Despite cries from fans, radio hosts and sportswriters to fire Detroit Lions' coach Matt Patricia, he will return for the next season, Sports Illustrated reports, citing "several league sources."



Coach Matt Patricia (Photo: Detroit Lions)

"There does not appear to be many signs that the Lions and Patricia are operating like they are coaching for their jobs," one league source tells Sports Illustrated Lions Maven, a blog that tracks the Lions.

Two key factors for this return: Patricia has srong locker room support and quarterback Matthew Stafford was missing during part of the season.

While the offense has looked strong, even without Stafford, the defense has been horrible. Some scratch their heads about the defense considering that Patricia headed a stellar defense in New England for six years.

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Michael James: Even Bo Schembechler Would Fire Michigan's Jim Harbaugh, Dec. 1