ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Free Press has run an editorial arguing Jim Caldwell is on the hot seat because of racism. Asked about it, the Lions coach offered a simple denial.

"No," he said.

Caldwell, the first black coach in Lions history, is 35-28 at the helm in Detroit. That's the best winning percentage of any non-interim coach in the Super Bowl era. He's pushed the division race to the final day of the season twice, and made the playoffs twice. But he hasn't won a division championship either, hasn't won a playoff game and won't make the playoffs at all in 2017 after a loss on Sunday against the lowly Bengals.

That has thrust Caldwell's job security back to the fore. This is a place he's been before, after the 1-7 start in 2015 that sparked an organizational shakeup, and the 0-4 finish in 2016 that cost Detroit the North title in the season finale. GM Bob Quinn elected to retain him both times, and a similar evaluation is expected take place next week.

But the Free Press column, written by Joseph Hayes, argues that the hot seat talk is tied to Caldwell's skin color.

"For many Lions fans, Caldwell can do nothing right," Hayes writes. "These are the same fans that called African-Americans thugs for quietly taking a knee during the national anthem. These are the same people who cheered with approval when President Donald Trump called football players 'Sons of b------.'

"Now, these 'fans' have the best coach in modern Lions history in their sights. And no, it's not just because of the terrible loss to Cincinnati. For many, it's because he has brown skin."

The column was written without asking Caldwell for comment, though Caldwell was asked about it by beat writers after it ran. His message for people who think this?

"They can read it and come to their own conclusion," he said. "You've never heard me blame anything in any point in time, make up any excuses about anything that we've ever done, and I never will. I've been around a long time. My father wouldn't allow me to do it when I was a kid. So, no difference today."

If not racism, then why does he think he's been on the hot seat?

"It's part of our business," Caldwell said. "That's kind of the way it goes. That's every year, right? Told you guys a story a long time ago about Marty Schottenheimer. Got fired at 14-2. So anything less than a Super Bowl, obviously it could happen."