Category: Coaching Search

Panthers fire Frank Reich, so get ready for Ben Johnson rumors

Johnson was Carolina’s top choice last offseason before turning down what was a better opportunity then than it is now with the Panthers

After a dismal 1-10 start, the Carolina Panthers have fired head coach Frank Reich. Sunday’s 17-10 loss to a 3-7 (entering the game) Titans team was the final straw for impetuous owner Dave Tepper.

Reich’s removal opens the door for coaching candidate articles and speculation. Expect to see and hear a whole lot of Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson in those rumors.

The dots are very easy to connect. Johnson is a Charlotte-area native with lots of family still in the area. He’s widely considered one of the brightest young offensive minds in football for his work in crafting Detroit’s offense into one of the league’s best and most innovative.

Oh yeah, he was the preferred candidate for the job last year, too. Johnson was the early leader and heavy odds-on favorite to land the job. However, after his initial interview with Tepper, Johnson withdrew his name from consideration and returned to Detroit.

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Perhaps Johnson has changed his mind in the ensuing months. Times and circumstances do change, after all. But I do not expect him to have any more interest in the position now than last winter, when he slammed the door on a move to his hometown and input on the No. 1 overall pick to build his team around. If anything, it’s a much worse opportunity now than it was when Johnson rejected the Panthers earlier this year.

Remember, the Panthers traded away this year’s first-rounder, currently No. 1 overall, to move up and take Bryce Young. The rookie QB has struggled badly even for a rookie, taking 40 sacks and throwing eight INTs while leading just 10 touchdown drives in 10 games (Carolina scored two TDs in Andy Dalton’s start). Making it even less appealing, the Panthers’ two best defensive players, EDGE Brian Burns and DB Jeremy Chinn, are both unrestricted free agents after the season.

Lions make changes to the strength and conditioning coaching staff

The Detroit Lions have hired two new assistant coaches to the strength and conditioning staff and parted ways with another

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The Detroit Lions have made some changes to their strength and conditioning coaching staff in advance of training camp. The Lions hired two new assistant coaches and have parted ways with another assistant.

Gone is former assistant coach Morris Henry, who had been with the Lions since the 2000 NFL season. No official announcement of any dismissal has been made but Henry no longer appears on the team’s official website.

In his place are two new coaches, Emmanuel “EJ” Hibbler and Corey Smith. Both come to Detroit from the college ranks. Smith most recently served as the strength and conditioning AD for Abilene Christian University in Texas.

Hibbler has years of experience working in the field beyond football. He spent some time at Michigan State working with the women’s volleyball team, and he also worked on the Arkansas Razorbacks football staff when Lions CB Jerry Jacobs was on the team.

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The Eagles might have cold feet about hiring ex-Lions coach Matt Patricia

Maybe Pro Bowl CB Darius Slay had a few things to say to Eagles brass about Patricia

News broke on Thursday that the Philadelphia Eagles were hiring former Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia as a senior defensive assistant coach. Several sources reported the news of Patricia’s hiring.

Yet the Eagles do not list Patricia on their current coaching roster. All of the other new hires and promotions are current. Patricia is not on the team’s press release, either.

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But he once was. It seems the team scrubbed him from all communications. As Glenn Erby of Eagles Wire notes,

One name on the list was former Patriots assistant and Lions head coach Matt Patricia, who was supposed to be a Senior Defensive Assistant.

By 2:00 PM Eastern time, Patricia was no longer listed among the coaching hires.

There is no official word now on if Patricia is still with the Eagles. Perhaps they were shamed into revoking his status, or maybe Pro Bowl CB Darius Slay had some say. Patricia and Slay infamously clashed in Detroit before the cornerback was traded away to the Eagles.

However, Eagles head coach Nick Siriianni praised Patricia in a press conference. Sirianni also explained that Patricia had not yet been hired officially,

“I know there was a report out that that was said and we’re trending in that direction,” said Sirianni. “Nothing is final yet. We’re trending in that direction. So, we’ll see how that progresses, but it’s trending in that direction, yes.”

Based on what Sirianni said, it appears the Eagles are indeed going to hire Patricia. But it’s not a done deal yet, and the erasure of any mention of Patricia by the team certainly raises an eyebrow.

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The Lions finalize their 2023 coaching staff, announce 3 new official additions

The Lions finalized their 2023 coaching staff and announced 3 new official additions to Dan Campbell’s staff

The Detroit Lions announced via press release their full coaching staff for the 2023 NFL season. The team made official the reported signings of three new coaches in the process.

Two of the newcomers were widely known. New senior defensive assistant John Fox coming to Detroit was something head coach Dan Campbell confirmed during his 2023 NFL Scouting Combine interview. New DL coach John Scott Jr. also broke last week during the combine.

The one new name that was revealed is the new senior offensive assistant, Jim Hostler. He comes to Detroit to replace John Morton, who is now with the Denver Broncos. Hostler spent the last two seasons in the same role with the Washington Commanders. He’s got 24 years of NFL coaching experience, primarily working with receivers and quarterbacks along with one season (2007) as the offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers.

All other newcomers, such as cornerbacks coach Dre Bly, were previously announced.

From the team’s media department, the list of the coaching staff from Campbell on down through the strength and conditioning coaches.

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Scottie Montgomery: What the Lions are getting, in Dan Campbell’s own words

Scottie Montgomery: What the Lions are getting in their new assistant head coach and RB coach, in Dan Campbell’s own words

The Lions hired Scottie Montgomery as the team’s new assistant head coach and RB coach recently. Montgomery came over from the Indianapolis Colts to take on the opening left when Duce Staley left Detroit for the same position in Carolina.

For the first time since the hiring, head coach Dan Campbell spoke to the media about Montgomery. It was the lead item in his NFL Scouting Combine press conference on Wednesday afternoon.

Here’s what Campbell said about Montgomery, which includes the tidbit that Campbell interviewed Montgomery for the offensive coordinator job when he was hired in 2021:

“Scottie’s one of those guys, and I interviewed him for the OC position last year, which ended up, (we) went with Ben Johnson. And I was impressed. And that’s why these interviews, it may not work out at the time, but man everything happens for a reason. And so to be able to acquire him as our running back coach/assistant head coach from the Colts, man, was big.”

Coach Campbell continued, getting more into where Montgomery can help,

“So I think he’s going to be an outstanding teacher. I think he’s got a lot of versatility. He’s coached the receivers, he’s coached running backs. He’s been a head coach, he’s been a coordinator. He’s worked with quarterbacks. So I just think that this is a talented coach, man, that’s got a lot of wisdom. He’s a motivator, energy. So we’re happy to have him.”

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Dan Campbell explains why he brought John Fox into the Lions as a senior defensive assistant coach

Dan Campbell explains why he brought John Fox into the Lions as a senior defensive assistant coach

Lions head coach Dan Campbell was very pleased to talk about the newest addition to his coaching staff. Campbell was asked about new senior defensive assistant John Fox, the former head coach of the Bears, Panthers and Broncos.

It was one of the first topics Campbell was asked about during his podium time at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine.

After stating that Fox and the team “have come to an agreement” but not officially signed anything, Campbell explained his relationship with Fox and what he hopes the veteran coach can offer the Lions.

“John was the defensive coordinator when I was with the Giants as a young player and that’s where our relationship began,” Campbell told reporters. “A very successful head coach with three different teams in this league. He’s been out of (the league) for about five years. He went back to Indy last year in the same capacity as a senior defensive assistant. Man, you could see the fire in him. I mean, it was impressive.”

Campbell continued,

“He misses the chess match. He misses preparing for an opponent. And just worrying about defense. I think he’s going to be great in helping AG (Lions DC Aaron Glenn) watch his blind spots. Which is what Johnny Morton did for us on offense with Ben (OC Ben Johnson) last year. I think he’ll be a great addition.”

Campbell also noted how much another longtime NFL head coach, Dom Capers, helped the team in the same capacity in 2021.

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Report: Lions adding John Fox as a senior defensive consultant

A report from ESPN indicates the Lions are adding longtime NFL head coach John Fox as a senior defensive consultant

One of the early developments coming out of the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine in relation to the Detroit Lions has nothing to do with the draft. A report from David Newton of ESPN indicates the Lions are adding a veteran NFL head coach in a consulting capacity.

Per Newton, former head coach John Fox will join the Lions as a senior defensive consultant. It’s a role the Lions have not had filled since Dom Capers held that title in the 2021 season.

Fox has 16 years of NFL head coaching experience with three teams, last with the Bears in 2015-2017. The 68-year-old Fox held the senior defensive consultant role for the Indianapolis Colts in 2022, his first NFL venture since leaving the Bears.

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Report: The Lions have a new DL coach from the college ranks

Report: The Lions have a new DL coach from the college ranks in Penn State’s John Scott Jr.

The remaining hole on the Detroit Lions defensive staff might now be filled. A report from Pennsylvania indicates that the Lions are hiring current Penn State DL coach and run game coordinator, John Scott Jr., will be heading to Detroit to join Dan Campbell’s staff.

From the Centre Daily and reporter John Sauber,

John Scott Jr., the team’s current defensive line coach and run game coordinator, will be leaving the Nittany Lions to accept a job in the NFL with the Detroit Lions, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation.

The reporting does not indicate if Scott will be the Lions’ defensive line coach or will serve in a different capacity. Right now, the Lions already have an assistant DL coach in Cameron Lewis, whose fate remains unknown.

Scott, 47, was a DL assistant coach with the New York Jets for two seasons. He’s spent most of the last two decades coaching in the college ranks, including the last two years with the Nittany Lions.

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Broncos hire Lions assistant coach John Morton as their new passing game coordinator

Broncos hire Lions senior offensive assistant coach John Morton as their new passing game coordinator under new head coach Sean Payton

There is another opening of the Detroit Lions coaching staff now that the Denver Broncos have fleshed out new head coach Sean Payton’s initial coaching lineup. The Broncos have hired Lions senior offensive assistant John Morton as the new passing game coordinator in Denver.

Morton, 53, was only in Detroit for one season and primarily worked with the passing offense. Prior to his brief stint with the Lions, Morton was with the Raiders in the same role. He was the New York Jets’ offensive coordinator in 2017 and was the WR coach in New Orleans in 2015-2016, the last year of which he worked with Lions head coach Dan Campbell.

The Broncos passing offense will have a distinct Detroit flavor. Morton will be working directly under new offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, who was the Lions’ OC from 2014-2016 under head coach Jim Caldwell.

Morton’s departure leaves an opening on the offensive staff. The Lions have also yet to replace defensive line coach Todd Wash, who left for the same role with the Carolina Panthers.

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Aaron Glenn and the Lions agree to a contract extension

Aaron Glenn and the Lions agree to a contract extension that will keep the defensive coordinator in Detroit for “multiple years”

Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn will remain in that role for a while longer. Per numerous reports, the Lions and Glenn have agreed to a contract extension for the veteran DC.

According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the deal is not yet finalized but will represent an extension for “multiple years” for Glenn remaining in Detroit.

Glenn was a serious candidate for head coaching vacancies this offseason, getting multiple interviews with both the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers. He has been in charge of the Lions defense for the last two seasons under head coach Dan Campbell. The two worked together with the New Orleans Saints prior to coming to Detroit.

Glenn’s defense started poorly in 2022, ranking dead last in both points and yards allowed for the first seven games of the season. But some tweaks by Glenn, healthy returns from several key players and a more aggressive style of play led to a marked improvement. Over the final 10 games, a stretch in which the Lions went 8-2, the defense ranked in the upper half of the league.

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