The Detroit Lions have announced their 2022 coaching staff, with three new hires officially unveiled too.
The Detroit Lions coaching staff didn’t have the turnover it could have had this offseason. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn interviewed for two head coaching jobs, and defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant was a candidate for two defensive coordinator openings. But both are back. The highest profile change is Ben Johnson being promoted from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator to replace the departed Anthony Lynn.
In some other changes, outside linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard will replace departed inside linebackers Mark DeLeone to become simply the linebackers coach. David Corrao, formerly director of football research for the Lions, now has the title of Defensive Assistant/Outside Linebackers.
Via the team’s website, here’s a run-down of the Detroit Lions’ 2022 coaching staff.
2022 Detroit Lions coaching staff, with three new hires
Dan Campbell – Head Coach
Duce Staley – Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs
Ben Johnson – Offensive Coordinator
Aaron Glenn – Defensive Coordinator
Dave Fipp – Special Teams Coordinator
Wayne Blair – Defensive Quality Control
Mark Brunell – Quarterbacks
David Corrao – Defensive Assistant/Outside Linebackers
Cameron Davis – Assistant Defensive Line
Brian Duker – Defensive Assistant
Tanner Engstrand – Tight Ends/Passing Game Coordinator
Hank Fraley – Offensive Line
Jett Modkins – Assistant Special Teams
John Morton – Senior Offensive Assistant
Steve Oliver – Offensive Quality Control
DeOn’tae Pannell – WCF Minority Coaching Assistantship
Aubrey Pleasant – Defensive Backs/Pass Game Coordinator
Antwaan Randle El – Wide Receivers
Seth Ryan – Assistant Wide Receivers
Kelvin Sheppard – Linebackers
Stephen Thomas – Defensive Quality Control
Todd Wash – Defensive Line
Mike Clark – Director of Sports Performance
Jill Costanza – Director of Sports Science
Josh Schuler – Head Strength & Conditioning
Morris Henry – Assistant Strength & Conditioning
Kevin Anderson – Chief of Staff/Head Coach Administration
Cameron Davis (Assistant Defensive Line), John Morton (Senior Offensive Assistant) and Wayne Blair (Defensive Quality Control) are the three new hires to the Lions’ staff for 2022.
Morton is not the former Lions’ wide receiver Johnny Morton. Detroit’s new senior offensive assistant has a lot of experience as an NFL and college assistant coach, across different roles (offensive coordinator, wide receivers coach, senior offensive assistant).
Davis has several years of experience as a college assistant on the defensive side of the ball.
Blair has landed his first coaching job at the pro level, after working with the Lions during 2021 training camp as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship program.
Tanner Engstrand is taking Johnson’s place as tight ends coach, and he’ll also be the passing game coordinator (the latter is a role Johnson stepped into late last season). Engstrand was an offensive assistant for the Lions last year.