By Adeniyi Precious 
The Detroit Lions are absolutely hyped about their new running backs coach, Tashard Choice. Everyone from head coach Dan Campbell to general manager Brad Holmes is calling this a major win.
Campbell admitted he wasn’t sure they’d even be able to land Choice, who was highly sought after. Holmes echoed the sentiment, saying it’s a huge addition for the team. Meanwhile, new defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, who’s been close friends with Choice for a decade, is thrilled to have him on board.
Choice isn’t new to the Lions’ running back room—he played a big role in recruiting star RB Jahmyr Gibbs to Georgia Tech. The former NFL running back has spent the past few years coaching at the University of Texas, but Detroit had their eye on him for a while. Campbell tried to bring him in two years ago, and now that it finally worked out, he’s pumped.
“He’s one of the most coveted running back coaches to come out of college in a while,” Campbell said. “He’s going to be great for those guys in the room.”
Choice inherits a stacked RB group. Gibbs just finished his second season leading the league with 20 touchdowns, while veteran David Montgomery has been a powerhouse with 1,790 yards and 25 rushing touchdowns in his first two years in Detroit.
Holmes said that while scouting players, he kept hearing Choice’s name come up as a rising star in coaching. He admitted he didn’t think they’d actually be able to steal him from Texas but is beyond happy that they did.
With this coaching shake-up, Scottie Montgomery is moving from running backs coach to wide receivers coach while keeping his assistant head coach duties. Campbell believes this move will benefit the whole team, especially the passing game.
Bottom line: The Lions are all-in on Choice, and they believe he’s the guy to take their already dominant run game to the next level.