Detroit Lions Head Coach Salary and Coaching Staff 2023

May 2024 · 8 minute read

Detroit Lions head coach salary is 6.66 million dollars per annum. Campbell signed a 6-year contract with the Lions franchise back in 2022.

Dan Campbell is the 30th head coach of the Detroit Lions.

The average earning for an NFL coach is $6.6 million a year.

But, the salary of an experienced top coach can start at $8 million and reach all the way to $20 million. Some of the highest paid NFL coaches include:

Keeping the focus on Detroit, they announced their 2023 coaching list on 7th March.

Detroit Lions Coaching Staff 2023

NameDesignation
David CampbellHead Coach
Scottie MontgmeryAssistant Head Coach / Running backs
Ben JohnsonOffensive Coordinator
Aaron GlennDefensive Coordinator
Dave FippSpecial Teams Coordinator
Mark BrunellQuarterbacks
J.T. BarrettAssistant Quarterbacks
Dre BlyCornerbacks
Brian DukerDefensive Backs
David CorraoDefensive Assistant / Outside Linebackers
Cameron DavisAssistant Defensive Line
Wayne BlairDefensive Quality Control
Hank FraleyOffensive Line
Steve HeidenTight Ends
Antwaan Randle ElWide Receivers
Kelvin SheppardLinebackers
John Scott Jr.Defensive Line
Shaun Dion HamiltonAssistant Linebackers
Jim HostlerSenior Offensive Assistant
Steve OliverAssistant Offensive Line
Jett ModkinsAssistant Special Teams
Seth RyanAssistant Wide Receivers
John FoxSenior Defensive Assistant
Tanner EngstrandPassing Game Coordinator
Josh SchulerHead Strength & Conditioning
Morris HenryAssistant Strength & Conditioning

Dan Campbell Contract Breakdown

Detriot Lions head coach Dan Campbell inked a six-year contract on January 20, 2021. Campbell negotiated a contract worth $40 million.

The remaining financial details of the deal have not been disclosed to the public.

The team owner, Sheila Ford Hamp, said, “Dan knows the rigors of professional football and what it takes to succeed. He will help promote the culture we want to establish across our organization.”

Before joining Detroit, he worked under Sean Payton in the New Orleans Saints. His annual salary was $1.5 million.

The year before Dan’s arrival was total chaos, where the franchise saw three people take the head coaching duty. Matt Patricia managed the team in 11 games, Darrell Bevell in five, and Robert Prince in one game.

They were last in the NFC North with a record of 5-11.

Dan Campbell Era at Detroit

It wasn’t a fairytale start for Campbell. His side managed to win only three while losing 13 and tying one in his inaugural 2021 season.

It looked like the same old story for the franchise, with four consecutive seasons at the bottom of the NFC North division.

The 2022 season started as a disaster for Campbell, losing six out of seven opening fixtures. The 9th October fixture against the New England Patriots was horrible, as they did not register a single point on the scorecard.

But, an unexpected turnaround occurred from Week 9 onwards. They won eight of the remaining ten games and ended the season with a 9-8 record.

They were second in the division but barely missed the playoff berth.

The team looks balanced in 2023 and had already created a buzz after defeating the defending champions Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL Kickoff game by 21-20.

They have great momentum heading toward their upcoming fixture against the Seattle Seahawks on 17th September. The game starts at 1 p.m. and will be televised on Fox.

With the win over the Chiefs, Campbell’s record with the Lions is 13-21-1. They will target a playoff spot and are looking as solid contenders to win the division.

Detroit Lions Assistant Coaches

Detroit Lions coaching staff has added Dre Bly, John Fox, John Scott Jr., Jim Hostler, Wayne Blair, Scottie Montgomery, Steve Heiden, and Dre Thompson.

Many names from the 2022 coaching list have returned for a new campaign under Campbell.

Meanwhile, some have left the club. It includes John Morton, who will work under Denver Broncos Head coach Sean Payton.

Other names who left the crew are Stephen Thomas and Duce Stanley.

Likewise, various role changes have been noticed for the new campaign. They are as follows:

Detroit Lions Offensive Coordinator

Ben Johnson has been with the Lions since 2019. His role while joining the franchise was Offensive Quality Control coach.

From 2020 to 2021, he was given the Tight Ends responsibility. In 2021, his role changed, and the 37-year-old handled the passing game for the team.

Seeing his progress, another role change occurred in 2022, and Johnson was named the Offensive Coordinator for the franchise.

His coaching journey can be traced back to 2009 when the North Carolina alma mater joined Boston College Eagles as a graduate assistant. In 2011, he was promoted to the TE coach.

The following year, the Miami Dolphins paved his way to the NFL when they hired him as an Offensive Assistant. From 2013 to 2018, he remained with the Dolphins under various roles such as Assistant QB coach, TE coach, Assistant WR coach, and WR coach. 

Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator

Aaron Glenn started coaching in 2014. His first coaching gig was with the Cleveland Browns as an Assistant defensive backs coach.

In 2016, the New Orleans Saints recruited the former defensive back and assigned him the defensive backs coach role. He remained in that role for five years till 2020.

The three-time Pro Bowler was included in the Lions coaching team in 2021.

The former Texas A&M Aggies student-athlete was drafted by the New York Jets in 1994. The overall 12th pick played 15 successful years in the National Football League and played for Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New Orleans Saints.

His 634 combined tackles and 543 solos came in 205 career games. On top of that, Aaron has 3 fumble returns, 41 interceptions, and 6 touchdowns to his name.

Detroit Lions Past Coaches

Detriot Lions head coach history dates back to 1930 when Hal Griffin coached the team. He is the first person to coach the Lions franchise.

During his only season with the team, Griffin won five, lost six, and tied three in fourteen games.

From 1930 to 1933, the franchise was located in Portsmouth, Ohio. They were called Portsmouth Spartans.

George M. “Potsy” Clark was the only head coach appointed before the relocation. He served from 1931 to 1936 and returned for another campaign in 1940.

Clark managed the team for 85 matches. His record is 53-25-7 in his two tenures.

Longest-Serving Head Coach

Wayne Fontes remained the Detroit Lions HC from 1988 to 1996. His nine-year tenure with the franchise is the longest phase for an HC.

Before that, he was hired as a Defensive Coordinator for the franchise in 1985. He served in that role till 1998.

After the firing of Darryl Rodger in the middle of the 1998 season, Fontes was made the interim head coach. The front office showed confidence in him, and the individual went on to lead the team for nine seasons.

The former New York Titans defensive back coached for 133 games and maintained a 66-67 win-loss record. He helped the team win two titles in 1991 and 1993 when they played in the NFC Central division.

Although his postseason record of one win and four losses is nothing to be excited about, he is the one who helped them reach four playoffs (1991, 1993, 1994, and 1995).

The most memorable year for the Lions with Wayne was the 1991 season. The team was first in the NFC Central with a 12-4 regular season record.

Wayne won AP Coach of the Year, Pro Football Weekly Coach of the Year, and UPI NFC Coach of the Year in 1991.

Altogether, 30 different individuals have taken the helm and guided the Michigan franchise. Detroit Lions coaches list and their time with the team is given below:

Head CoachYears with the Lions
Hal Griffen1930
George M. “Potsy” Clark1931 to 1936 and 1940
Earl Harry “Dutch” Clark1937 to 1938
Gus Henderson1939
Bill Edwards1941 to 1942
John Karcis1942
Gus Dorais1943 to 1947
Bo McMillin1948 to 1950
Buddy Parker1951 to 1956
George Wilson1957 to 1964
Harry Gilmer1965 to 1966
Joe Schmidt1967 to 1972
Don McCafferty1973
Rick Forzano1974 to 1976
Tommy Hudspeth1976 to 1977
Monte Clark1978 to 1984
Darry Rogers1985 to 1988
Wayne Fontes1988 to 1996
Bobby Ross1997 to 2000
Gary Moeller2000
Marty Mornhinweg2001 to 2002
Steve Mariucci2003 to 2005
Dick Jauron2005
Rod Marinelli2006 to 2008
Jim Schwartz2009 to 2013
Jim Caldwell2014 to 2017
Matt Patricia2018 to 2020
Darrell Bevell2020
Robert Prince2020
Dan Campbell2021 to present

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7u7PRZ6WerF%2Bau3DDyKSgaJyVqb%2BwtdNmo6Knnqh6qbHAnWScp5GYtW6%2FwKWYq7FdlrulecKomJygmaO0br%2FTmp2fZWJlf3R7