Lions Rumors Reveal Mike McDaniel, Zac Robinson and More OC Candidates After John Morton Firing

The Detroit Lions reportedly are eyeing veteran coordinators and former head coaches for their offensive coordinator vacancy.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported the Lions requested an interview with Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith on Thursday.

Rapoport previously reported that the Lions are interested in former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who is a "top candidate for any open offensive coordinator job."

Detroit is also interviewing former Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, per Rapoport.

The Lions as well as the Washington Commanders will also both interview Baltimore Ravens quarterbacks coach Tee Martin for their vacant OC jobs next week, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Despite McDaniel's firing in Miami after consecutive losing seasons, he remains one of the NFL's most respected offensive minds. In one season in San Francisco as the offensive coordinator (2021) he led the Niners to a top-10 offense in yardage, while his Dolphins teams finished top-11 in both yards and points in each of his first two seasons.

But Tua Tagovailoa's injury history and overall decline, paired with issues within the locker room and a draining of the overall talent, saw the team struggle far more in the past two years.

The Lions, meanwhile, were one of the most explosive and exciting offenses in football during Ben Johnson's tenure as the offensive coordinator in the 2022-24 seasons. But he took his dynamic offense to Chicago this past season and was replaced by John Morton, who was stripped of his play-calling duties by head coach Dan Campbell in Week 10 and was fired on Tuesday.

The Lions finished 9-8 this season and were far less consistent on offense than in years past, namely on the ground. In 2024 under Johnson, the team ranked sixth in rushing offense (146.4 YPG). This year, they ranked 14th (120.1 YPG).

McDaniel's scheme, namely through the air, would line up well with Detroit's personnel and speed at the skill positions. Players like Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and De'Von Achane thrived under his system; imagine Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs filling those roles.

Of course, with plenty of head-coaching vacancies at the moment, it's possible that McDaniel will quickly land another gig leading a team. He'd be one of the better candidates on the market alongside John Harbaugh and Kevin Stefanski. He'll have his pick of the litter as an offensive coordinator if he doesn't like the head-coaching offers available, however.