Rod Wood seems like a nice guy.
And he accomplished enough in the financial realm to be trusted by the Ford family as team president of the Detroit Lions. This isn’t meant to diminish his business career.
But the thought of Wood as part of the process, minimally, let alone significantly, in the Lions’ search for a head coach and general manager is disconcerting. It is a classic example of why the Fords have failed to put a winning product on the field.
It’s Sheila Ford Hamp’s ball. Whether this town likes it or not, she is the owner. Somebody interviewing for either position would, obviously, understand.
Yet, it’s Wood’s role that raises eyebrows. Perception is, he is the biggest influence on Ford Hamp.
Why?
Wood has no background in football. None. Zero.
The optics are he is the family accountant (Wood headed Ford Estates for several years prior to being named team president). He was put in this position by Martha Ford mere days after Tom Lewand was fired in 2015. There was no detailed search for the position.
The second biggest complaint I have heard from Lions fans down through the years is the Fords are only concerned about the financial bottom line, and don’t care about winning.
The first is they are clueless about football.
Wood fits the narrative, fairly or unfairly, on both fronts.
There is also the perception, again fairly or unfairly, the Ford in charge always has someone unqualified, or who has already clearly failed, in their ear. For the late William Clay Ford Sr. it was Russ Thomas and Matt Millen, and Wood for Martha Ford and, now, her daughter.
This can hurt the search. Word spreads fast in the league about such circumstances. It can hinder who can be hired, especially if the leading candidates have multiple options during an offseason such as this one when there will be many NFL coaching and GM vacancies.
There is also the measure of the Lions as a business entity. It is not successful by NFL standards.
According to reporting by Forbes.com in September, the Lions’ annual operating income of $43 million is by far the NFL low. Only two franchises, each in considerably smaller markets (Cincinnati and Buffalo), are worth less than the Lions at $2.1 billion.
The Lions' NFC rivals are worth much more: The Bears $3.52 billion, Packers $3.05 billion and Vikings $2.95 billion. Minneapolis/St. Paul and Green Bay are smaller markets than Detroit. The Packers play in a stadium built in the 1950s, the Bears in one opened in 1924 and renovated about the same time Ford Field, as newly constructed, was completed.
There is plenty on the business side for Wood to focus on, especially in the midst of a pandemic, including branding a franchise that is somehow vilified as much as it is deeply loved.
One of Ford Hamp’s greatest challenges is to find trusted sounding boards other than Wood in regard to football, not necessarily via request to the league, but networking -- yu know, like top leaders do instinctively and routinely.
It should not be, “OK, Rod, now what do we do?”
Because that only seems like a recipe for another Lions’ on-field disaster.
