DETROIT -- Jim Caldwell won more often than any other Lions coach in the Super Bowl era. He won more often in the division than any other Lions coach, too.

But in four years, he never won anything that mattered either. Never won a division title, despite twice taking the race to the last day of the season. Never won a playoff game, despite going twice in four years.

And after missing the playoffs entirely in 2017, GM Bob Quinn decided he has seen enough.

The Lions fired Caldwell on Monday morning, just hours after wrapping up the 2017 season by thumping Green Bay 35-11 at Ford Field. And make no mistake, there was no more fitting end for the Caldwell era than that -- overwhelming an overmatched opponent in a game that didn't mean anything.

Caldwell went 36-28 at the helm in Detroit, the best record of any coach in the modern era. But he was also just 4-23 against winning teams, and that ultimately proved to be his downfall.

He positioned the Lions to win their first division title since 1993 last year. They had a two-game lead with three to go. But each game was against a contender, and the Lions lost all of them. They watched the Packers beat them on their own turf in the finale, and snatch away the crown on the last day of the season for the second time in three years.

But Quinn stuck with Caldwell again, giving him a public endorsement heading into the playoff loss in Seattle. He even secretly signed Caldwell to an extension, and the Lions didn't announce the deal until they started the season 2-0.

In the end, the season proved to be more of the same. The Lions finished 9-7, their second straight winning season. But they went 1-7 against teams that finished above .500, and missed the playoffs.

With that, Quinn decided to make a change.

Now he will make his own hire for the first time, after retaining Caldwell each of his first two seasons in Detroit. He can begin that proceess immediately by interviewing coaches who either didn't make the playoffs or are on first-round byes. He can interview coaches on wild-card teams next week.

Matt Patricia is sure to be a trendy name to watch. He's the defensive coordinator for the Patriots, well-regarded around the league for his system and considered one of the hottest coaching names in America. But New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is sure to draw long looks for head coaching jobs this offseason too. And if Quinn prefers a candidate with some experience, and some offensive expertise for Matthew Stafford, then the former Broncos boss could be the pick.

Quinn has connections to both coordinators from his nearly two decades in New England, where he rose through the scouting department before his hire in Detroit.

"I think they're both ready and willing to be head coaches," Quinn said after he was hired by the Lions.

Quinn thoroughly evaluated Caldwell that offseason, though, and wound up keeping him over making his own hire.

"After spending a significant amount of time together, it is clear that our football philosophies are very similar," Quinn said in a statement. "Not only did he lead the Lions to the playoffs his first season here, but when you look at how the players responded the second half of last season, under difficult circumstances, it's clear to me that this team believes in him and responds positively to his leadership."

And all this time later, Caldwell is still well-regarded by his players for his leadership.

"He's a great coach," defensive end Ezekiel Ansah said Sunday. "He doesn't only teach us how to be football players. He teaches us how to be responsible men. It's not all about football. He made us understand that people are going through tough times, tougher than this. And as much as we'd love to be in the playoffs, you've got to be able to overcome.

"Jim is a great man. And I wouldn't trade him for nobody else."

Jim Caldwell the man was never in doubt. But after another season of empty accomplishments, Jim Caldwell the coach was.

"My job when I came here was to win it all," he said. "That's what every coach is in it to do. And anything short of that is unacceptable, plain and simple."

He got four tries at it, and he won't get another.