Terrell Williams is a bit of a mystery for the Detroit Lions. The team’s new defensive line coach and run game coordinator isn’t exactly a household name outside of NFL coaching circles.
Fortunately for the Lions, those circles include both Detroit GM Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell. The duo brought in Williams in late January to replace John Scott on the Lions’ staff. Williams is very well-regarded around the league, but he definitely holds special sway with Holmes.
Back when Holmes was a defensive lineman at North Carolina A&T, Williams was his position coach. They have remained close ever since.
Holmes fondly recalled their time together at North Carolina A&T when the GM spoke at the NFL Scouting Combine.
“So Terrell, I want to say that was his first position coach job. He might have been a GA at East Carolina when he got done playing, so I believe A&T might have been his first position coach job,” Holmes stated.
“But Terrell, man, he’s a great teacher. He’s a straight shooter. He’s really the first coach that really taught me the nuances of achieving what you want to achieve on the field, behind the scenes. He’s the one that used to bring me in and sit me down and watch tape with me all summer and kind of learn those ins and outs and developing a relationship so you can build that trust with the coach.”
Williams’s standards of responsibility and accountability made a big, lasting impression on Holmes that persists to this day. It’s evident in the way Holmes and Campbell run the Lions.
“And then when he was a great coach in terms of holding us accountable, and so you built that trust. When we didn’t do the right thing, he held us accountable. And we didn’t like it all the time, but he’s an excellent teacher,” Holmes raved on Williams.
Holmes made sure to note that Williams didn’t get preferential treatment because of their history together.
“Him being my d-line coach in college is not why he’s here. He’s here because of his body of work.”
Coach Campbell is also a big fan who knows Williams well.
“He’s somebody that I’ve had experience with,” Campbell said at his combine podium interview. “I think he’s the best D-Line coach in the league. If he’s not, he’s certainly right up there. I think he knows how to develop, he’s got experience in game-planning and he’s gonna be beneficial for our guys up front.”