Matt Patricia Provides Update on Lions' Day-to-Day Operations
Working from home has become a new norm for many Americans in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including for Lions head man Matt Patricia.
Typically, Patricia and his staff would right now be conducting their draft preparation from the team's practice facility in Allen Park.
Not the case for Patricia & Co. this year.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's shelter-in-place order for non-essential employees has forced a large sect of the state's population to stay at home.
Meanwhile, the NFL has proceeded to close down team facilities across the league in order to aid in the effort to "flatten the curve" of the coronavirus.
It has meant a lot more time at home than usual for Patricia with his wife and three children.
"Normally we are just quarantined at the office," Patricia said during an interview Friday on WJR 760. "That's pretty much what we do. This is by far the most I've ever been home, probably in my entire working career in football. There are certainly parts of it we're trying to figure out, but honestly, I love my kids, I love my wife. I's great to be around them and just to be in a situation where everybody, first and foremost, is safe and healthy. That's the important thing."
Patricia has still managed to keep his attention on the draft, despite the unique circumstances for the NFL with an ongoing pandemic that has caused all other major pro sports leagues to suspend operations.
But the need to work remotely has definitely caused Patricia & Co. to operate in a fashion that they weren't previously accustomed to.
"It's obviously a unique situation for all of us, not to be hands-on, working directly with everybody," Patricia said. "We (normally) have a lot of meetings, group meetings, being able to watch film and being able to discuss topics in that board-room setting. It's been a little bit of a different challenge for us, but there are different apps and software out there that we're using right now to kind of be able to do those things, which is great, so we can stay on top of the work that needs to be done."
The Lions are on the clock in the 2020 draft for the first time at No. 3 overall, and have a total of nine picks.
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