Lions RB coach Scottie Montgomery staying in Detroit as Bucs reportedly find new OC

There was a brief concern that Detroit Lions assistant head coach/running backs coach Scottie Montgomery wasn’t going to be with the team for more than a couple of weeks. After the Lions announced his hiring last Wednesday, Montgomery interviewed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for their offensive coordinator job this week.

However, on Wednesday night, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that the Bucs have chosen someone else for the position: Seahawks quarterbacks coach Dave Canales. That means that Montgomery will stick with the Lions this year, assuming he isn’t on the candidate list for any other offensive coordinator gigs in the NFL.

Montgomery will fill in for Duce Staley, who left Detroit earlier this month for the same job with the Carolina Panthers. Staley made the lateral move because he wanted to be closer to his mother, who lives in South Carolina and is reportedly going through some health issues.

Montgomery comes with a very good reputation following his two-year stint as Colts running backs coach, and the fact that he’s gaining interest as a possible offensive coordinator only reinforces that. In 2022, he was also a finalist for the Panthers offensive coordinator job.

If you want a more candid look at Montgomery, enjoy this “Get to Know” video from the Indianapolis Colts.