Washington coach Bill Callahan has close source on Lions' Matthew Stafford, Jeff Driskel

Allen Park — Washington interim coach Bill Callahan has a close connection to some possible perspective on the Lions quarterback room.

His son, Brian Callahan, has coached Matthew Stafford and Jeff Driskel, the Lions possible starting quarterbacks on Sunday in the nation's capital.

The younger Callahan was the Lions quarterbacks coach for two years starting in 2016 under head coach Jim Caldwell and offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter.

Under Callahan, Stafford led Detroit to a pair of 9-7 seasons, including directing a series of fourth-quarter comebacks to lift the Lions to the playoffs in 2016. The seasons were two of Stafford’s best across the board statistically.

After a season as quarterbacks coach in Oakland last year, Brian Callahan was hired as an offensive coordinator this offseason in Cincinnati, his first position at that level in the league.

There, Driskel was fighting for a roster spot with the Bengals after they drafted Ryan Finley in the fourth round out of North Carolina State.

Cincinnati went with the rookie and Driskel was cut by the Bengals, signing with Detroit a few days later two games games into the Lions’ season.

“I don’t know if it helps at all,” Bill Callahan said Wednesday. “Matt has a ton of experience in the system that he’s been in, and I think Jeff is coming into a system now that he is learning and trying to pick up and do well.”

Matt Schoch is a freelance writer.