After a few months of reported coaching hires, the Detroit Lions have announced a finalized coaching, strength and conditioning staffs list for the 2020 season.
Let’s take a closer look at the Lions 2020 staff and the umbrella each coach falls under.
Matt Patricia – Head Coach
David Corrao – Director of Football Research
Evan Rothstein – Head Coach Assistant/Research & Analysis
Darrell Bevell – Offensive Coordinator
Sean Ryan – Quarterbacks
Kyle Caskey – Running Backs
Robert Prince – Wide Receivers
Ben Johnson – Tight Ends (Promoted from offensive quality control)
Hank Fraley – Offensive Line (Promoted from assistant OL coach)
Billy Yates – Assistant Offensive Line (Promoted from WCF Minority Coaching Assistantship)
Leon Washington – WCF Minority Coaching Assistantship/Offense
Three internal changes on the offensive side of the ball, beginning with Johnson being promoted to tight ends coach. He had previously coached tight ends while with the Miami Dolphins in 2015. Fraley gets a bump from assistant OL coach to full-time OL coach, and his old spot was filled by Yates, who is moving back to the offensive side of the ball after spending time on defense last season.
Cory Undlin – Defensive Coordinator
Undlin (New hire, what the Lions are getting)
Bo Davis – Defensive Line
Tyrone McKenzie – Linebackers (New hire, what the Lions are getting)
Steve Gregory – Defensive Backs (Promoted from defensive assistant)
Stephen Thomas – Defensive Quality Control
Tony Carter – Defensive Assistant (New hire)
Ty Warren – WCF Minority Coaching Assistantship (New hire)
Major changes on the defensive side of the ball starting at the top with the hire of former Eagles defensive backs coach Undlin. McKenzie left the Titans to join the Lions and after two very successful seasons in Tennessee, with most called this a major victory for the Lions. Gregory, a former NFL safety, has been waiting in the wings for this promotion since he was hired by Patricia two years ago. Carter is a new hire and found his greatest success in the NFL playing corner under Undlin in Denver. Warren, a former first-round pick of the Patriots, spent six years with Patricia in New England.
Brayden Coombs – Special Teams Coordinator
Coombs (New hire, what the Lions are getting)
Marquice Williams – Assistant Special Teams
Coombs was universally regarded as an up and comer in the coaching industry and an applauded hire by the Lions.
Josh Schuler – Head Strength & Conditioning
Schuler (Promoted from assistant S&C)
Morris Henry – Assistant Strength & Conditioning (New hire)
Tom Kanavy – Assistant Strength & Conditioning (New hire)
Schuler has been with the Lions since 2016 — as am assistant strength and conditioning coach and was promoted to head strength and conditioning coach. Henry spent the last four seasons on the Auburn strength and conditioning program,
Kanavy was most recently the director of sports performance at Tennessee Orthopaedic Alliance, but has loads of previous NFL strength and conditioning program experience, spending 1995-2005 with the Eagles, 2006-13 with the Vikings and 2015-18 with the Titans. During his time in the league, Kanavy was the Head Strength and Conditioning coach during his entire time with the Vikings and the 2018 season with the Titans.