The Detroit Lions continue the process of interviewing for their vacant general manager job, and have announced they completed an interview with New Orleans Saints vice president/assistant general manager – pro personnel Terry Fontenot.
This past season was Fontenot's 16th season with the Saints organization and sixth as director of pro scouting. His responsibilities in managing the pro personnel department include recommending player acquisitions by evaluating players from all professional leagues, including the Saints roster, monitoring the waiver wire and supervising the advance scouting of upcoming opponents, per the New Orleans Saints website
Fontenot spent seven seasons as a pro scout before his promotion. He also assisted in the team's draft preparations and the weekly advance scouting of upcoming opponents.
Fontenot has spent his entire NFL career with the Saints organization and has held multiple positions in the scouting department, including as a pro scouting assistant and as an assistant in player personnel.
Fontenot was made general manager Mickey Loomis' right-hand man in 2020 when his role expanded to become vice president/assistant general manager.
He's been with the organization since 2003, and has been part of six division titles, eight playoff wins and a Super Bowl title.
The Lions have conducted seven general manager interviews so far with external candidates Thomas Dimitroff, Scott Pioli, Louis Riddick and Rick Smith, and with internal candidates Kyle O'Brien, Lance Newmark and Rob Lohman.
"What we're really looking for is a culture that is open, inclusive, where everybody is pulling together as a team, and in one word, communication is paramount and everybody is doing the right thing for the Detroit Lions," Lions president Rod Wood said Friday of what the team is looking for in their new GM and head coach.
"So, the people that we're looking for and the people that we're bringing in to interview, I think, exhibit those traits. As we go through the interview process, hopefully we find people that we're 100% confident will be the right people for the organization."
