Detroit Lions filling coaching positions with young former players.
Recently retired veterans like Leon Washington are taking the next step in their football careers.
Mike Rothstein at ESPN wrote a solid piece Thursday on former players bringing their experience and knowledge to the Detroit Lions as young coaches. The former players on the current Detroit staff mentioned are:
Former defensive back Steve Gregory, who recovered the infamous butt-fumble, joined the organization as a defensive assistant in March 2018
Former pro center Hank Fraley, recently an offensive line coach at UCLA, became an offensive line assistant coach for the Lions in February 2018.
Former guard Billy Yates, a participant in the William Clay Ford Minority Coaching Assistantship program since March 2018
Former running back Leon Washington, who was brought on as the 2019 participant in the WCF program this past March.
POD
The Lions have essentially extended the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship to a yearlong position rather than just a spot during training camp. That's an important thing to do to give young coaches a foot in the door.
Dave Birkett
https://www.espn.com/blog/detroit-l...ve-to-break-into-coaching-on-the-ground-floor
Former NFL players strive to break into coaching on ground floor.
espn
"It's one thing to understand the X's and O's of the game. It's another thing to understand the X's and O's, and actually have been an X or O."
