By Blessing 
After dominating the league last season with the NFL’s top scoring offense and second-most total yards, the Detroit Lions are entering a new chapter. John Morton steps in as the new offensive coordinator, and while changes are expected, key pieces of the coaching puzzle remain in place.
In a recent conversation with Jim Rome, Lions tight end Sam LaPorta shared his confidence about the team’s direction under Morton. Although the offense will see some shifts with a new play-caller, LaPorta emphasized that the core staff staying intact will help keep things running smoothly.
“Fortunately, we kept a couple of our position coaches — specifically our offensive line coach,” LaPorta said. “We promoted Hank Fraley to our run game coordinator, so fortunately for me, we have the same run-game system this year, the same verbiage, which you can imagine is a lot. But Johnny Mo, pass-game coordinator his entire life. Brilliant mind. I think he’s going to call the offense great.”
Morton is no stranger to Detroit’s system. He joined the Lions in 2022 under head coach Dan Campbell and has had time to understand the culture and expectations within the franchise. That continuity, LaPorta believes, is crucial.
Beyond Xs and Os, LaPorta credited the leadership of Campbell and General Manager Brad Holmes for building a winning environment. He praised their ability to find not just talented players, but the right players.
“People always say it’s a player’s game and Brad Holmes has been the best at finding guys in the league that fit the culture in Detroit and are damn good football players at the end of the day as well,” LaPorta said. “So, it starts with Dan and Brad and it works its way down to the players.”
Eyes now turn to Week 1 against Green Bay.