Lions Coach’s Latest Challenge: Finding Their Next Offensive Coordinator

Less than 48 hours after the Detroit Lions’ season ended with their premature playoff exit Ben Johnson became the Chicago Bears’ new head coach. But the NFL coaching carousel continues with Aaron Glenn interviewing with the Jets while New Orleans , Jacksonville, and Las Vegas wait in the wings.

Lions Coach’s Latest Challenge: Finding Their Next Offensive Coordinator

Johnson and Glenn were instrumental in the Lions’ sensational rise from the gutter to the penthouse. It’s expected that by midweek, Detroit will lose both coordinators. But Johnson and Glenn have proven themselves worthy of the prestige, money, and responsibility an NFL head coach position offers.

With the likelihood of losing both coordinators a reality, the media is filled with suggestions on who the Lions should hire from other NFL teams to replace them. But that’s probably not going to happen. Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell will be looking elsewhere for their replacements.

Lions Coach Establishes New Culture 

Four years ago when Holmes and Campbell began rebuilding this team from the ground up, the first step was establishing a winning culture . Taking on a losing team that floundered for decades in the cellar of the NFL, the challenge was to create a sustainable, winning organization. But first, the team’s identity needed to change. They needed to banish the ghosts of the past and define who the Lions were now. Holmes and Campbell envisioned the Lions rising from the depths by transforming into a gritty, never-say-die champion.  

Since that moment, every single player who signed with the organization had to believe that narrative in their core. More importantly, each individual had to possess the specific physical and mental traits that exemplified the new culture. Holmes and Campbell only wanted players who exhibited mental toughness, a disciplined work ethic, and a passionate drive to succeed at all costs.

But it wasn’t just the players who had to fit the cultural identity. Every staff member brought into the organization possessed those same inherent attributes and values. It wasn’t long before the Lions’ began to symbolize that winning culture. 

The Lions’ Next Offensive Coordinator Candidates 

The Lions don’t need to hire from the outside. Among their current staff, they’ve already got exactly the qualities they seek in their next offensive coordinator. A year ago, when both Johnson and Glenn turned down head coaching opportunities, Holmes and Campbell began preparing for their eventual exit. A succession plan is in place and the candidates are ready to step up. Here are two individuals who could easily assume the role of offensive coordinator.  

Scotty Montgomery -Lions Assistant Head Coach and Running Back Coach

The man responsible for the NFL’s most lethal running back combination, Jahmyr (Sonic) Gibbs and David (Knuckles) Montgomery, is Lions’ Assistant Coach Scottie Montgomery . In his second year with Detroit, Montgomery elevated the duo’s production to never-before-seen heights. Sonic and Knuckles perfectly complement each other with a combination of power and uncanny speed. With Montgomery’s expert coaching, the pair became the first running back tandem in NFL history to produce 1,000 scrimmage yards and 10 rushing touchdowns each in the same season.

Shouldering an enormous workload while filling in for his injured teammate, Gibbs became unstoppable. He set a new franchise record with 20 touchdowns, the most in a single season. The fact that Gibbs could execute at such a high level speaks to Montgomery’s ability as a coach. Despite the Lions’ collapse against the Commanders, Gibbs had a great game. He finished the night with 105 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and six receptions for 70 yards. 

A 46-year-old native of North Carolina, Montgomery graduated from Duke University where he was a wide receiver. Montgomery began his coaching career at Duke as the receivers coach from 2006 to 2009.  His next move was to the NFL where he spent two years with the Pittsburgh Steelers as their wide receivers coach. Montgomery spent another year as the running backs coach with the Indianapolis Colts before joining the Lions. Campbell recently said that he believes Montgomery could be a candidate for an NFL head coach, leaving no doubt about his confidence in his ability to become the Lions offensive coordinator.  

Antwaan Randle El -Lions Wide Receivers Coach

A former Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant offensive coach in 2019-2020 under Bruce Arians’ Super Bowl-winning team, Antwaan Randle El was responsible for the superior performance of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Their elite production resulted in both having 1,000-yard seasons. During the two-year period that Randle El coached in Tampa Bay, their offense ranked first in passing with 9,471 yards and 75 touchdowns. In addition, the Bucs offense scored the second-highest number of points with 950 and ranked third in total offense with 12,511 yards.  

Randle El made an instant impact upon his arrival in Detroit in 2021.  Taking rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown under his wing, he guided him to a franchise-best record of 90 receptions for 912 yards. It was the most receptions for a rookie in Lions history. Randle El has been instrumental in St. Brown’s development into one of the NFL’s premier talents with 430 receptions for almost 5,000 yards with 33 touchdowns.  

The post Lions Coach’s Latest Challenge: Finding Their Next Offensive Coordinator appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football .