Detroit Lions coach Jim Caldwell spoke briefly Monday on last week's election.

“I think I try to always use the platform for what it’s meant for and that’s obviously to talk about our team and those kinds of things. The other things I leave to another private setting of some sort,” Caldwell said. “But I think the big thing is that, to me what’s important and this is all I’m going to say about it is leadership’s important. And I do know for a fact that had I voiced some of the same opinions of some of our candidates, I probably wouldn’t have a job within five minutes that I walked off this stage. Some of you as well.

“But yet, the person can become the leader of the free world. So, you know, it’s a different time and place and we’re moving forward.”

Caldwell also mentioned that his players are free to speak their minds.

“We have a lot of very intelligent free-thinkers that certainly have a sense of direction and what they like, what they don’t like, what they respect, what they don’t respect and things of that nature,” Caldwell said. “I don’t have to talk about it. We’re going to talk about football at this point in time. That’s all we’re going to talk about. That’s where our focus is.”