The Detroit Lions, as expected going back to when John Morton had play calling duties taken away, are searching for a new offensive coordinator. Interviews with some candidates are set to take place soon, and that list is sure to keep growing as Dan Campbell hopefully extends outside familiarity and previous ties to find a new play caller.
But as Campbell tries to keep his imprint on the Lions' offense, for better or worse, he will surely consider promoting from within and he has some worthy candidates who will surely be interviewed.
Offensive line coach Hank Fraley had run game coordinator added to his title after the Seattle Seahawks interviewed him for their offensive coordinator post last year. He feels sure to be an offensive coordinator at some point, be it with the Lions or somewhere else.
There's a sneaky layer to the Lions' search for a new offensive coordinator. Running back David Montgomery's lack of usage was a thing for most of this season. It continued even after Campbell took over the play calling, rendering the head coach's talk about changing it completely hollow.
No one would blame Montgomery for being unhappy with his role, and general manager Brad Holmes pointed to that during his press conference to put a bow on the season.
"Obviously, I know it was a tough year for him in terms of the lack of touches. I'm not going to say I went into it planning for it to be that way. So, those are discussions that we're going to have to have a lot more depth in terms of, what's the best plan for him moving forward. Is that somewhere else, or whatever the case may be."
Holmes suggested there will be conversations with Montgomery, and if he'd like to be traded there will be effort to fulfill that request. With how rough things were for him under Morton, then Campbell when the play caller change happened, who the next offensive coordinator is may play a big role in Montgomery's desire to stick around.
This offensive coordinator hire may pull David Montgomery off the trade block
There is of course a lot speculation and ideas about who the Lions should pursue to be their offensive coordinator. But John Maakaron of SI.com stayed close to home to offer a candidate, or probably the candidate, that would go a long way toward quelling Montgomery's possible desire to leave.
"While many of the candidates being talked about are external candidates, including former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, a well-respected coach to pay attention to is wide receivers coach and assistant head coach Scottie Montgomery."
Montgomery was hired to replace the departed Duce Staley as the Lions' running backs coach in 2023. After two seasons in that job, he moved to wide receivers coach this season. Since getting into coaching in 2006, he has as broad and unique a resume as you'll see.
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-Duke, Wide receivers coach (2006-2009)
-Pittsburgh Steelers, Wide receivers coach (2010-2012)
-Duke, Associate head coach/offensive coordinator/passing game/wide receivers coach (2013)
-Duke, Associate head coach/offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (2014-2015)
-East Carolina, Head coach (2016-2018)
-Maryland, Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (2019-2020)
-Indianapolis Colts, Running backs coach (2021-2022)
-Detroit Lions, Associate head coach/running backs coach (2023-2024)
-Detroit Lions, Associate head coach/wide receivers coach (2025)
Beyond that, Scottie Montgomery and David Montgomery have fostered a close relationship. When the Lions' running back suffered a knee injury late in the 2024 season, his then-position coach showed up at his house to offer support.
"I've never had a coach ever do that for me,” Montgomery told the Detroit Free Press at the time. “And that meant a lot to me just because, in the NFL it's hard to find coaches who really care about people, that care about you as a human."
"Just that moment – I already knew, but that moment already kind of confirmed to me how much Scottie cared and how much he really would be there for me. So that meant a lot to me."
Montgomery may (rightly) feel like he was the forgotten man in the Lions' offense this season. While he is likely paying attention to who the new offensive coordinator ends up being, he might ask to be traded anyway and Campbell cannot base his hire on any player's situation.
But if there's an offensive coordinator candidate would could best bring "Knuckles" back into a prominent place in the Lions' offense, and take him off the trade block in-kind, it's probably the one who has the same surname.