By Sunday 
Sometimes in the NFL, it’s all about timing — and for former Detroit Lions assistant Mark DeLeone, the timing may finally be right.
From Detroit to… Kansas City?
Mark DeLeone’s time in Detroit was brief. Hired as the inside linebackers coach under Dan Campbell in 2021, he lasted just one season before being let go. It wasn’t exactly a warm goodbye, and he didn’t immediately land on his feet.
But after a couple of years bouncing around — including a stint as a defensive analyst at Kansas and a one-season gig with the Baltimore Ravens — DeLeone is officially back in the big leagues. On Wednesday, the Kansas City Chiefs named him their assistant running backs coach, filling a vacancy opened up after longtime assistant Andy Hill retired.
Yes, you read that right — defense guy turned running backs coach. But hey, this is the NFL, and adaptability keeps you employed.
A Familiar Face in a Familiar Place
This won’t be DeLeone’s first rodeo with the Chiefs. In fact, Kansas City is where his NFL journey really took off, after cutting his teeth as a defensive assistant with the Jets in 2012. He joined the Chiefs a year later and climbed the ladder: from defensive quality control (2013) to assistant linebackers coach (2016), and finally inside linebackers coach (2018).
Now, over a decade later, he’s back — with more experience, more mileage, and perhaps a few coaching scars from Detroit.
Meanwhile in Detroit…
While DeLeone settles in with the defending champs, the Lions are going through coaching changes of their own. Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson, key pieces of the Lions’ staff under Campbell, both left for head coaching jobs this offseason — with the Jets and Bears, respectively.
The Lions tapped former linebacker Kelvin Sheppard to step into Glenn’s shoes as the new defensive coordinator. Sheppard had replaced DeLeone as linebackers coach back in 2022, and now he’ll be tasked with taking Detroit’s injury-hit defense to championship contention.
There’s no denying the Lions have become a hotbed for coaching talent — but not everyone finds their groove in Detroit. For DeLeone, that chapter may be behind him, but his football story is far from over.
A Fresh Start, a Familiar Challenge
Landing with the Chiefs — a team well within striking distance of another Super Bowl — is no small deal. For DeLeone, it’s a shot at redemption, a second act in a familiar system, and maybe even a pathway to something bigger.
Whether he sticks to offense, returns to defense, or carves out a whole new role entirely, one thing’s clear: he’s back in the game.
And in this league, that’s all you need.