ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Detroit Lions owner Martha Ford was active in the entire process to hire New England’s Bob Quinn as the franchise’s new general manager.

And in Quinn, Ford said, “I just know that I think I have a winner.”

On paper, that’s clearly true as Quinn rose from intern to the director of pro scouting for the most successful franchise in the NFL over the past decade, the New England Patriots. Ford said she liked his enthusiasm and that he was prepared during his interviews with the Lions -- team president Rod Wood said he brought handouts as he explained his vision for the franchise -- and that they had “a good gut feeling” on him.

He’s also coming in directly from another organization, something the Lions have not done in their prior hires, either promoting from within (Martin Mayhew, Chuck Schmidt, Russ Thomas) or with no experience whatsoever (Matt Millen).

“I just thought,” Ford said, “we needed a fresh start.”

Here are some takeaways from the start of Quinn’s tenure with the Lions.

New GM Bob Quinn impressed with his intelligence and preparation during his interviews with the Lions. "I just know that I think I have a winner," team owner Martha Ford said. AP Photo/Duane Burleson

1. Expect some influx of how the Patriots do things, but not everything: The way Quinn knows is the Patriot Way. He’s been there his entire career, working his way up from an intern to the director of pro scouting before moving into the Lions general manager job Monday. He said he’s not going to “cut and paste” everything the Patriots did and bring it to Detroit, but that the success the Patriots had is something the Lions are going to strive for. His goal for culture with the Lions is “great work ethic and no egos.” He also said the decision-making process they had in New England is something he hopes to bring to Detroit.

2. Quinn will use analytics in the draft: It’ll be part of how Quinn evaluates players, but it won’t be his primary way of deciding the makeup of his roster and who he selects throughout his tenure as general manager. He said his primary way of breaking things down will come from watching players at practice throughout the week and then watching the film or practice and games. He’s still using his eyes as the main tool. Character will also be a big thing for him as he makes his evaluations. He said he has zero tolerance for two things: Domestic violence and dangerous weapons. Those are deal-breakers for him.

3. He is not a believer in timetables: Ask Quinn for a timetable on something and you won’t get an answer. He doesn’t have one for the decision on coach Jim Caldwell’s future. He doesn’t have one for when the Lions will win. He believes timetables are things “that gets you into trouble in the long run.” Instead of timetables, he’s about “the process” and that every day the Lions can do something to make sure they end up heading in the right direction.

4. Matthew Stafford is going nowhere: This wasn’t really a question, but Quinn essentially affirmed it Monday when he said he would consult with Stafford before making a decision on Caldwell’s future and that he looks forward to speaking with the quarterback. Quinn said Stafford is “a good quarterback. I think he’s the quarterback that we want here for the future.” He also indicated Stafford will be an important part of the conversation when it comes to deciding on the coaching staff.

5. Quinn is clearly very bright: He understands what he is getting into. Team president Rod Wood said Quinn asked about the team’s ownership succession plan after Martha Ford and that they gave him an answer that clearly satisfied him (Wood wouldn’t divulge that). He also made no declarations about what the Lions have on their roster because he’s only viewed it from afar instead of studying it up close. He deftly avoided any commitments to anything other than Stafford, from Caldwell to timetables to the relative strength or weakness of the Detroit roster.

6. He’s definitely a New Englander: He’s been from that region his entire life -- raised in Norwood, Massachusetts, educated in Storrs, Connecticut, and employed in Foxborough, Massachusetts. During the first few minutes of his opening statement, his Boston accent slipped out when referencing Bill Ford Jr. as Jun-yah. He grew up a Patriots fan and said his son, Kyle, might be wearing a Tom Brady or Julian Edelman jersey underneath his shirt. Quinn said he has aunts and uncles that live in the Detroit area, though.