After the loss of their tight ends coach, the Lions might want to fill that position with someone from the tight end factory
Remember that scene from Wedding Crashers where the dude says, "Crabcakes and football—that's what Maryland does?" Well, if that's what Maryland does, for Iowa, it's corn and tight ends. Iowa has produced some of the NFL's best tight ends in the last decade. Sam LaPorta, George Kittle, TJ Hockenson, Noah Fant and Erick All. This […]
Remember that scene from Wedding Crashers where the dude says, "Crabcakes and football—that's what Maryland does?" Well, if that's what Maryland does, for Iowa, it's corn and tight ends.
Iowa has produced some of the NFL's best tight ends in the last decade. Sam LaPorta, George Kittle, TJ Hockenson, Noah Fant and Erick All. This team just pumps them out like a factory.
The Detroit Lions just lost their tight ends coach Steve Heiden to a job with the Jets this week and now they'll be looking to not only replace him but also replace everything the Lions just lost that helped their tight ends get to where they got.
Heiden was a tough loss, but former tight ends coach turned offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was too. So what this team needs is someone on the coaching staff who understands how to best utilize tight ends. That's why someone from Iowa where the offense weighs so heavily on the position might be the best bet.
Current Iowa tight ends coach Abdul Hodge spent the 2022 season with LaPorta and helped get him ready to go in the second-round of the 2023 NFL Draft. There's a lot of respect there.
There are no connections to the Lions' coaching staff other than Hodge played for the Packers when Dan Campbell played for the Lions. So they've played against each other. That's not really a big connection though.
One of the interesting things that Hodge can bring to the table is that he played linebacker in the NFL and has coached on both sides of the ball in the college ranks. There's a deep understanding of not just the tight end position, but the position that the tight ends are going to go up against more often than not. That's something that could be very useful at the NFL level.
The best thing that Aidan Hutchinson could do is not sign an extension with the Lions this offseason
At one point this season it looked clear as day. Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson was going to win the Defensive Player of the Year award. There was no doubt about it. He racked up so many pressures that he continued to lead the league for weeks after his Week 6 injury. Unfortunately, that […]
