The Detroit Lions aren’t going to hire John Harbaugh as their next offensive coordinator. But they could hire one of Harbaugh’s assistants from the past few years.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported Friday the Lions will interview Tee Martin for their OC opening. Martin coached the Baltimore Ravens quarterbacks under Harbaugh the last three seasons.
Martin was also the Baltimore receivers coach from 2021-22.
“Martin has been the Ravens QBs coach the past three seasons — helping propel Lamar Jackson to the 2023 NFL MVP,” Schultz wrote on X. “A well-respected offensive mind, he has done extensive work for Baltimore’s passing game as a whole.”
Schultz reported the Lions are one of two teams who will interview Martin to potentially be their next offensive coordinator. The Washington Commanders have also expressed interest in Martin.
The Lions have an opening at offensive coordinator after parting ways with John Morton following the regular season finale.
Lions Showing Interest in John Harbaugh Coaching Tree
With the Harbaugh firing, the Ravens are very likely cleaning house on their coaching staff. But over the last several years, Baltimore experienced a lot of regular season success.
So, Harbaugh assistants could be some of the more sought-after people on the coaching carousel this offseason.
That includes Martin, who coached Lamar Jackson during his second MVP season during 2023. In Martin’s second year as Jackson’s position coach, the MVP signal-caller was arguably even better, posting 41 touchdowns versus only four interceptions.
Jackson didn’t win MVP in 2024, but he made first-team All Pro.
Martin began his coaching career at the Division II level in 2006. He then joined the high school ranks in Georgia before then becoming the quarterbacks coach at New Mexico.
Over a decade in the college circuit, Martin rose to become an assistant head coach at his alma mater, the University of Tennessee. In two seasons with the Volunteers, Martin was also the program’s wide receivers coach.
Martin made the jump to the NFL with the Ravens in 2021.
The last time Martin was an offensive coordinator was USC from 2016-18. He also has passing game coordinator experience from his college coaching career.
Lions Moved on From John Morton
Detroit is in the market for a new offensive coordinator for the second consecutive season. Last year, then offensive coordinator Ben Johnson left to become the head coach of the Chicago Bears.
The Lions swept Johnson and the Bears with Morton as their head coach. However, the Bears won the NFC North and earned the No. 2 seed in the NFC.
Under Morton, the Lions finished fourth in points and fifth in yards this season. That’s not the statistics of a coordinator who deserves to be fired.
But the team took an obvious step backwards after leading the NFL in points scored in 2024. The Lions were also second in yards that season.
Head coach Dan Campbell also took over offensive play-calling duties from Morton in early November.
The Lions have plenty of offensive weapons remaining to make the open coordinator role appealing. Detroit has finished ranked in the top five in points scored and offensive yardage during each of the past four years.
Lions to Interview Former John Harbaugh Assistant for OC Opening: Report