Behind Enemy Lines- Schwartz Gets Extension

How do you reward a coach that has had 4 different players arrested 6 times during one off season?  If you are the Detroit Lions, those kind of statistics earn you a contract extension.  The terms of the extension were not disclosed, but Jim Schwartz was about to begin his last season under his original four year contract he signed when joining the Lions before signing an extension Friday.

Even though the incredible lack of discipline has been running  throughout the organization from Ndamukong Suh’s actions on the field, to all the arrests off the field, one thing that cannot be argued is the tremendous turnaround in the win column since Schwartz took over as head coach. Schwartz was hired as head coach after taking over for current Bears defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli , who departed after going  0-16 in 2008.  Schwartz’s Lions records have improved each season going from 2-14, 6-10, to 10-6 and a playoff appearance in 2011.

The playoff appearance by the Lions was their first one since 1999, well before Matt Millen personally tried to destroy the franchise one decision at a time and send the organization into Lake Erie.  Ever since Schwartz’s  back slap controversy with Jim Harbaugh after their loss to the San Fransico 49ers, the Lions discipline has virtually disappeared. It’s kind of curious that even though Schwartz has turned around the win column that the Lions committed to him long term without seeing if he can turnaround the discipline column.

It was BEARly worth mentioning, but they are our rivals!