Lions announce John Morton as OC, Kelvin Sheppard as DC

The Detroit Lions on Thursday announced the hiring of John Morton as offensive coordinator and the promotion of Kelvin Sheppard to defensive coordinator.

Terms of their respective contracts were not disclosed by the Lions.

Morton, 55, replaces Ben Johnson, who was hired as the head coach of the Chicago Bears.

Sheppard, 37, was elevated from linebackers coach to replace Aaron Glenn, now head coach of the New York Jets.

Under Johnson, the Lions boasted the NFL’s No. 1 scoring offense this season (33.2 points per game) and finished second in total offense (409.5 yards per game). Detroit’s points (564) and regular-season wins (15) were franchise records.

With Morton as Denver’s pass game coordinator, the Broncos finished 20th in the NFL in pass offense (212.4) and averaged 25.0 points per game.

Morton spent the 2022 season with the Lions as a senior offensive assistant before joining the Broncos in 2023. The Michigan native previously worked with quarterback Jared Goff during Johnson’s first season as offensive coordinator.

When Glenn took over as Detroit’s DC in 2021, Sheppard came on board and has spent the last four seasons learning under the former three-time Pro Bowl defensive back and 15-year NFL veteran.

Sheppard, who played linebacker for eight NFL seasons, including his final season with Detroit in 2018, served as director of player development at his alma mater LSU in 2020 before returning to the Motor City.

–Field Level Media