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Detroit Lions Hire Former Stanford Coach David Shaw As Passing Game Coordinator

The Detroit Lions have announced the hiring of David Shaw as their passing game coordinator. Shaw, who has two decades of coaching experience in the NFL and NCAA, has a unique tie to former USC Trojans wide receiver, now Lions All-Pro, Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Kyron Samuels

Nov 5, 2022; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal head coach David Shaw during the second quarter against the Washington State Cougars at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Nov 5, 2022; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal head coach David Shaw during the second quarter against the Washington State Cougars at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
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The Detroit Lions have announced that David Shaw has agreed to a multi-year contract to become the next passing game coordinator for the vaunted Lions offensive attack.

Shaw steps into a role where he’ll get to use his two decades of expertise throughout the NFL and college football developing players such as Andrew Luck, Derrick Mason, Christian McCaffery, Mark Clayton, Toby Gerhart, and others. The hire has been met with resounding approval from the masses as Shaw is one of the more respected names in the football world.

Former USC Trojans wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown now has the replacement for newly-appointed Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson in the passing game that’s helped him become a multiple-time All-Pro. At Stanford, Shaw coached against Amon-Ra St. Brown while he was at USC, and he coached against St. Brown's middle brother, Osiris St. Brown, who had 36 receptions for nearly 500 receiving yards and a touchdown during his career at Stanford. 

Shaw, former coach at Stanford, was also interviewed for the offensive coordinator job by the Chicago Bears according to league sources. Shaw was most recently a senior personnel executive for the Denver Broncos and aided in their most successful season in over a decade as they made a playoff appearance.

He joins John Morton who is the new offensive coordinator and was also most recently with the Denver Broncos. Morton, who previously had a stint with the Lions, will help the Lions keep their identity.

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Shaw was widely known and acclaimed for his balance as a play-caller and structure in the vertical passing attack. Every facet of the game plan complimented the other, and the system is conducive to building upon itself throughout games and seasons. Shaw’s ability to call timely gadget plays is also a welcomed quality as Ben Johnson was excellent, for the most part, in using those types of plays to crest a spark or put games away. 

At face value, the pairing of a coach like David Shaw with Lions coach Dan Campbell may seem a bit out of place. Campbell is an outwardly-passionate fire starter and Shaw is stoic, subdued, and as cool as the other side of the pillow. But that’s exactly why it may work. Shaw’s job isn’t to motivate and captivate a team, it’s to create a comprehensive and efficient passing attack for a stable of talent. Campbell can take care of the rest. 

The Lions’ offensive staff is virtually complete now, and by the looks of it, they couldn’t have done a much better job replacing what they lost. With such a veteran group on offense and a familiar style incoming, it should not take too long for the group to gel.

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Kyron Samuels
KYRON SAMUELS

Kyron Samuels is a former college and professional football player now a writer, analyst, & digital host. Kyron is a writer for USC Trojans on SI and contributes to Oregon Ducks on SI. A graduate and letterman at Jacksonville State University, Samuels was a three-year starter, two-time all-conference, and won three consecutive conference titles. After a four-year professional stint between the AFL & XFL, Samuels retired from football. In 2022, Samuels was inducted into the Fairhope Athletic Hall of Fame. Post-playing career, Samuels has become a credentialed sports media member covering the NFL, UFL, USFL, & college football. The NFL Combine, Reese’s Senior Bowl, & East-West Shrine Bowl are amongst the events Kyron has covered. As a guest and host, Samuels has been featured on ESPNRadio, FoxSportsRadio, & IHeartRadio. Outside of sports media, Samuels works as a scouting consultant and has experience coaching at the collegiate level.

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