The Detroit Lions are dominant again as they come out of their bye, starting the year 5-2 and at the top of a shark-infested and competitive NFC North. Like last year, when the New York Jets poached Aaron Glenn and made him head coach, and the Chicago Bears hired away Ben Johnson to be theirs, this coming offseason could see the Bears' success lead to their talented coaching staff being raided by other franchises.
Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard is likely the hottest name who'll attract head coaching interest this offseason, and he's already been linked to the LSU Tigers' job. That'd require a lot of waiting for LSU. The Lions are tied up until January, much like other potential candidates like Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Brian Hartline and Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko, who could be deep on a College Football Playoff run.
Still, Sheppard is the type of coach who can get guys who want to wear the purple and gold and represent the university, and then let the donors come to spend big in 2027 and onward after proving he has a hold of the locker room. That's without mentioning how he'll likely be an NFL head coaching candidate, too, and could bring a new kind of energy to a team like the Miami Dolphins or Tennessee Titans.
At the same time, a potential departure would force the Lions to hire a new DC — potentially via internal promotion. And that makes it crucial for everyone on head coach Dan Campbell's staff to step up down the stretch.
Lions' Coaches Could Be Seeking a Promotion in 2nd Half
While a potential Sheppard exit has been in the headlines recently, the Lions could also be at risk of losing offensive coordinator John Morton. He is running a machine in Detroit this season, getting the most out of the Jahmyr Gibbs-David Montgomery 1-2 punch. The only thing he hasn't done yet is coach the offense up to being efficient on third down. At least to Campbell's standards.
If Sheppard and/or Morton get recruited away from the franchise, expect an internal hire, just like Sheppard and, indirectly, Morton, who is in his second stint with the Lions. Running backs coach Tashard Choice and run game coordinator/defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers are names to watch in that case.
Rodgers could be an interesting DC candidate. The 56-year-old coach spent four seasons in that role with the New York Jets (2025-18) and even won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as their DL coach in the 2020 season. If it's experience that the Lions are looking for, Rodgers has it.
Needless to say, Lions fans will be monitoring the team's coaching situation closer than ever down the stretch. Every win will bring Sheppard and Morton one step closer to a potential departure, simultaneously opening the door for another coach to prove that they can step up when opportunity calls.