No one knows new Detroit Lions DL coach Kacy Rodgers better than Todd Bowles. Here’s what Bowles had to say about him.
One of the tougher losses for the Detroit Lions coaching staff this offseason was defensive line coach Terrell Williams leaving to take a defensive coordinator job with the New England Patriots —following his long-time friend Mike Vrabel. But the Lions quickly replaced Williams with another high-profile defensive line coach: Kacy Rodgers.
Prior to landing in Detroit, Rodgers had spent the last six years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers under Todd Bowles. Before that, he spent four seasons with Bowles with the New York Jets . And even further before that, he spent time with both Dan Campbell and Bowles coaching the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys defensive lines.
So if there’s somebody who knows and respects Rodgers, it’s Todd Bowles. During his media session at the NFL Combine on Tuesday, Bowles talked about losing Rodgers to the Lions.
“They’re getting a heck of a coach,” Bowles said. “He understands football inside and out. Me and Kacy have been together for 15+ years now. He’s like a brother to me. He understands the game very well. Dan [Campbell] had been with us in Dallas and Miami, so they know each other already. He should be fine there. They’re going to get a very smart coach, a very tough coach, and a very disciplined coach.”
Meanwhile, Campbell only had high praise for the departing Williams, but he believes he got the next best thing in Rodgers—literally calling the duo the No. 1 and 2 best defensive line coaches in football.
“That was the hardest thing. I got Terrell and then a year later, he’s gone. You know, he just comes in. I was fortunate to get Kacy Rodgers here after that,” Campbell said. But they’re (Patriots) going to be very happy with him, man. He’s one of the best D-Line coaches in league—if not, the best. He and Kacy, I think, are one and two.”
Rodgers will come to Detroit as their fourth defensive line coach in the past four years, but he brings with him quite the resume. In each of the last five seasons, the Buccaneers have finished top-10 in sacks, and in three of those seasons, they were top-10 in yards per carry allowed. He’s coached the likes of DeMarcus Ware, Marcus Spears, Cameron Wake, Olivier Vernon, Vita Vea, and Calijah Kancey throughout his career. Campbell thinks he’ll fit right in with Aidan Hutchinson and company.
“I think he’s going to be great for our D-line. I think Hutch and those guys are going to really like him and gravitate to him,” Campbell said. “And he’s, he’s one of us; he’s about doing it the right way. Hard worker, sees the game well, understands scheme really well, and then he knows the fundamentals and grinds on those guys.”