that had one in 13 years before his arrival. Many think Caldwell, who took the Colts to a Super Bowl in his first head coaching stint, was deserving of a longer run or another run as a head coach and Caldwell acknowledges it is something he wants, but adds that he’s not angry that it hasn’t materialized.

“You know, to be honest with you, I’ve never looked at it that way,” Caldwell said, via Darin Gantt of the Panthers website. “And oftentimes, people will look at it from the outside and voice their opinions about whether I should be here or there. But the fact of the matter is, I really think the Lord kind of has a plan. And you know, you’d love to have gotten an opportunity. But, you know, at this stage of the game, I’m appreciative of where I am. It’s never been difficult for me. First of all, I’ve had a great career. I’ve had two opportunities. Very few guys get three. But that’s the way of the National Football League. So I’m thankful, grateful for the opportunities that I’ve had.”

Caldwell said he’s “happy to be able to kind of redirect my career path” with the Panthers and the Panthers should benefit from having a coach with his experience on hand as they try to make it to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

I'd always wonder what Caldwell would've done with a GM as talented as Brad Holmes the last 2 years he was the Head Coach of the Lions, instead of the inexperienced and inept Bob Quinn.

[Futureshock]

Report: Seahawks agree to terms on a new deal with Nick Bellore

Posted by Charean Williams on February 21, 2023, 10:32 PM EST

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The Seahawks have agreed to terms on a deal to bring back core special teams player Nick Bellore, The Pedestrian Podcast reports.

Bellore, 33, has spent the past four seasons in Seattle, and he made the Pro Bowl in 2020.

He has played 3,349 special teams snaps in his 11-year career, including 352 last season and 318 in 2021.

Bellore has played both fullback and linebacker in his career, with 231 career snaps on offense and 828 on defense.

The Jets signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2011, and he also has played for the 49ers and Lions. Bellore has played 184 career games.

[edindetroit]

I don't recall him.

[whatever_gong82]

I don't recall him.

He played with the Lions in 2017 and 2018, the last year (2017) Caldwell coached here and the first year (2018) under Patricia.

[Futureshock]

Report: Joe Lombardi to join Broncos coaching staff

Posted by Josh Alper on February 23, 2023, 2:16 PM EST

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One of Sean Payton‘s former assistants from New Orleans is reportedly joining him in Denver.

Mike Klis of KUSA reports that Joe Lombardi is set to take a job on Payton’s staff with the Broncos. Lombardi’s exact title is to be determined, but Klis reports that he could be the offensive coordinator.

That’s the same role that Lombardi had with the Chargers for the last two seasons, but he was let go after the end of their season. Lombardi spent the previous five seasons as Payton’s quarterbacks coach with the Saints and he had another four-year stint in that job sandwiched around two seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Lions.

If Lombardi is the offensive coordinator, the Broncos will have all three of their coordinators in place as they work to fill out Payton’s first staff in his new job.