This always felt like it was going to be the right decision.
Sure, Jim Caldwell was not hired by his current boss, Bob Quinn. Yes, there have been -- and probably will continue to be -- questions about some of the decisions Caldwell makes as head coach of the Detroit Lions.
But Caldwell did what was asked of him this season. He improved the Lions and got them to the playoffs for the second time in his three years as coach. He continued to use his biggest strength -- being able to hold a locker room together and keep it motivated even during difficult times -- to go from a 1-3 start to a 9-7 record.