The Detroit Lions have a new RB coach, meanwhile Scottie Montgomery is shifting to a new role.
The Detroit Lions are hiring a new running backs coach. According to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, current Texas running backs coach Tashard Choice is expected to join the Lions’ coaching staff. At this point, there is no clarity on what that means for the Lions’ current assistant head coach/running backs coach Scottie Montgomery.
UPDATE: Per Justin Rogers, Montgomery is becoming the team’s wide receivers coach, replacing the departed Antwaan Randle-El. Montgomery—a college receiver himself—was previously the Steelers’ wide receivers coach in 2010-12 and also coached the position at Duke in 2013.
Perhaps the most notable thing about Choice is that he has already coached Lions star running back Jahmyr Gibbs. Choice was the Georgia Tech running back during Gibbs’ two years there. Back in 2023, Montgomery actually noted how Choice’s input was a big reason why the Lions opted to draft Gibbs in the first round.
“I’ve got a tremendous amount of respect not only for both programs (Gibbs) was at, but mainly the running backs coaches that had him, Tashard Choice and (Alabama RB coach Robert) Gillespie,” Montgomery said. “Tremendous amount of respect for the way they coach. I know both of those guys.”
Choice was a fourth-round pick in 2008 for the Dallas Cowboys and ended up playing in the league for six seasons. A few years later, he re-joined the Cowboys as a coaching assistant, kicking off a new era of his career. From there, he spent two years with North Texas (graduate assistant, then RB coach), then jumped to be Georgia Tech’s running backs coach for three years, before spending the last three seasons as Texas’ running backs coach.
Besides Gibbs, Choice has also coached Panthers 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks, Falcons 2023 first-round pick Bijan Robinson, Bears 2023 fourth-round pick Roschon Johnson, and 49ers 2022 UDFA running back Jordan Mason.
UPDATE 2: Neat story here from Dave Birkett:
As a side note, when I talked to Tashard Choice back in 2023 about Jahmyr Gibbs, he told me Kelvin Sheppard “is my best friend in the business, that’s like my brother.” Now reunited on the Lions’ coaching staff.
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) February 13, 2025
UPDATE 3: Rogers also provided clarity on Tyler Roehl’s new role. He will now replace Steve Heiden as the team’s new TE coach.
You can see an updated look at the Lions’ coaching staff changes with our 2025 tracker.
