Dan Campbell has never been shy about changing course when a coaching move isn’t working, and the early returns on Kelvin Sheppard have put the Detroit Lions in that exact kind of conversation.
After Aaron Glenn left following the 2024 season, Sheppard was promoted from linebackers coach to defensive coordinator. But through the first 19 games of his tenure, the transition has been rough.
There are three defensive coaches with prior experience running a unit who could help steady things quickly.
One option is the former Lions head coach, who has spent years finding success as a defensive coordinator. When the Browns moved in another direction at head coach, he stepped away, and in his first season in Cleveland in 2023 he helped build the defense into the No. 1 unit in the National Football League.
That kind of track record would matter in Detroit, especially because of what he has done with Myles Garrett. A similar impact with Aidan Hutchinson, now described as an annual Defensive Player of the Year candidate, would be a major boost. The Super Bowl-winning coordinator would also bring a pressure scheme that, over time, could help cut down the yards the defense has been giving up and give the unit a more reliable structure than what it has shown under Sheppard.
Another name in the mix is Detroit’s assistant head coach and safeties coach, who has already helped turn Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph into one of the league’s best safety tandems. He has also been a defensive coordinator before, holding that role with the Browns and 49ers. He had more success in Cleveland than in San Francisco, where his stint lasted only one season.
According to MLive, "O’Neil has coached for 25 years in both college and the NFL. He joined Dan Campbell’s staff in 2024, working under Aaron Glenn, who is now the Jets’ coach. O’Neil started his NFL career with the Jets, serving as a defensive quality control coach in 2009 and as assistant defensive backs coach from 2010 to 2012."
The Jets also interviewed O’Neil last offseason for their vacant defensive coordinator job. During his time in New York from 2009 to 2012, that defense finished first in opponent passer rating at 71.0, first in passing yards allowed per game at 186.3, first in completion percentage allowed at 52.6 and first in passing yards allowed per game at 186.3.
The third option is Detroit’s defensive line coach, who was part of the Buccaneers staff that won Super Bowl LV. He also had an immediate impact when he became the Jets’ defensive coordinator in 2015, turning that defense into a top-10 unit right away.
He has earned a strong reputation as a teacher, with a history of developing players like Jamal Adams, Marcus Maye, Leonard Williams and Muhammad Wilkerson.
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Jahmyr Gibbs Just Gave Lions Fans An Uncomfortable Week 1 Issue
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The fine was the biggest of the 20 handed out across the league after the opening week, and it serves as an early reminder that even routine-looking runs can carry consequences once the league office reviews them. For Detroit, it is the kind of small but uncomfortable development that can linger for a player whose impact depends on physicality and timing, especially when the next few weeks are already about settling into the season. [Read more 🡒]