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The Detroit Lions will retain at least one coach from the 2020 season. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, offensive line coach Hank Fraley will be returning this season, despite him getting interest from other teams.
Fraley reportedly interviewed with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals this offseason, but he ultimately chose to return to Detroit.
That should be welcome news for Lions fans, as Fraley is extremely well-liked in Detroit’s locker room—likely because of his long NFL career. He also did a pretty darn good job in 2020, his first as the team’s primary offensive line coach. Frank Ragnow earned himself Pro Bowl and second-team All Pro nods. Taylor Decker had himself the best year of his career. And rookie Jonah Jackson got his career off to a promising start.
Fraley helps fill out a coaching staff that reportedly include offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. The rest remains a mystery, although Birkett is also reporting that the Lions may try to make a run at Eagles special teams coach Dave Fipp for their vacancy at the same position.
Birkett also dropped a juicy rumor, first reported by Matt Dery of the “Locked on Lions” podcast, that the Lions may be adding another “significant” person to their front office staff. Stay tuned!