Getty Stephen Tulloch celebrates a big play in 2015.
The Detroit Lions haven’t been doing great this season with a meager 1-3 record, and plenty of folks have felt compelled to speak out about the direction of the team.
Another former player has come forward with his disgust over where the team has been trending, and it’s linebacker Stephen Tulloch. On Twitter, Tulloch said he backs what Dan Orlovsky has been saying about Patricia, and admitted that he is frustrated watching his former team play now.
As a former captain and leader of @detroitlionsnfl its hard for me to watch my boys play. @dorlovsky said it best. Coach Caldwell had this team on the right track on and off the field. As a player who gave everything I had ever game, we need BETTER and we need it NOW……
Tulloch’s takeaway? The Lions need better than Patricia as a coach, and they need it now. Interestingly, it isn’t the first time the former linebacker has hammered the current staff on Twitter, but now, his calls have only seemingly grown in amplification given how poorly the team has played on the field.
It’s important to remember that Tulloch is loyal to Jim Caldwell and Jim Schwartz eras of football given he played for both coaches in Detroit, but his overall point sticks. The fans do deserve better than what the Lions are giving them on the field currently right now.
It will be interesting to see how vocal plenty of former Lions get regarding what’s happening in Detroit if the losing continues this season.
Dan Orlovsky: Matt Patricia Has ‘Failed’ With Lions
Orlovsky already unloaded once on Patricia, and when the chance came to question the coach more, he continued to go in on Patricia more on Tuesday. This time, Orlovsky explained how he thinks the coach has failed after taking over the Lions. It has to do with Patricia not delivering on his end of the bargain in terms of winning big games, which is why he was brought to town.
Orlovsky said:
“He says that there’s a lot of work to get done when he got to Detroit. My question is, what was the work? Was it rebuilding the roster? No, that roster was healthy. Was it becoming a consistent winner? No, Jim Caldwell won 36 games, tied for the most ever in the history of the Lions organization. Was it rebuilding the culture of the locker room? No, I was there, I was in it every single day. It was probably the best culture locker room wise I had been in my 12 career. Was it rebuilding the image in the community? Nope, that community loved that head coach and football team. So what was the work that you say needed to get done? If you’re going to tell me that the work was to win the games that were big game versus the teams that were winners and win the big division championships, fine, I’ll give you that. You failed at that. The truth is, if that’s the work, you failed at that. Then don’t start deflecting questions saying ‘I’m only going to talk about now.’ Don’t ask your players to be accountable to themselves if you can’t do that as a head coach.”
Patricia, presumably, was brought in to help with these elements but so far has not gotten the team into the playoffs or close to a division title much less win one.
For his part, Orlovsky is right when it comes to his critiques. Patricia was hired to win big games and he has failed at that thus far. There’s few ways to disagree with that given his 10-25-1 record.
Stephen Tulloch’s Stats
Tulloch broke into the league in 2006 as a fourth round pick of the Tennessee Titans. Under defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, he had a solid career in Tennessee and managed to earn a big free agent deal from the Lions in Detroit, where he’d join Schwartz as he became a head coach for the first time. With the Lions, Tulloch became a fan favorite for his aggressive play and his ability to cover ground on the field. Tulloch played from 2011-2015 with the Lions and then departed for Philadelphia. He played there for one season in 2016 and then retired from the league.
As a whole, Tulloch finished with a solid 949 tackles, 14.5 sacks, 5 interceptions, 12 fumble recoveries and 1 defensive touchdown in his career. Since his retirement, he has devoted himself to his charitable work and remains a fan favorite in Detroit not only for his play, but for his passion for the city and the team.
Tulloch’s passion for the team remains in spite of his retirement, which is admirable.
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‘We Need Better:’ Former Lions Linebacker Blasts Matt Patricia’s Leadership