Dan Campbell clears up some confusion about recent coaching staff changes
Detroit Lions coaching staff changes created some confusion. Dan Campbell finally explained what the new titles actually mean, who is taking on more responsibility, and why one promotion was so important.
The Detroit Lions made some big changes to their coaching staff this offseason, including the hiring of Drew Petzing to be their new offensive coordinator. But one move they made that didn’t get a ton of attention but caused some confusion was making Jim O’Neill the new assistant head coach and making the old assistant head coach Scottie Montgomery an associate head coach.
What does all of that mean? Was this a demotion for Montgomery? What is an associate head coach vs an assistant head coach? all the questions that Lions fans and media had.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell clears up the confusion on the assistant head coach change
“I would take a little bit off of me, and probably give Jim a little bit, as the best way to describe that. Scotty is still really our there again, he’s associate head coach, but he’s really the guy who I put a lot on, but Jim will take on some more. Certainly, we’re fortunate to be able to have both of those guys. I’m fortunate as a head coach to have both of them, but, you know, to be able to have Jim stay with us, man. That was big. So we’re fortunate.”
Ok, so it doesn’t sound like a demotion for Montgomery. Just a bit of a title change. He’s still expected to be doing the same thing he was doing last year as the receivers coach, but also kind of the number two guy in the building.
O’Neill will take on a lot more responsibility. He was a defensive assistant last year, and now he’s the assistant head coach and safeties coach. Campbell mentioned he was lucky to get him back. O’Neill had defensive coordinator interviews this offseason. Not a big stretch since he’s been a DC in the NFL before. Plus, Aaron Glenn gave him a lot of credit for his contributions when he was here. Kelvin Sheppard has echoed the same.
Detroit Lions News