Lions coach Jim Caldwell yesterday "offered a simple denial" when asked if race was playing a role in there being questions about his job security for next season, according to Kyle Meinke of MLIVE.com. Caldwell is the "first black coach in Lions history" and is 35-28 since his hiring in '14. That is the "best winning percentage of any non-interim coach in the Super Bowl era" for the Lions. He has "made the playoffs twice," but he "hasn't won a division championship either, hasn't won a playoff game and won't make the playoffs at all" in '17. The Port Huron Times Herald's Joseph Hayes wrote a column suggesting racism put Caldwell on the hot seat, but in response, Caldwell said, "They can read it and come to their own conclusion. You've never heard me blame anything in any point in time, make up any excuses about anything that we've ever done, and I never will" (MLIVE.com, 12/27). The TIMES HERALD's Hayes in the original column wrote under the header, "Detroit Lions Coach Jim Caldwell's Hot Seat Tied To Racism." Hayes wrote it has been "difficult to watch" how Caldwell "has been treated." What has followed since Caldwell's hire has been "historic success for the Lions and plenty of disrespect from fans and local media." For many Lions fans, Caldwell "can do nothing right." These are the same fans who "called African-Americans thugs for quietly taking a knee during the national anthem." They are the "same people who cheered with approval" when President Trump "called football players 'Sons of b------.'" Now, they "have the best coach in modern Lions history in their sights." Hayes: "And no, it’s not just because of the terrible loss [to the Bengals on Sunday]. For many, it’s because he has brown skin." Racism "still continues to affect African-Americans tied to sports, even on a national stage" (Port Huron TIMES HERALD, 12/27).
