Report: Lions to hire Saints QB coach Joe Lombardi as offensive coordinator

Joe Lombardi is the grandson of legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi. (Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

The Lions' offseason overhaul of their coaching staff began with the hiring of Jim Caldwell as head coach. The team will also add an offensive coordinator with an NFL legacy. ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported Tuesday morning that Saints quarterbacks coach Joe Lombardi will become the Lions' new offensive coordinator. Lombardi is the grandson of legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi.

The Lions likely hope Lombardi's five years of experience coaching Saints Pro Bowl quarterback Drew Brees will help stabilize Detroit franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford. Lombardi's bio page on the Saints' media site credits him with helping Brees post huge passing statistics including two of the most productive seasons by an NFL quarterback. In 2011, Brees completed 468-of-657 passes (71.2%) for 5,476 yards with 46 touchdowns and a 110.6 passer rating. In 2012, Brees completed 422-of-670 passes for 5,177 yards with 43 touchdowns and a 96.3 passer rating, leading the league in yardage and scoring passes.

After a 6-3 start to the 2013 season, Stafford was inconsistent and took some of the blame during the Lions' second-half slump that resulted in a 7-9 finish and no playoff berth.

MMQB: Richard Sherman: Why I called out Michael Crabtree

Lombardi is a graduate of the Air Force Academy and his coaching resume includes stops at Mercyhurst, Bucknell, VMI, Dayton and the XFL.