Allen Park — It’s been well-documented how many former players the Detroit Lions have on the coaching staff. On the Wednesday before the season opener, the team added another.
Two weeks after the team cut linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton, he’s back with the Lions in a defensive coaching role.
A waiver claim in Jan. 2021, Hamilton never played in a regular-season game with the Lions after suffering a season-ending injury during training camp last year. A sixth-round draft pick out of Alabama in 2018, he concludes his playing career having appeared in 46 games, all for the Washington Commanders. He turns 27 years old this Sunday.
Interestingly, when the Lions conducted a player-run practice days before the team’s preseason finale, it was Hamilton who handled play-calling for the defense. Clearly, he showed enough potential in that role to merit an opportunity to join Dan Campbell’s staff.
Hamilton joins a lengthy list of former NFL players on Campbell’s staff. That group consists of defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard, running backs coach Duce Staley, quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell, wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El, offensive line coach Hank Fraley, as well as Campbell himself.
jdrogers@detroitnes.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers