DETROIT, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- Detroit Lions Coach Steve Mariucci said Wednesday he strongly considered taking some time off, but finally decided he would rather be working that resting.
"It sounded good, taking a sabbatical," Mariucci said at his introductory news conference. "But I'm a football coach. I don't sit around. It's a fantastic opportunity."
Mariucci was fired by the San Francisco 49ers after putting together a 60-43 record in six seasons. His dismissal came three days after the 49ers suffered a 31-6 loss to eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay in the divisional round of the playoffs.
The Lions fired Coach Marty Mornhinweg on Jan. 27 and Mariucci received a phone call from team president Matt Millen that made him change his mind about a rest period.
"I was strongly considering taking the year off," Mariucci said. "I've had plenty of stops. We've been around the block a bit.
"I seriously considered taking a little time off to be with my family, learn to fish, hunt and golf -- things I chose not to do when I chose football."
But Mariucci, a Michigan native, took a tour of Ford Field and the Lions' practice facility.
If Mariucci needed any additional prodding, it came from Michigan State basketball Coach Tom Izzo, who grew up with Mariucci in Iron Mountain, Mich. and is one of his closest friends. Izzo made the drive from East Lansing to discuss the opportunity.
"We spoke for almost the entire night, entertaining thoughts of moving to Detroit," Mariucci said.
The 47-year-old Mariucci returned to California, worked out the final contract details and flew back to Detroit on Tuesday night.
There were reports the contract is for five years and worth $25 million. That would equal Steve Spurrier of the Washington Redskins for the highest annual salary among NFL coaches.
Mike Holmgren of the Seattle Seahawks makes $4.5 million annually and Bill Parcells of the Dallas Cowboys signed for $4.25 million per year.
Lions owner William Clay Ford had announced on New Year's Eve that both Millen and Mornhinweg would return in 2003, despite Detroit's 5-27 record in their first two seasons. But when San Francisco fired Mariucci on Jan. 15, Millen decided to seize the opportunity and fired Mornhinweg less than two weeks later.
Millen wanted Mariucci to coach the Lions two years ago but was unable to lure him out of San Francisco and settled for Mornhinweg, Mariucci's offensive coordinator from 1997-2000.
This time, Millen would not be denied in his determination to hire Mariucci. But Millen's focus on Mariucci drew strong criticism from civil rights attorneys Johnnie Cochran and Cyrus Mehri.
The NFL mandates franchises interview minority candidates for head coach and high-ranking front office positions.
"The Lions have seriously threatened to undermine and potentially violate the new NFL minority hiring policy approved by team owners in December," Cochran and Mehri said in a statement Tuesday.
"Prior to conducting a single interview, general manager Matt Millen essentially crowned Steve Mariucci as the Lions' new head coach. He might well have put up a sign at Lions headquarters reading, 'Head Coaching Vacancy: Minorities Need Not Apply.'"
According to the Detroit Free Press, the Lions approached five minority candidates, including former Minnesota Vikings coach Dennis Green and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Tim Lewis, but they were rejected because Mariucci was the obvious front-runner.
Sherman Lewis, who was named the Lions' offensive coordinator last month, denied a report that he interviewed for the job.
