The Detroit Lions have lost another member from their coaching staff.
Tanner Engstrand, who has been part of the organization since 2020 and served as the passing game coordinator for the past two seasons, has departed the team to take on the role of offensive coordinator for the New York Jets.
He becomes part of Aaron Glenn’s coaching team, who served as the Lions’ defensive coordinator for the last four seasons. Engstrand was seen as a leading candidate to become Detroit’s offensive coordinator after Ben Johnson left, but Dan Campbell ultimately chose John Morton for the position.
The Jets’ interest in Engstrand for the position first emerged on Tuesday. The Lions have reportedly chosen their successor in David Shaw, who will serve as the team’s passing game coordinator in 2025.
Campbell has faced numerous exits from his coaching staff this offseason. Johnson and Glenn both departed for head coaching positions, while Engstrand and Steve Heiden are heading to the Jets. Wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El and assistant quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett accompanied Johnson to Chicago, while defensive line coach Terrell Williams has accepted coordinator roles elsewhere.
Engstrand and Williams will convene biannually, since Williams became part of Mike Vrabel’s coaching team with the New England Patriots as the defensive coordinator.
To address the losses, the Lions have brought on four new hires. Shaw serves as the passing game coordinator, Kelvin Sheppard has been elevated to defensive coordinator, Morton has been appointed as offensive coordinator, and Kacy Rodgers, the former defensive line coach for Tampa Bay, will assume Williams’ role as the defensive line coach.
He started as an offensive assistant and was then shifted to quality control the next year in 2021. In 2022, after Johnson was elevated to offensive coordinator, Engstrand assumed responsibility for the tight ends unit and then took on the role of passing game coordinator the following year, still being part of the team when Steve Heiden was brought in to coach the tight ends.
Engstrand dedicated multiple years to working at the college level, taking on various positions. He served as a graduate assistant during 2005-06 under Jim Harbaugh, who led the team from 2004-06. Engstrand subsequently trained running backs (2007-08) and quarterbacks (2009-10) prior to advancing to offensive coordinator, a position he occupied from 2011-17.
He would come back together with Harbaugh for one season at Michigan, taking on the role of an offensive analyst in 2018. Engstrand also served as the offensive coordinator for a year with the DC Defenders in the now-defunct UFL in 2020.