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Lions beat writer Tom Kowalski joined Bill Simonson on "The Huge Show" to talk about the search for Detroit's next head coach. When asked, Kowalski said the top candidate for the job right now is Tennessee defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.

"I think it's Schwartz, I believe that. I think it's Schwartz and then (Minnesota defensive coordinator Leslie) Frazier and (Miami assistant head coach Todd) Bowles are kind of 2a and 2b," Kowalski said. "Right now, they're looking for a guy who believes in the same things they believe in. And if you look at the Tennessee Titans, that's the kind of team you want to mold yourself after."

Former Detroit Lions quarterback coach Scot Loeffler, who recently took a job with the University of Florida, still had a year left on his contract and the Lions didn't want him to leave.

Lions kicker Jason Hanson is still piling up the credentials to make a run at the Hall of Fame some day, but part of him -- or at least his uniform -- is already there.

After several sources, including NationalFootballPost.com, reported that Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett had withdrawn his name from consideration from the Lions head coaching job, comes this: The Lions already have interviewed Garrett.

AP PhotoReleasing quarterback Daunte Culpepper would save the Detroit Lions $5 million on next year's salary cap.

ALLEN PARK -- As the Detroit Lions continue their search for a new coach, one of the drawbacks to the job is the team's talent-challenged roster.

However, the Lions offer a couple of positives for a new coach: a lot of draft choices and a great deal of room under the salary cap. The Lions are expected to make a major overhaul of their roster in the offseason, and they are in position to do it.

After going 0-16, the Lions have eight draft picks, including five in the first 82 overall picks.

DETROIT (AP) - A Detroit News sports columnist has left the paper, two weeks after he was criticized for asking Lions coach Rod Marinelli if he had wished his daughter married a better defensive coordinator.

UPDATED AT 7:55 p.m.

The interviews for head coaching candidates around the league are starting to heat up and the Lions are staying busy. According to a league source, Miami Dolphins assistant head coach/secondary coach Todd Bowles will interview with the Lions tomorrow. Bowles is then expected to fly to Denver on Thursday to interview with the Broncos.

Former Lions president Matt Millen will be part of NBC's Super Bowl coverage.

ALLEN PARK -- Matt Millen is going to the Super Bowl.

After eight years of the most crushing failure by any team president or general manager in modern sports history, Millen is being rewarded with riches and fame.

His return to the broadcast booth was trumpeted Monday by NBC, which sent out a glowing news release on Millen's upcoming appearance for its Super Bowl coverage.

There is an unprecedented lockdown of information coming out of the Detroit Lions' front office about the potential candidates for the team's vacant head coaching job, according to Lions insider Tom Kowalski. He tells Stoney and Wojo of WDFN-AM Detroit that new president Tom Lewand and general manager Martin Mayhew are keeping the information to themselves and taking their time so they can make the right decision to help the franchise rebound from its worst season ever.

Grand Rapids Press columnist Brian VanOchten joined Bill Simonson inside the "GR Press Box" to talk about the latest in the Detroit Lions' search for a new coach.

In his news and notes tidbit today, Michael Lombardi dropped a small bomb -- the Lions have an interest in Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh.

Unlike last week, when the Lions could interview head coaches but not offer them jobs, that situation is completely different this week.