Lions Scottie Montgomery Does Not Land Buccaneers OC Position

Scottie Montgomery will become the Lions next running backs coach.

New Detroit Lions running backs coach Scottie Montgomery did not land the offensive coordinator position with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Montgomery was among several candidates who were in the running to join the coaching staff of Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles. 

On Wednesday evening, it was announced former Seattle Seahawks quarterbacks coach Dave Canales was named the replacement for Byron Leftwich, who was dismissed following the conclusion of the 2022 season. 

Canales is credited for aiding in quarterback Geno Smith producing one of his best statistical seasons of his career. 

More: Lions Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson Explains Decision to Return in 2023

After spending the last two seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, Montgomery was hired by Lions head coach Dan Campbell to replace former running backs coach Duce Staley, who was named to the same position with the Carolina Panthers. 

Similar to Staley, Montgomery will also serve as an assistant head coach in Detroit. 

When Frank Reich was dismissed by the Colts during the 2022 season, Montgomery was not named the offensive play-caller, despite his past experience being a collegiate head coach at East Carolina (2016-2018) and offensive coordinator at Maryland (2019-2020). 

The experienced assistant coach has regularly stated his desire to eventually become an offensive coordinator in the NFL. 

“Of course I want to be a coordinator in this league,” Montgomery explained, after it was decided collectively that pass game specialist Parks Frazier would be assigned the task of calling offensive plays for the Colts. “I think that’s pretty evident around the league. People know that. But, I also know there’s a lot that goes with having the responsibility of the room that I have.”