Kelvin Sheppard, the new defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, is grateful for the support he’s received from head coach Dan Campbell and former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. However, Sheppard revealed that the support from the players means even more to him. “That means the most to me,” Sheppard said. “I’m going to be honest, and it’s no slight to anybody else, but the players mean the most to me by far because that is who goes out and does it.”
Sheppard, who was promoted from linebackers coach in January, spoke with Lions reporters at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. He discussed the support he received from players after his promotion, including defensive players like Aidan Hutchinson, Alex Anzalone, and Malcolm Rodriguez. Sheppard also mentioned that several offensive players, including Amon-Ra St. Brown, David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Jameson Williams, reached out to him after his promotion.
Sheppard was particularly touched by a text message from quarterback Jared Goff, whose cell phone number he didn’t even have. “He texted me, he’s like, ‘Hey, this is JG.’ And I was like, ‘What up?’ And just his outpouring of happiness for me—telling me he thought I deserved it, he was excited—and I told him how excited I was to have him as the quarterback on the other side.” The support from the players has fortified Sheppard’s confidence in his new role, and he believes it’s a testament to the strong relationships he’s built within the team.