The Detroit Lions and New York Giants interviewed Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia on the same day last week
The last time the Lions hired a head coach, they missed out on their top choice despite having strong ties to the candidate.
According to a new report on SI.com, the Lions could be headed down the same path again.
While the Lions appear to have zeroed in on New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia as their top candidate, Patricia reportedly "favors the Giants."
Patricia, who interviewed with the Lions and Giants on the same day last week, grew up in Sherrill, N.Y., about halfway between Utica and Syracuse. He was a San Francisco 49ers fan as a kid, though friends said he also had an affinity for the Giants, and his wife also is from out east.
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While several former NFL executives and coaches told the Free Press the Lions' had the best of the six job openings this offseason, the Giants are an attractive landing spot given the history of their storied franchise.
The Giants went through major turmoil while going 3-13 this year and might say good-bye to two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Eli Manning, but they own the second pick in April's NFL draft and were a playoff team a season ago.
In 2014, the Lions, with Martin Mayhew as general manager, hoped to hire Ken Whisenhunt as head coach, only to have Whisenhunt take the Tennessee Titans job instead.
Whisenhunt, a former teammate of Mayhew's who started his coaching career at Vanderbilt, was fired midway through his second season with a 3-20 record.
The Lions had a plane waiting to fly to San Diego for Whisenhunt on the day he accepted the Titans job. Less than 24 hours later, they hired Jim Caldwell as head coach.
Caldwell led the team to two playoff appearances in four seasons before he was fired on New Year's Day.
