February 11, 2025
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As the NFL season heads into the coaching cycle, teams are busy making changes to their staff. It’s a time when successful coordinators often get promoted to head coach positions, and position coaches have opportunities to step up. One downside to having a high-performing team is the likelihood of losing key coaches to other organizations. The Detroit Lions recently experienced this, with Ben Johnson leaving for the Chicago Bears and Aaron Glenn heading to the New York Jets.

The Buffalo Bills narrowly avoided losing offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who withdrew from consideration for the New Orleans Saints’ head coaching position to stay in Buffalo. Unfortunately, not every team is as fortunate as the Bills. The Lions have had to revamp their coaching staff after losing both of their coordinators, along with defensive line coach Terrell Williams, who was hired by the New England Patriots. Despite these significant departures, the Lions are promoting from within and have tapped former Bills linebacker Kelvin Sheppard to take over as defensive coordinator.

Sheppard was drafted by the Bills in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft out of LSU. In his brief two-season stint with the Bills, he recorded 150 tackles and two sacks. However, he was traded to the Indianapolis Colts in 2013 for defensive end Jerry Hughes, a deal that worked out well for the Bills as Hughes became a standout player for them. Sheppard continued his career with the Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, and the Lions before transitioning to coaching.

In 2021, Sheppard joined the Lions as their linebackers coach, and his promotion to defensive coordinator is a testament to the trust head coach Dan Campbell has in him. The Lions are undergoing a major coaching overhaul, and it’s exciting to see a former Bills player rise through the ranks to take on such a significant role.

 

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