Getty Jeff Okudah runs on the field before a 2022 Lions game.
The Detroit Lions made the move to move on from defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant, and that was not a decision without some significant weight considering all the players it impacted.
While the Lions have struggled on defense this year, one bright spot has come in the form of cornerback Jeff Okudah. Since coming back off injury, Okudah has stepped up and shown that he can be a valuable piece of the team, if not a true elite cornerback in the league.
Watching Pleasant get fired, who was his position coach, has clearly not been easy for Okudah, and when speaking with the media on Wednesday, November 2, he got a bit introspective and perhaps even a bit emotional about the move.
As ESPN’s Eric Woodyard explained, Okudah was a bit confused by the move and had some mixed emotions given what it represented.
#Lions CB Jeff Okudah to ESPN on losing DBs coach Aubrey Pleasant: “I wouldn’t say confused, but mixed emotions. On one end, I feel like I’ve been playing pretty well and my coach gets fired so I’ve got to ask myself ‘what could I have done better to help that man keep his job?’”
“Lions CB Jeff Okudah to ESPN on losing DBs coach Aubrey Pleasant: “I wouldn’t say confused, but mixed emotions. On one end, I feel like I’ve been playing pretty well and my coach gets fired so I’ve got to ask myself ‘what could I have done better to help that man keep his job?,’” Woodyard tweeted.
Okudan would go on to say that he credits Pleasant a lot for his development and the strides he’s been able to make while in the league.
#Lions CB Jeff Okudah to ESPN on Aubrey Pleasant: “His impact on my career has been invaluable. Things he was able to teach me about the game, the Xs and Os. He really slowed the game down for me.”
“Lions CB Jeff Okudah to ESPN on Aubrey Pleasant: “His impact on my career has been invaluable. Things he was able to teach me about the game, the Xs and Os. He really slowed the game down for me,” Woodyard tweeted.
Obviously, Okudah is very thankful for Pleasant, even as the Lions deemed he was part of the problem so far this season for a defense that has not lived up to expectations whatsoever.
Certainly, the team’s failures are not completely on Okudah, as he has played a solid role. Though that is the case, it seems as if he is still a bit upset by the decision to move on from one of the team’s top young coaches.
Pleasant Departure Impacted Alex Anzalone
When the Lions revealed their shakeup, the move was shocking to some and also seen as a wakeup call at the same time in terms of sending a message. That was true for linebacker Alex Anzalone.
Speaking with the media on Monday, October 31, Anzalone was asked about the team dismissing Pleasant, and had a similar reaction to Okudah in that he felt a bit culpable for the decision to fire the coach. As a result, he wants players to grow from what happened.
“I feel like it definitely sets the tone that what’s been going on is not acceptable. For me personally, AP wasn’t my coach, but it’s like ‘what did I do to get him fired?’ If everyone takes that perspective on it, that’s really when you will get growth out of a tough situation like this,” he said.
Anzalone knows changes are inevitable, but what cannot be left up for debate is the way in which the Lions play and the toughness that they show.
“Changes have been made and they’re going to continue to be made. At the end of the day, my opinion is just do your job. If you’re not playing hard, if you’re not having attention to detail, if you’re having mental errors, you shouldn’t be playing and that’s just what I believe in personally,” Anzalone said.
Even with changes playing out, the Lions have a lot to think about in terms of grinding. The team is going to have to stick together and play hard if they want a chance at coming out of the darkness of their rough start to the year.
Okudah’s Emergence Huge for Lions’ Defense
The Lions have had a need for an elite playmaker at cornerback forever, and it isn’t a stretch to say Pleasant may have had a big hand in the team developing Okudah into the player he has become in 2022.
With big plays and consistent play to start the season, Okudah has seemed to fit that rising star mantle in a big way with some of the efforts he has shown on the field this year so far.
Detroit’s defensive backfield has been hampered in a big way by injury and inconsistency once again, which has been the unfortunate news for the team. At cornerback, Amani Oruwariye is having a tough season, and the team lost safety Tracy Walker for the year. Jerry Jacobs has taken his time in recovery.
All of this has meant a rough season for Detroit on the back end, but Okudah has been proving he is stable to the team. He’s perhaps the biggest shining example of what Pleasant was able to accomplish in his time with the Lions.
With or without Pleasant, Okudah has been a steadying presence for the Lions this season at one of the worst spots on their roster classically. The hope is he can continue to perform even though he will be down a coach he considers impactful.
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