With a lockout expected to happen once the collective bargaining agreement expires at 11:59 p.m. on March 3, the football world will experience quite a change. This change won't just affect players, either. Assistant coaches will be in for some changes with their contract, as most of them include a "lockout clause" that will likely be triggered in the next week.
These lockout clauses vary from team to team, but essentially they are in place to reduce salaries once football activities cease. This allows teams to save money while a lockout is going on, although coaches are still going to be doing scouting for the draft and preparing as if there will be football this fall.
For the Detroit Lions, their assistants will be hit with a 25% salary reduction at some point. According to Larry Kennan, the staff director of the NFL Coaches Association, the reduction won't happen for "awhile" (he's talking beyond 60 days after the lockout begins). Compared to some other teams, this is actually pretty good for the assistants.
"It’s a real good deal compared to some of them. About 30% or so, 10 or 11 of the teams, are not very good. The rest of them are OK, in different ways."
The Lions are also treating their assistants nicely when it comes to pensions. Apparently two years ago it became optional to participate in funding pension plans, and 12 teams have eliminated them. The Lions' plan still exists, though.