Report: Lions, OC Anthony Lynn expected to part ways after season

A move that has been expected for a while now.

In a move that has been anticipated for the past several months, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting that the Detroit Lions and offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn “are expected to part ways following today’s game.”

After being fired from his head coaching duties with the Los Angeles Chargers following the 2020 season, Lynn contemplated taking a year away from football. But when Lions’ new head coach Dan Campbell came calling, Lynn jumped at the opportunity. Lynn, Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s relationships date back to their days with the Dallas Cowboys where Lynn was a position coach, and Campbell and Glenn were players.

The working relationship between the trio seemed like a perfect blend of coaching styles, but the offensive struggles in training camp carried over into the regular season, leaving the Lions desperate for answers.

Following the Lions’ bye, the Lions made a decision to remove play-calling duties from Lynn and Campbell took over, despite not having any previous experience calling plays. The struggles remained for a game or two, but eventually, Campbell settled in, added some other minds to the mix—notably tight ends coach Ben Johnson—and the offense found life in December.

While Lynn remained an important part of the game-planning process, it was clear his future in Detroit was coming to a close as his role was not as impactful as was originally hoped.

As the coaching carousel is about to be set in motion on Monday, the Lions will be on the lookout for a new offensive coordinator.