3 Critical Mistakes Made by Martha Ford

These three errors made by the Lions' former owner set the franchise back. Read more.

Martha Firestone Ford ran the Detroit Lions for the better part of six years. 

There was a number of positive things instituted by the Lions' former principal owner, including upgrades at Ford Field, strong community efforts and contributions and a commitment to the health and well-being of former military men and women.

The struggles on the field, though, have plagued the Ford family for nearly six decades. 

Here are three critical mistakes Firestone Ford made during her tenure as owner of the Lions:

Firing Jim Caldwell 

Caldwell is undoubtedly among the the best coaches in Lions history. 

The team’s first and only Black head coach was fired after a 9-7 season in 2018.

The reason provided was that the 9-7 mark was no longer the standard for Detroit. 

Matt Patricia was brought in to take the team forward. Instead, the organization has only won nine games in the past two seasons. 

Caldwell’s winning percentage (56.3 percent) in his four years as head man was the best of any Lions coach in the past 60 years.

Offering to donate money to players' causes to prevent kneeling back in 2017

Three years ago, Ford requested that players stand for the national anthem instead of kneeling.

In exchange, she offered to donate her money to players' causes in order to ease the growing tension among fans that voiced their displeasure at the sight of silent protesting.

Had she decided to take a stand and be at the forefront of a growing movement, it's possible the NFL would not be revisiting silent protests only three years later.

Keeping Matt Patricia following a 3-12-1 season

“(Firing Patricia) would have been the popular choice, the popular decision, and we knew that. But, as I say, we’re doing what is right for the organization," new principal owner Sheila Ford Hamp said last year.

By retaining Patricia, Detroit is hoping that his message finally is received and applied on the football field. 

Through his first two years on the job, Patricia has struggled to instill his defensive principles, and his defense in 2019 was among the organization's worst-ever.

Ford must have believed in the "Patriot Way" since her roster is now filled with ex-Patriots players.

A fresh start, instead, just may have been what the organization needed. 

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