Getty Hines Ward on the field during a Steelers game.
The Detroit Lions have been putting together their staff in recent days and doing a great job to add difference makers at every single turn. Now, a pair of former players are also rumored to be in the mix for another job on the team.
According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, a pair of former Pittsburgh Steelers legends are in the mix for Detroit’s wideout coaching job. Both Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle El are being considering for wideout coach in Detroit under Dan Campbell.
One non-Stafford nugget: I mentioned Hines Ward as potential WRs coach for the Lions the other day. One other name I hear is in the mix: Antwaan Randle El, who is currently on Tampa’s staff getting ready for the Super Bowl.
Detroit’s potential interest in Ward surfaced late last week, but Randel El is a new name for the team to consider. He is a current coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers working as an offensive assistant from 2019 until now. Randle El would not be able to be hired until after the Super Bowl, so it’s possible if he ends up being the pick, the team doesn’t reveal this hire for a few more weeks.
Clearly, the Lions are still thinking big, even in terms of their last few hires they have to make.
Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle El Steelers Legends
Both Ward and Randle El would check off the former player box that the Lions seem to have in terms of coaching this offseason. Each player starred and won a Super Bowl in Pittsburgh, with Ward claiming Super Bowl XL and XLIII and Randle El claiming Super Bowl XL. Ward put up 12,083 career yards and 83 touchdowns, while Randle El put up 4,467 receiving yards and 15 receiving scores. The former college quarterback also threw 6 touchdowns in his career.
Both former players have coaching experience to draw on. Recently, Ward has been an offensive assistant with the New York Jets from 2019 until now. The same can be said for Randle El, meaning either player could be in line for a big promotion if they joined Detroit to impart some wisdom on the team’s offensive staff.
Lions Building Solid Coaching Staff
Either of these hires would be solid for the Lions. 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 added a few big time names in Duce Staley, Aubrey Pleasant and Mark Brunell, which is a good start as it relates position coaches. Dave Fipp also joined to coach special teams. Dom Capers recently joined as a senior defensive assistant. Clearly, Campbell 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. Capers will add that ability to the defense given all he’s seen in the NFL. It should only help Glenn and the team’s defense to improve. Either of these two could help the offense similarly.
The hiring isn’t done and already, Detroit’s staff is looking like one of the strongest in the league assembled by a rookie coach. Regardless of who is the hire at wideout coach, this could easily be the case.
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Pair of Steelers Legends in the Mix for Lions Coaching Staff: Report