MARK BRUNELL

ALLEN PARK -- Dan Campbell has a new right-hand man in Detroit, hiring former NFL receiver Scottie Montgomery as his new assistant head coach and running backs coach. Montgomery replaces Duce Staley, who told players he was leaving for a job in Carolina to be closer to family during a difficult time. Montgomery is the third coach to join Detroit’s staff this offseason, following new cornerbacks coach Dre’ Bly and tight ends coach Steve Heiden. “I’ve had former players coach me in the past, but never this many,” quarterback Jared Goff once said. In his first season there, Jonathan Taylor led the NFL in rushing yards (1,811) and rushing touchdowns (18).

Patrick Mahomes will be the old man among the starting quarterbacks in the NFL conference title games.

1 overall pick -- you have to wonder if change is coming for Jared Goff too. Unless, of course, you’re Jared Goff. That’s something that you guys talk about, but no, that’s not what we’re going to do during the season. The more these losses stack up, the more Goff’s job will come under scrutiny next offseason. That’s what happens when you lose in this league, and the Lions are losing faster than anyone.

Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel played 14 seasons as an NFL linebacker.

The Detroit Lions (1-4) are back from their bye week for a Week 7 trip to face the Dallas Cowboys (4-2) and returning quarterback Dak Prescott. Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys: Fantasy guide and key matchups for Week 7This post serves as a fantasy guide while running through matchups to watch, team stats and the series history between the Lions and Cowboys. Detroit Lions draw Dallas Cowboys’ disruptive pass rush fresh off bye weekMicah Parsons has continued to look like one of the most feared defenders in football. Lions’ Dan Campbell says owner Sheila Ford Hamp remains ‘all in’ despite frustration“I would say that she understands. Lions DT Levi Onwuzurike undergoes ‘last resort’ back surgery, season is overThe former second-round pick is trending dangerously toward bust territory.

ALLEN PARK -- D’Andre Swift appears poised to make his return to the field on Sunday in Dallas. That kind of juice will be needed against Dallas’ formidable defense, especially with top free-agent acquisition DJ Chark ruled out because of an ankle injury. The Lions also announced quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell won’t make the trip to Dallas because of “personal” reasons. Senior offensive assistant John Morton will handle Brunell’s game-day duties with Jared Goff and the rest of the quarterbacks. He’s spent the last two decades as an offensive assistant, including serving as offensive coordinator for USC (2009-10) and the New York Jets (2017).

Tuesday was part four of HBO’s Hard Knocks featuring the Detroit Lions, and this week’s episode gave an inside look at what the organization does and how they prepare for roster cuts heading into week one of the regular season.

The city of Detroit is buzzing about the upcoming Detroit Lions footage on Hard Knocks, as more than 18,000 fans filled Ford Field for Family Fest last Saturday.

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions returned their entire quarterback room to some outside surprise this past offseason. Jared Goff remains at the top of the room, with Tim Boyle and David Blough back for another run at the backup position. Two guys that are certainly capable of being in that two spot,” Lions quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell said. That said, it’s hard to ignore the 0-8 combined record with Blough or Boyle starting. That’s one of the reasons why he’s back here with us,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said.

But it has been almost a half-century since the Lions built around a running quarterback. That’s 24.5 rushing yards per game. And no Lions starting quarterback has averaged more than 20 rushing yards since. Lamar Jackson, former league MVP, just averaged 63.9 rushing yards per game last season. Tom Brady doesn’t exactly run well, then became the greatest quarterback of all time and was still playing at an MVP-caliber rate throughout the rise of the mobile quarterback.

He’s read the reports concerning the team’s absent or inconsistent deep passing attack but hasn’t changed his tone when talking about the Detroit Lions and their quarterback situation. Jared Goff, the team’s starting quarterback, has been inconsistent through his first training camp with the Lions. And we’ll put him in multiple situations, a lot of two-minute, lot of red zone, lot of third-down situations, but he’s really developed. The Lions went three-and-out on the opening drive, with Goff throwing into heavy traffic on his first attempt. Both David Blough (shoulder) and Tim Boyle (ankle) are expected to play, with new addition Jordan Ta’amu getting up to speed.

ALLEN PARK -- Mark Brunell was confident his 17 years of NFL playing experience would help him connect with his quarterbacks, and it sure sounds like he was onto something. The Lions quarterbacks coach has been on the field in his new role for the first time over these past couple of weeks for Organized Team Activities and minicamp. The Lions traded Matthew Stafford to open the year, receiving Jared Goff, two first-round picks and one third-rounder from Los Angeles in return. Goff, Blough and Boyle have each credited Brunell’s experience for making it easier to communicate and connect with their position coach. He’s had so many reps, so he’s a wealth of knowledge for all three of us quarterbacks.

ALLEN PARK -- Tim Boyle spent the past three years backing up Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay before signing a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions earlier this offseason. The new Lions quarterback did make sure to share two takeaways that stand out from his time with the reigning MVP. He’s, as you guys know, a very unique individual, and understanding what he’s about, the culture he’s trying to build here, it was very appealing,” Boyle said. “He’s optimistic, and he loves us, and he’s got our back, and we’ve got his,” Boyle said. As for Lynn’s offense, Boyle called it a “quarterback-friendly” scheme through these early stages of non-contact practices.

Breshad Perriman ended 2019 season with 3 straight 100-yard receiving games for Bucs, when he played for new Detroit Lions WRs coach Antwaan Randle El

ALLEN PARK -- Mark Brunell was a quarterback in the NFL for 17 seasons, enjoying stints with five different teams while playing for 10 different quarterback coaches. While Brunell connected with each of those coaches, he said it was those who had extensive playing experience that resonated most. He joins Dan Campbell’s group in Detroit, equipped with 958 games of playing experience on its staff, something Brunell thinks will help more than just the quarterbacks. He argued that while Brunell doesn’t have NFL coaching experience on his resume, he’d been coaching for the previous 20 years. All the talk about playing experience and this team’s standing as an underdog led to Brunell fielding a question about the 1996 Jacksonville Jaguars.

History dictates that it’s likely at least a couple of the five first-round quarterbacks won’t fulfill the hopes of the teams that drafted them.

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions will hire Antwaan Randle El as wide receivers coach per the NFL Network, adding another notable former player to their staff. Randle El is fresh off a Super Bowl championship while serving as an offensive assistant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Randle El won a Super Bowl title with the Steelers, famously throwing a touchdown pass on a trick-play inside his new home stadium, Ford Field. ($)Randle El landed on Tampa Bay’s staff in 2019, reuniting with his former receivers coach and offensive coordinator while with the Steelers in Bruce Arians. Some of those around these parts should also recall Randle El from his days putting Indiana’s football team on his back.

The Detroit Lions on Friday added Duce Staley, Mark Brunell, Mark DeLeone, and Dom Capers to their coaching staff. Staley joins new coach Dan Campbell’s staff as running backs coach and assistant head coach. Brunell will be the team’s quarterbacks coach, and DeLeone will coach inside linebackers. Capers was hired as a senior defensive assistant. He spent the past two seasons as the inside linebackers coach for the Chicago Bears.

They have to pick the right quarterback in the draft too, then know how to develop him. But Dan Campbell believed Mark Brunell was the right man for the job before he even walked in the door, a detailed plan for Detroit’s quarterbacks in hand. “Once I met the person, the man, he’s just one of those you’re just drawn to,” Campbell said. And I always remember, man, for as good as Brees was, just, man, you talk about how Mark complemented him? “There’s a reason Mark played 20 years in this league,” Campbell said.

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions have hired former Panthers and Texans head coach Dom Capers to their staff as a senior defensive assistant. Aubrey Pleasant has been confirmed as the team’s new defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator. After decades, Duce Staley departed Philadelphia to take the job coaching running backs and as Campbell’s assistant head coach. Campbell and Glenn were with the Cowboys while Lynn was coaching running backs in Dallas. In other coaching news, former Lions defensive coordinator Cory Undlin reportedly will become San Francisco’s pass game specialist and secondary coach.

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions are reportedly hiring another former player for their coaching staff. The NFL Network reports the Lions are expected to hire Mark Brunell for their vacant quarterbacks coach position. The team has confirmed the hirings of Lynn, special teams coordinator Dave Fipp and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Duce Staley announced his departure from Philadelphia’s staff, coming to Detroit to coach running backs and serve as Dan Campbell’s assistant head coach. Mark DeLeone is also reportedly leaving the Bears to accept the same position with the Lions, coaching the linebackers.