According to reports from recent weeks, the Detroit Lions have a new defensive line coach (Terrell Williams) and a new secondary coach (Deshea Townsend).
On Wednesday, the organization formally announced the employment of Williams as the new defensive line coach/run game coordinator, as well as Townsend as the new defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator. Townsend will replace Brian Duker, who left to join the Miami Dolphins.
A third new hire, Jim O’Neil, will join as a defensive assistant.
O’Neil most recently served as Northwestern’s defensive coordinator (2021 and 2022), but he previously worked as an NFL assistant with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, and New York Jets.
O’Neil also has three years of NFL defensive coordinator experience, two with the Browns (2014-2015) and one with the 49ers (2016). Duker’s background as a defensive backs coach led him to become the Dolphins’ secondary coach and passing game coordinator. Williams will take over for Scott. According to initial reports, Townsend will be the Lions’ cornerbacks coach, however despite having a bigger title (in place of Duker), Bly has left.
The Lions figure to have a few coaching vacancies to fill in 2024, including a cornerbacks coach, defensive quality control, and offensive assistant. However, the most important changes and hires, previously reported (Williams and Townsend) but not (O’Neil), are now officially announced.
