It’s common practice when a team hires a new coordinator for that coach to bring in some familiar staff members to help them build their system within their new organization. Even with a team like the Detroit Lions, who have a pretty solidified positional coaching staff, they may be willing to bring in some fresh faces to implement a new game plan. Last year, when they hired John Morton as their new offensive coordinator, he brought along David Shaw—a long-time friend—to be the pass game coordinator.
So it stands to reason that with Drew Petzing set to become the next offensive coordinator, he may bring a coach or two along with him.
Here are four candidates for new coaches that could join Petzing in Detroit.
Cardinals tight ends coach Ben Steele
This is the easiest of dot connecting, because the Lions currently have a vacancy at tight ends coach after Tyler Roehl left to become Iowa State’s new offensive coordinator.
Given Petzing’s high usage of 12 and 13 personnel (two and three tight end sets), getting a tight ends coach who shares that vision is very important. Steele, a former tight end who played for six years in the NFL, has been Petzing’s tight ends coach for his entire offensive coordinator years with the Cardinals. During that time, Trey McBride has become a superstar, and it would be fun to see what he can do to elevate Sam LaPorta’s game even further.
It’s unclear if, like Petzing, Steele’s contract is up in Arizona, but with their head coaching search still in progress, it’s possible the Cardinals let him pursue other opportunities anyways.
Cardinals pass game coordinator Drew Terrell
One of the more fascinating questions now that Petzing is the hire is where the passing game influences will be coming from. Petzing’s innovation in the run game has been widely praised, but Detroit will still need to keep their top-10 passing attack thriving.
The future of Shaw in Detroit is certainly in question with Morton gone and Shaw also interviewing for the Buccaneers’ OC job.
Terrell would be an interesting up-and-coming option. He served as the pass game coordinator/wide receivers coach for the past three years in Arizona, but the Cardinals’ passing offense never produced anything other than average results.
Working with the wide receivers group, he was handed two young, highly-drafted receivers in Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson. Both have progressed, but underwhelmed in their production so far. That said, he found more success as the Washington receivers coach, helping Terry McLaurin become a household name.
Detroit already has a very solid receivers coach in Scottie Montgomery, so this hire could be redundant. But if the Lions are concerned about eventually losing Montgomery and want to get someone more well-versed in Petzing’s system, Terrell is a young, developing option.
Cardinals pass game specialist Connor Senger
Like with Terrell, Senger is a young coach with only limited success, but he is even earlier in his coaching journey. A former college quarterback, Senger’s coaching career dates back to just 2017, and he’s only been in the NFL since 2022.
That first year with the Cardinals, he was the recipient of the Bill Bidwell Fellowship—a program developed to increase diversity by giving opportunities to minority coaches. Since then, he climbed to offensive quality control coach (2023), assistant quarterbacks coach (2024), and pass game specialist (2025). Senger has continued his development as a coach by being part of the coaching staff for the Senior Bowl in 2024 and the Shrine Bowl last year.
There’s not a lot of info out there on Senger, but the Lions tend to be in the business of developing coaches, and Senger has already found himself on the rise quickly.
Seahawks QB coach Andrew Janocko
Okay, this is an absolute shot in the dark, because I have no idea whether Janocko would even be available or interested in heading to Detroit for a pass-game coordinator type of role.
Janocko and Petzing go back to their Vikings days, where Janocko served as a quality control coach before assisting with the offensive line from 2017-19. The two overlapped for a total of five years, and since then, Janocko’s stock has been on the rise.
After coaching the offensive line, he moved to wide receivers coach (2020) before switching his focus to quarterback. He was the Bears’ QB coach in 2022-23, Saints QB coach in 2024, and now resides with the Seahawks in 2025—where Sam Darnold is enjoying another career year.
Most importantly, however, Janocko is a branch off the Klint Kubiak tree (who is currently the Seahawks OC), and that’s where Petzing’s biggest influences come from, as well. While Janocko’s past hasn’t looked great when paired with young quarterbacks (Justin Fields in 2022-23, Spencer Rattler in 2024), he has worked well with veteran passers (Derek Carr, Darnold), and some are tabbing him as a possible Seahawks offensive coordinator replacement for Kubiak should he get a head coaching job this cycle.
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