Over the weekend, rumors emerged that the Detroit Lions had not finished closing the service team, despite the hiring of general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell. On Sunday afternoon, this mystery was solved.
As first reported by Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, and confirmed by many others, Lions must hire former Chiefs and Browns general manager John Dorsey for an unspecified role within the organization.
Dorsey began his career in the early 1990s as a scout for the Green Bay Packers. He spent a year as a team player director with the Seahawks before resigning and returning to the Packers in 2000. From there, he worked his way from director of college scouts to director of football operations before hitting his first chance to general manager.
In his seven collective years of general management for the Chiefs and Browns, Dorsey was responsible for the selections of players like Patrick Mahomes, Kareem Hunt, Eric Fisher, Travis Kelce, Marcus Peters, Tyreek Hill, Baker Mayfield, Denzel Ward and Nick Chubb.
In 2020, Dorsey served as an office assistant for the Eagles, but according to Zach Berman of The Athletic, your role with Lions will be greater than that.
That said, there is some risk associated with Dorsey. There are some concerns about Dorsey’s behavior in the workplace. Here is Jeff Risdon from Lions Wire and Browns Wire:
This was also a legacy of his experience in Kansas City. Dorsey has a conflicted nature with him when stressed, and he doesn’t react well with those who don’t fall at the same pace. That’s why he left the Chiefs.
For someone to enter an environment in an unconventional power structure focused on building a cooperative culture, there is no doubt that Dorsey would be a risk.
That said, in the same article, Risdon fully supported the idea of Dorsey coming and helping a new general manager, which seems to be exactly what Lions are doing.
“I would love to see Dorsey come to Detroit as Director of Football Operations to help a new GM, if the 60-year-old former Packers linebacker is willing.”