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The Detroit Lions announced today that they have hired Matt Patricia as the franchise’s new head coach.

“When we launched the search for our next head coach, I wanted to find a leader that could take us to the next level and I am confident we have found that in Matt Patricia," Lions executive VP and general manager Bob Quinn said in a statement. "He has been preparing for this opportunity his entire career, and he’s ready for the responsibility and its challenges."

Patricia brings to Detroit 20 years of coaching experience in the college and professional ranks, including the past 14 seasons with the New England Patriots. During his time in New England, Patricia helped lead the organization to three Super Bowl Championships, six AFC Championships and 13 AFC East Division Championships.

In all 14 of his seasons at the Patriots, New England finished with 10 or more wins, including 11 seasons with 12 or more wins.

Patricia, who has coached on both defense and offense, spent the last six seasons (2012-17) serving as the Patriots defensive coordinator following previous stints as the team’s safeties coach (2011), linebackers coach (2006-10), assistant offensive line coach (2005) and coaching assistant (2004). As defensive coordinator, he coached in three Super Bowls and six AFC Championship games.

In 2017, the Patriots ranked fifth in the NFL in points allowed per game (18.5) en route to a 13-3 record. New England held teams to 20 points or fewer in 11 games last year (2nd in NFL), including 10 games with 17 or fewer. In 2016, the team boasted the top-overall scoring defense in the NFL, allowing only 15.6 points per game.

Over the past six years, the Patriots, while accumulating an NFL-best 75-21 (.781) record during that span, rank second in points allowed (19.2), fourth in games allowing 20 points or fewer (53) and second in games allowing 17 points or fewer (47). The team’s 157 takeaways since 2012, which rank sixth in the NFL, also helped New England accumulate an NFL-best 71 turnover differential during that span. The Patriots won at least 12 games in each of those six seasons.

Since moving over to coach on the defensive side of the ball in 2006, Patricia assisted in the Patriots finishing among the top 10 in points allowed during 11 of his 12 seasons with the defense.

Patricia earned his start with the Patriots in 2004 where he began as a coaching assistant en route to the team’s victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX.

Meanwhile, reporting before the official announcement was made had indicated Patricia had already succeeded in hanging onto Jim Bob Cooter.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Lions will keep Cooter as their offensive coordinator.

As Profootballtalk.com's Darin Gantt suggests, keeping someone familiar with the offense can only help as Patricia transitions into his first head coaching job, and quarterback Matthew Stafford has lobbied to keep Cooter around as well.

"Jim Bob and I have a great relationship and ever since he's had the opportunity to take the reins, this offense has moved in the right direction in my opinion," Stafford recently said. "I feel like I'm playing some of the best football of my career, so I would love to have the opportunity to keep working with him. He's been good for us and good for me."

Since Cooter replaced Joe Lombardi as offensive coordinator midway through the 2015 season, Stafford has completed 66.3 percent of his passes and cut down dramatically on his turnovers.

He completed just 60.1 percent of his passes before Cooter took over as play-caller, and this year the Lions finished seventh in the NFL in points scored.

"I think continuity is important in this league to a certain extent and I voiced my opinions earlier just a second ago on our guys on the offensive staff," Stafford said. "I think they do a good job, I think our offense is going in the right direction, I think our team is close so we'll see what happens."

And Patricia apparently agrees. We'll continue to follow up as needed.