Getty Dave Fipp's 2008 headshot with San Francisco.
The Detroit Lions continue to efficiently put together their coaching staff for 2021, and Dan Campbell is set to add another solid name to the mix.
Established special teams coach Dave Fipp has signed on for the same role in Detroit. Fipp has worked most recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, but has plenty of experience in the league starting in 2008 until now. The 46 year-old Fipp cut his teeth for a decade in the college ranks, but has made a solid impression since working in the NFL.
#Lions hire Dave Fipp as special teams coordinator
Dan Campbell had been interested in Fipp a week ago, but the Eagles had initially rebuffed his interest. With Nick Siriani coming into the mix, some of their staff member were allowed to look around and Fipp quickly signed on with the Lions. His career has been a lengthy one. From 2008-2010, he was an assistant special teams coach in San Francisco. Come 2011, Fipp moved on to the Miami Dolphins where he stayed until 2012 with the same title and connected with Campbell initially. In 2013, he started in Philadelphia as special teams coach and presided over a run there which culminated in Super Bowl LII.
Fipp has been a decent special teams coach in the league, and his group’s struggles in Philadelphia during the 2020 season were more due to injuries and a lineup which was far from certain week-to-week.
Detroit’s Special Teams Solid During 2020
Fipp is hardly walking into a bad situation in Detroit. It’s ironic that quite possibly, the best thing about the 2020 Lions were the special teams. The Lions look to have developed one of the NFL’s next best punters in Jack Fox. Additionally, Matt Prater was still able to connect on long field goals most of the season, even if he was more erratic by his own high standards. Jamal Agnew had a nice season as a returner when healthy. Coombs was fired after making a huge coaching mistake late season, but it should not diminish the work he did in one single season with this group. The Lions are positioned well with Fox, and could consider bringing back Agnew and Prater to continue the fun into 2021 with a new staff. Special teams was hardly the problem, and they get graded as such. Perhaps the only ding was Prater’s lack of accuracy at times during the year. He might not be set to return given Detroit’s recent personnel moves with Matthew Wright.
Fipp takes over a solid group with the Lions and will look to maintain a group which rated as the third best special teams group in the league from last year.
Lions Coaching Staff Hires Solid
With Anthony Lynn now coming into the mix as offensive coordinator and the Lions officially revealing they have hired Aaron Glenn to be their new defensive coordinator, the team’s top coaches are now firmly in the mix. From here on out, Campbell will have to go about filling out the position coach list moving forward. They have reportedly added a few big time names in Duce Staley and Aubrey Pleasant, which is a good start as it relates position coaches. Clearly, he is on a roll in terms of attracting some big name talent to Detroit as these hires prove. The players have guys who have been there and done that leading them, which is significant to note.
Fipp’s addition will be another solid one for this group as Campbell builds what looks to be a solid staff.
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