Detroit Lions Make Bold Move In New Defensive Coordinator Hire

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The Detroit Lions have some coaching positions to fill this offseason. While Dan Campbell is sticking around, they lost both coordinators this offseason: Ben Johnson to the Chicago Bears and Aaron Glenn to the New York Jets. On top of those coordinators, other positional coaches have also taken other jobs. Many have wondered if the Lions will look for an outside candidate or hire from within. We have our answer. The team announced on Saturday that linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard will become the new defensive coordinator.

Detroit Lions Hire Kelvin Sheppard

This is a bold move from the Detroit Lions. Sheppard played in the NFL for eight years, never playing on the same team for more than two seasons. His last season in the NFL as a player was with the Lions organization. When Campbell was hired, he brought on Sheppard as the team’s outside linebackers coach. The season after, he was promoted to linebackers coach, the position he filled until this promotion. It is a meteoric rise for Sheppard. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport was the first to report the news.

Many coaches do not get coordinator jobs until they have been coaching for many years. This is Sheppard’s first job. He only has a handful of years under his belt, which shows how Campbell and the players feel about him. At the end of the season, Sheppard was asked about whether he felt he could run a defense. Glenn has been a huge mentor to him, and he picked up a lot while coaching under him.

“Yes. I would be lying to you saying no. Absolutely, and that’s what happens here. It’s not just the players within in the building, but it’s the coaches as well. I’m very appreciative of the way Dan, Brad and A.G. have structured this thing to put you in leadership roles within your own right, within your room. As many times as A.G. allows me to speak in front of the entire defense, they don’t have to do those things. I have friends that coach in other buildings, and I know they are not afforded those opportunities, so I don’t take them lightly.”

The Right Move?

There is always risk in hiring someone with limited experience. However, hiring someone with lots of experience doesn’t mean automatic success. Teams can often outthink themselves, getting spooked by years of experience rather than looking at the job they think a coach can do. The Detroit Lions clearly think Kelvin Sheppard is ready. Players already know the coach leading to more continuity in the program. This defense was good in 2024. Injuries caused them to struggle but from top to bottom, this was a well-coached team.

Final Thoughts

This is one big question the Lions have answered this offseason. The defensive coordinator was an important position to fill and get right. Defense is often a delicate marriage between scheme and identity. Many worried that the loss of Glenn would lead to a loss of identity. With Sheppard, the team should retain some of the identity. Will he be able to take all of this talent and mold it into one of the top defenses in the league?

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