He won't be the defensive coordinator, but 67-year-old Gunther Cunningham is returning to the Detroit Lions.
His title under new coach Jim Caldwell will be "senior coaching assistant," the club confirmed Wednesday. Cunningham also is expected to be involved with personnel evaluation.
It will be his 33rd season in the NFL. He spent the last five years as the defensive coordinator on coach Jim Schwartz's staff. Cunningham had one year remaining on his contract when Schwartz got fired.
Cunningham got his start in coaching in 1969 as the defensive line coach at the University of Arkansas. His first stint in the NFL came in 1982 with the old Baltimore Colts.
Cunningham's resume includes two seasons as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs (16-16 in 1999-2000). He's been a coordinator for three different teams in the league, including the Chiefs and Los Angeles Raiders.
