One of the most exciting times in the NFL season is the head coaching cycle. It’s an opportunity for coordinators to move up to head coaching positions and for position coaches to step into coordinator roles.
However, one downside to being a successful team is that your coordinators are often poached.
This was the case for the Detroit Lions, who lost Ben Johnson to the NFC North rival Chicago Bears, and Aaron Glenn to the New York Jets.
The Buffalo Bills came close to losing offensive coordinator Joe Brady, until it was reported that he pulled himself out of the New Orleans Saints’ process to stay in Buffalo. Unfortunately, not every team is as fortunate as the Bills.
The Lions are undergoing a complete overhaul of their coaching staff. In addition to losing both of their coordinators, they also lost defensive line coach Terrell Williams to the New England Patriots.
Despite these coaching losses, the Lions have chosen to promote from within, and this involves a former Bills player.
With Glenn departing for the Jets, the Lions have decided to elevate Kelvin Sheppard from his linebackers coach position to defensive coordinator, according to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.
The Bills selected Sheppard in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft out of LSU.
During his two seasons with the Bills, Sheppard accumulated 150 total tackles and two sacks. Prior to the 2013 season, the Bills traded Sheppard to the Indianapolis Colts for defensive end Jerry Hughes.
The Bills clearly came out on top in that trade, as Hughes became a defensive leader for the Bills while Sheppard played only one season with the Colts.
Before retiring, Sheppard also played for the Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, and Detroit Lions.
Sheppard joined the Lions as a linebackers coach in 2021, and his promotion to defensive coordinator demonstrates the trust Dan Campbell has in him.
With the Lions undergoing significant changes in their coaching staff, seeing a former Bill rise to a coordinator role is a rewarding development.