By Sunday 
A Tenacious, Relentless Identity for the Lions
Kelvin Sheppard isn’t just taking over as the Detroit Lions’ defensive coordinator—he’s setting a new tone for the entire unit. Promoted from linebackers coach after Aaron Glenn’s departure, Sheppard is determined to instill an aggressive, unrelenting identity in his defense.
In a recent interview with Dan Miller of FOX 2 Detroit, Sheppard made it clear: his defense will be built on togetherness, effort, and a nasty, tenacious mentality.
“Absolutely relentless effort—non-negotiable,” Sheppard said. “That’s things I say: the coaches aren’t coaching effort. You’ll stand out if you’re lax on this defense. And then just nasty, tenacious, finishing, scratching, clawing, fighting for every blade of grass that’s out there.”
For Sheppard, it’s not about stats or accolades—it’s about the mindset. He believes that when players commit to this relentless style, success will follow naturally.
A Rapid Rise to Defensive Coordinator
Sheppard’s journey to becoming a DC has been swift. After an eight-year playing career as a linebacker, he joined Dan Campbell’s coaching staff in 2021. In just five years, he has climbed from outside linebackers coach to linebackers coach, and now, to leading the entire defense.
While he may lack play-calling experience, Sheppard is confident in the veteran presence on his staff, including new defensive line coach and run-game coordinator Kacy Rodgers, who has prior experience as a defensive coordinator.
Building from the Trenches
Despite his background as a linebacker, Sheppard believes the heart of his defense must be the defensive front. He emphasized that everything starts with dominating the trenches—both in stopping the run and attacking the quarterback.
“Everything you do on defense starts with the front,” Sheppard explained. “Just look at the final guys in the championship game… It starts with the trenches in both the run and pass game. Everybody is so pass-happy nowadays, but if you really watch these games, it’s a lot of people going back to the roots of football, and that’s toughness in the trenches.”
He stressed that defensive linemen must earn the right to rush the passer by first establishing dominance against the run.
Rebuilding Detroit’s Defense
Injuries plagued the Lions’ defense in 2024, leaving them thin on depth, particularly on the defensive line. As Sheppard steps into his new role, one of the biggest offseason priorities will be reinforcing the D-line to provide support for stars like Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeill.
With Sheppard’s vision of relentless effort and physicality, Detroit’s defense is poised to take a step forward. The foundation is set—now, it’s time for the Lions to build something formidable.