Things did not go according to plan for the Detroit Lions in the 2025 NFL season, which saw the end of their two-year reign at the top of the NFC North along with a subpar performance on both sides of the football.
Not only did head coach Dan Campbell take over the offensive play calling duties from offensive coordinator John Morton, who was hired to replace Ben Johnson, but the defense has largely struggled under first year defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, who was named the replacement for Aaron Glenn.
Under Sheppard, the number of explosive plays that the Lions defense allowed from opposition offenses climbed considerably. The Lions come in at 28th overall in the NFL after having allowed 56 pass plays of 20-plus yards from their opponents, while also ranking 23rd overall after allowing 52 runs of 10-plus yards.
While it didn’t help the Lions that All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph has been limited to only five games this season, the expectations for a team that finished last season 15-2 were understandably higher than what was ultimately delivered.
However, Sheppard pushed back on fans of the Lions who believe that big changes are necessary.
Detroit Lions DC Kelvin Sheppard Doesn’t Believe Big Changes Are Necessary
While there have been numerous calls for change from frustrated Lions fans, the latest comments from Sheppard will disappoint them.
In Sheppard’s mind, the Lions don’t need to make any major changes despite the disappointing season that will see them miss the NFL Playoffs for the first time since 2023.
“No, I don’t see drastic change,” Sheppard said on Thursday as the Lions continue preparations for their Week 18 matchup against the rival Chicago Bears. “What I see and what I’ve learned in my first year on the job of calling defenses, it’s something that me and Dan (Campbell) talk about every day.
“You start off the year — I’d be lying to you guys,” he continued. “Listen, I started off the year, I wanted to have the top defense in this category, top this, top that, top that. And you get caught in these statistical things that mean nothing if you’re not winning football games. This league is about adaptability. And you can have a system all you want, but it’s whatever dictates that week is necessary to win the football game. And that’s predicated on a lot of different variables.”
Sheppard concluded by saying that the Lions’ defense has been versatile and that he and his staff have done a good job.
“It’s a lot of different variables and my job has been—and I believe we have done as a defensive staff—week-to-week what is it going to take to stop this offense,” he said. “And more importantly, what is it going to take for us to play complementary football and win this football game. I believe we have a very versatile system here where we’re able to adapt and adjust on the run. And I believe that not only myself, but my staff and these players have done a good job.”
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Kelvin Sheppard Was Named Aaron Glenn’s Replacement as Lions DC
Sheppard is about to conclude his first season as Lions defensive coordinator, a position that was vacated when Aaron Glenn departed the organization to take the head coaching job of the New York Jets during the offseason.
Sheppard had an extensive playing career in the NFL, appearing in 107 total games with multiple teams, including a stop with the Lions in 2018.
He finished his career with 429 total tackles and three sacks. He then joined the Lions’ coaching staff as an outside linebackers coach, and would eventually be promoted to the position of defensive coordinator.
Detroit Lions DC Kelvin Sheppard Fires Right Back At Fans Who Want Change