The Detroit Lions are adding a former head coach to their defensive staff.
ESPN reported Tuesday that ex-Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos head coach John Fox appears headed to the Lions as a senior defensive consultant.
Fox served in a similar role with the Indianapolis Colts last season.
The Lions tied for 28th in the NFL in points allowed last season (25.1 ppg) and finished last in yards allowed, and they lost their most senior defensive assistant, defensive line coach Todd Wash, to the Panthers.
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Aaron Glenn will return for a third season as defensive coordinator, but the Lions have an otherwise young defensive staff with cornerbacks coach Dre Bly in his first season as a full-time NFL assistant, linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard in his third and new defensive line coach John Scott Jr. in his third.
The Lions employed ex-Panthers and Houston Texans coach Dom Capers, a longtime NFL assistant, as a senior defensive assistant in 2021, but did not have that position on staff last season. Senior offensive assistant John Morton left to be pass game coordinator for the Denver Broncos.
Fox, who led the Panthers and Broncos to the Super Bowl, specializes in coaching the 4-3 defense with quarters coverage. The Lions played primarily out of a 4-3 set with some 3-4 principles last season.
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Catch the “Free Press Sports with Carlos and Shawn” podcast every Thursday morning at 5 and on demand on freep.com/podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. This week’s episode, above, counts Dave Birkett as the guest to talk all things Lions, the draft and more.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.