The Detroit Lions lost both of their coordinators (Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn) after their season was over, and in total seven assistant coaches left. The replacements, changes and new additions we knew and didn't know about previously were formally announced by the team last week.
When head coach Dan Campbell met with reporters on Tuesday from the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, the extensive changes on his coaching staff were going to be an obvious topic since it was the first opportunity for him to be asked about it.
The first question Campbell got was about the process of hiring new staff members.
"I told Ben (Johnson) and A.G. (Aaron Glenn) the same thing when they were leaving. The most important thing you'll have to do is hire your staff," Campbell said. "I had to do that already one time, and then over the course of the last four years, other coaches that have come and gone. This is kind of phase two, to reload the coordinators and different position coaches. I wanted to take my time and do it right. A lot of interviews, a lot. Really sat them down, got to know them. Figure them out a little bit. The football is there, but it's really about the match and the chemistry. I'm big on that, so that was a big part of it. I think we got it right."
Dan Campbell reveals the extent of his process to fill coaching staff
Campbell referenced doing a lot of interviews, but he was then asked exactly how many interviews he did to find the right candidates for his reloaded coaching staff.
"I know 24", Campbell said. "Somebody told me it was 26...but, a lot."
Campbell then went on to talk more extensively about many of the new hires.
The team Twitter feed posted clips where Campbell talked about Scottie Montgomery's role change from running backs coach to wide receivers coach, the promotion of Kelvin Sheppard to defensive coordinator, the hiring of John Morton as the new offensive coordinator and the offensive staff in general, Tashard Choice coming in as the new running backs coach and new defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers.
