Detroit Lions' 2025 coaching staff taking shape with two new hires and top assistant switching positions

Scottie Montgomery will coach Detroit’s wide receivers in 2025. (Getty Images)

The Detroit Lions' revamped coaching staff continues to take shape after the group was ransacked at the end of the season. A source familiar with the decisions confirmed the team has hired two position coaches and is shifting Scottie Montgomery from running backs to wide receivers. He will retain his assistant head coaching title.

Tashard Choice and Tyler Roehl are joining the staff. Choice will backfill Montgomery's former role while Roehl will lead the team's tight ends, replacing Steve Heiden, who followed former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to New York and will serve as the Jets offensive line coach.

Choice, a six-year NFL veteran who played for four teams, has spent the past seven seasons coaching running backs at the college level, most recently at the University of Texas. He coached Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs at Georgia Tech for two seasons and Atlanta Falcons star Bijan Robinson during his final season at Texas in 2022.

Choice was a teammate of Detroit defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, both in Buffalo and Indianapolis.

As for Roehl, Detroit is his first NFL coaching job. A college running back, he's spent most of his coaching career at his alma mater, North Dakota State. He was on the school's staff for seven FCS national championships, initially coaching the team's running backs and tight ends for five seasons before taking on offensive coordinator duties from 2019-23.

Roehl spent last season as the running backs and assistant head coach on Matt Cambbell's staff at Iowa State. The Cyclones went 11-3 in 2024 and averaged 160.5 rushing yards per game.

As for Montgomery, he'll return to working with receivers, the position he played and coached early in his career at his alma mater Duke (2006-09) and with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2010-12). He'll inherit a group led by two-time All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown and former first-round pick Jameson Williams, who is coming off a 1,000-yard season.

The trio of coaches will work under new offensive coordinator John Morton, the veteran assistant who is replacing Ben Johnson. Offensive line coach Hank Fraley remains part of that staff, with the added title of run game coordinator. The team also added former Stanford coach David Shaw as passing game coordinator earlier this month.