The Detroit Lions are coming off a successful 15-2 season, securing the top spot in the NFC after reaching the NFC Championship Game in 2023. The 2024 season saw additional support from coordinators Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson, both of whom chose to return to Detroit.
However, the 2024 season brings unexpected changes. Both Glenn and Johnson have departed to take on head coaching roles—Glenn with the New York Jets and Johnson with the rival Chicago Bears. The roster remains largely the same, except for a key change at cornerback, with Carlton Davis replacing D.J. Reed.
Despite the talent on the field, there is growing concern about the Lions’ future due to these coaching changes. “There would be a lot about Detroit that scares me, but it’s not the players,” one executive shared with Mike Sando of The Athletic.
This concern stems partly from the high regard in which other executives hold both coordinators. “Johnson took total advantage of the four-down game-management approach because he’s a really, really good play caller, an evil genius, really,” another executive remarked to Sando. “Losing him would almost be like the Rams losing Sean McVay.”
Sando also highlighted the fact that new offensive coordinator John Morton only has one season of NFL experience running an offense—his stint with the 2017 New York Jets. That Jets team ranked 28th in yardage that year, and Morton’s experience is almost a decade old. However, Morton’s more recent role as passing game coordinator for the Broncos last season, where he helped end Denver’s nine-year playoff drought and contributed to 52 passing plays of over 20 yards, gives some hope.
Detroit, with 62 such plays last season, boasts an even more explosive offensive unit, with a receiving corps that appears superior to Denver’s. With quarterback Jared Goff expected to take on a larger role in 2025, Morton’s transition to offensive coordinator could be smoother.
In contrast, new defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard steps into his first role leading a defense. An internal promotion, Sheppard previously oversaw the transformation of the linebacker unit during his four seasons under Dan Campbell. One challenge for Sheppard will be replacing Glenn’s ability to get the most out of players in their respective roles.
“I will be curious with role players if there is a dropoff because you have to have a vision for how to deploy these guys,” one executive commented, via Sando. “Glenn was really good at that, getting the best out of a Derrick Barnes and those guys.”
The shift from Glenn to Sheppard represents a new approach, as noted by Lions OnSI’s Christian Booher. “Glenn played professionally as a cornerback, giving him the view of the game through the lens of a defensive back,” Booher explained. “Now, Sheppard brings his background as a linebacker to the fold and as a result will interpret the game through that lens.”
While the untested coordinators might not cause widespread panic among executives, Detroit’s objective remains unchanged. The path to the Super Bowl in 2025 may look different, but the core team stays intact, albeit with new play callers. Only time will tell if the anonymous executives’ concerns will prove justified or if they’ll be forced to reconsider their predictions come early 2026.
