Lions hire Jim Caldwell as coach

— -- ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The Detroit Lions have hired Jim Caldwell as head coach, ending a two-week search during which they interviewed only four candidates.

The 58-year-old Caldwell fit a lot of the criteria Detroit had during its search. The Lions wanted someone with head-coaching experience and experience on offense, apparently preferably with quarterbacks.

"On behalf on my entire family, I want to express how thrilled we are with the appointment of Jim Caldwell as our new head coach," Lions owner and chairman William Clay Ford said. "We believe Jim is the right man to lead our team and deliver a championship to our fans."

Caldwell became the second minority candidate to land a head-coaching job this month, joining new Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith.

"To be openly frank, we felt that he should be the guy," Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation chairman John Wooten said Tuesday afternoon. "We really wanted him in that particular team. Thought it was an excellent fit."

Caldwell was the first person to interview for the Detroit job, followed by former Texans coach Gary Kubiak, former Titans coach Mike Munchak and former Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt.

Detroit was spurned by Whisenhunt, thought to be the top choice, on Monday when he chose the Titans job.

Caldwell has been a head coach at two prior stops -- from 2009 to 2011 with the Colts and from 1993 to 2000 with Wake Forest. He replaces Jim Schwartz, who was fired following Detroit's late-season collapse that resulted in a 7-9 finish.

Caldwell, who turns 59 on Thursday, posted a 26-22 record in three seasons after replacing Tony Dungy in Indianapolis. The Colts reached the Super Bowl in Caldwell's first season at the helm and went to the playoffs the following season. In fact, C Joe Flacco, who Caldwell was brought in to mentor, threw more interceptions (22) than touchdown passes (19) this season.

Caldwell, a defensive back at Iowa from 1973 to 1976, has spent the entirety of his coaching career on offense, including at Penn State as quarterbacks coach from 1986 to 1992.

ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter contributed to this report.