Detroit Lions has promoted the defense coordinator from the inside as Aaron Glenn.
According to NFL Network Ian Lapooport and Mike Galofaro, Kelvin Shepard will be promoted from a line backers coach to Dan Campbell’s defense.
According to me and @mikegaRafolo, #lions will promote LB coach Kelvin Shepherd to Defense Coordinator and act as Aaron Glenn.
Shepard, who raped rapidly as a veteran of NFL 8 years, won the DC work in just three seasons under Dan Campbell. pic.twitter.com/cm3m9ebqec
– Ian Laporto (@rapsheet) January 25, 2025
Director Campbell said before Glen and former offense coordinator Ben Johnson believed that the staff could be replaced by the current staff. Glen became a head coach in New York Jets this week, and Johnson took the same position in Chicago Bears.
“It’s my job to replenish and find the next player,” Campbell told the reporters on Monday. “Is that a loss? Of course, of course, hey, we move forward, this train keeps running, and I will find the next player for us.”
External candidates, such as former New Orleans Saints head coaches, Dennis Allen, may have been considered, but Shepard was believed to be the most prominent candidate to take over the role of DC.
In December, Glenn told Detroit Free Press’s Dave Barket, “He is the man I actually taught to play a role in DC at some point.” “And I think he’s not ready, but he is quite close to it, and he’s a very good coach.
“He is passionate and has everything he needs as a line backer coach,” Glen said. “And there are some coaches in the staff who think they have to be a bulldog, he is one of the coaches in that position alongside the D -line, O -line, and running back, but he has to be a bulldog. Do something great. “That’s good. “
The 37 -year -old Shepard was enrolled in Lions in 2021, initially coached for the outside -line backer, and then supervised the entire unit in the last three seasons. He started his coaching career as a LSU player training director before joining the Detroit staff.
As a player, Shepard gained the honor of ALL-SEC on LSU, and in 2007 he was a member of the Tigers BCS National Championship Team. He was nominated by Buffalo Bills in the third round of the NFL draft in 2011, and played in the 8 seasons in Indianapolis Coltz, Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears, New York Giants, and Lions.
