With changes we knew about, and some we didn’t, the Detroit Lions announced all their coaching staff changes for the 2023 season.
We knew about some changes to the Detroit Lions coaching staff, with assistant head coach/running backs coach Duce Staley departing and being being replaced by Scottie Montgomery, Steve Heiden coming in as the new tight ends coach and Tanner Engstrand moving from tight ends coach to passing game coordinator.
On Wednesday the Lions announced some other coaching staff changes, and the hiring of another new coach.
The hire of Montgomery was made official, and Dre Thompson is coming as the new defensive quality control assistant for the Lions. He is also the WCF Minority Coaching Assistant for 2023. He was with the Denver Broncos last season in a coaching fellowship role. Prior to that he worked at the University of Buffalo (2021) and Campbell University as a defensive backs coach (2019 and 2020).
Detroit Lions announce title changes on coaching staff
The following new titles were also announced for existing Lions coaches.
Brian Duker: Defensive Backs
Tanner Engstrand: Passing Game Coordinator
Steve Oliver: Assistant Offensive Line
J.T. Barrett: Assistant Quarterbacks
Shaun Dion Hamilton: Assistant Linebackers
Duker took over as Lions’ defensive backs coach after the midseason firing of Aubrey Pleasant, so he now has the official broad title after being safeties coach. Dre Bly is notably coming in as the new cornerbacks coach, as previously reported and announced.
Engstrand no officially moves to the passing game coordinator role. If offensive coordinator Ben Johnson gets a head coaching job next year, Engtrand is probably first in line to replace him.
Oliver moves from an offensive quality control coach to an assistant under offensive line coach Hank Fraley.
Barrett moves from a generic offensive assistant role to working more closely with quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell and that position room.
Hamilton worked with the defensive backs on one of the Senior Bowl teams. He’s moving to the coaching the position he played, under linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard.