Time management is apparently not a strong suit of Matt Patricia's.
The Lions head coach has frequently been late to press conferences in his first season in charge in Detroit, and apparently his inability to show up on time is not limited to media sessions. According to a report from the Detroit Free Press this week, he's also been routinely late for his own team meetings throughout the year.
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An anonymous former Lions said that Patricia was consistently tardy for scheduled meetings over the course of several months while the player was with the team. That player reportedly asked to remain anonymous as to not hurt his shot at employment with another team.
Matt Patricia has arrived at the announced time of his press conference once this year. I've never seen any pro or college coach struggle with punctuality anywhere near this degree.
— Justin Rogers (@Justin_Rogers) December 26, 2018
Patricia was 15 minutes late for his weekly meeting with the media on Wednesday, even after the session was pushed back 30 minutes from its original scheduled time. When the first-year head coach was asked about the importance he places on punctuality, his answer was more of a non-answer.
"I think it just depends on the situation really," Patricia said. "It depends. There's a pretty busy schedule from those situations I think for everybody. I think fluidity is probably the best answer for you."
Patricia has had a tumultuous first year in Detroit after leaving his defensive coordinator post with the New England Patriots. The Lions are are 5-10 and have had been frustratingly inconsistent. There's also been plenty of drama to be had in Detroit as well, as many players have reportedly taken issue with some of Patricia's leadership tactics -- especially with regards to how the team practices.
Earlier this year, Patricia chided a reporter for having bad posture during a press conference, telling them to "have a little respect for the process." It would appear that showing up on time may not be part of having respect for the process.