Amon-Ra St. Brown has officially learned who will be assisting the new Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, John Morton, in the role of passing game coordinator. The Lions have announced that David Shaw, an old college football rival of St. Brown, will be taking on this position. Shaw, who previously coached at Stanford from 2011 to 2022, is no stranger to St. Brown. During his time at Stanford, Shaw helped lead the team to Rose Bowl appearances and Pac-12 championships, all while facing off against St. Brown’s USC squads.
St. Brown and Shaw were adversaries in college football, with USC and Stanford splitting their matchups. In 2018, St. Brown caught only two passes for 39 yards in a Stanford victory. However, in 2019, St. Brown had a stellar performance, recording eight receptions for 97 yards and two touchdowns in a dominant USC win over the Cardinal. The two teams didn’t meet in the shortened 2020 season due to COVID-19.
St. Brown shared on his podcast on February 7 that Shaw was in the process of joining the Lions’ coaching staff under head coach Dan Campbell. The wide receiver revealed that he first met Shaw during a recruiting visit to Stanford. St. Brown expressed his excitement about Shaw joining the Lions, saying he always found Shaw to be an honest and great person.
Although St. Brown received an offer from Stanford out of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, he ultimately chose to play for USC. Shaw is returning to coaching after stepping down from his role as head coach at Stanford in 2022, where his final season ended with a 3-9 record. Afterward, Shaw spent the past two seasons as a senior personnel executive for the Denver Broncos under Sean Payton. This marks his return to a sideline coaching role with the Lions.
