By Sunday 
There’s a familiar danger signal flashing around Detroit again — and it’s one Lions fans are starting to recognize all too well.
As the Lions continue to rise under Dan Campbell, success keeps bringing an unavoidable side effect: other teams want a piece of the coaching staff. And this time, the pull isn’t just coming from the NFL — it’s coming hard from the college ranks.
Success Comes With a Cost
Dan Campbell has handled roster turnover before, but coaching turnover is a different beast. When you build a winning culture, assistants don’t stay hidden for long.
Just last offseason, the Lions were hit hard when Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn both landed head coaching jobs. Losing two coordinators in the same hiring cycle is rare — and disruptive — but Campbell managed it.
Now, before this season has even wrapped up, another exit is already locked in.
Tyler Roehl Is Already Gone — More Could Follow
Tight ends coach Tyler Roehl will finish the year in Detroit, but his future is set. He’s heading back to Iowa State to become offensive coordinator under new head coach Jimmy Rogers.
That alone isn’t shocking. What raises the danger signal is the growing sense that Roehl won’t be the last name crossing off Campbell’s staff list.
As college jobs reopen — sometimes unexpectedly — opportunities multiply.
Michigan’s Sudden Opening Changes Everything
The coaching carousel kicked back into motion when Michigan fired head coach Sherrone Moore, reopening one of the most prominent jobs in college football.
Timing complicates things. Most top college candidates are already locked in elsewhere, and prying an NFL coach mid-cycle isn’t easy. But when a program like Michigan comes calling, exceptions tend to appear.
That’s where the Lions enter the conversation.
Scottie Montgomery: A Name to Watch
If there’s one Lions assistant who fits multiple open paths, it’s wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery.
Montgomery isn’t just another position coach. Dating back to 2006, he’s built an unusually wide-ranging résumé across college and the NFL. Offensively, he’s done nearly everything — the only gaps being tight ends and offensive line.
He’s also been a college head coach before, even if his 9–26 record at East Carolina doesn’t jump off the page. Still, his experience and versatility keep his name circulating whenever jobs open.
In Detroit, Montgomery is also viewed as a legitimate internal candidate to replace John Morton, whose departure feels inevitable.
A Domino Effect Waiting to Happen?
Montgomery himself may be a long shot for Michigan. But college hiring rarely stops with one move.
If Manny Diaz — currently at Duke — were to land the Michigan job, Montgomery would instantly become an automatic candidate at Duke, his alma mater. That’s how fast things can shift.
The result? Another unexpected exit, sparked not by Detroit’s plans — but by movement elsewhere.
The Danger Signal Is Real
This is the reality of winning in today’s NFL. The Lions aren’t losing coaches because something’s wrong — they’re losing them because something is working.
Still, each departure tests depth, continuity, and chemistry. Dan Campbell has proven he can reload. But as the college carousel spins again, the danger signal in Detroit is impossible to ignore.