New Lions linebacker Damone Clark’s arrival in Detroit is anything but a surprise. Detroit needed depth after several linebackers left for free agency, and Clark’s connection to Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard was obvious. Back when Clark played for the purple and gold at LSU, Sheppard was the program’s director of player personnel.
That LSU bond never breaks, and when it comes to Clark and Sheppard, it’s only expanded since they both found their way to the NFL in their respective roles.
“I keep in touch with him, obviously just to sharpen my game,” Clark said of Sheppard during his introductory press conference on Wednesday. “My biggest thing with me, I always want to get better. I don’t want to stay the same. And he tells me when I’m doing good things, he tells me when I need to work on things, and that’s all part of it. I’m a sponge, I want to learn as much as I can, because I know the player that I can be and I know the player that I want to be.”
Clark is looking for his career to take the next step after he’s hit a bit of a plateau. Drafted in the fifth round of the 2022 draft, Clark managed to beat the odds and quickly find his way on the field. He started five games in his rookie season and was the full-time, 17-game starter with the Dallas Cowboys in 2023. He was reduced to a reserve role the following year, and when regime change hit Dallas in 2025, he was waived and picked up by the Houston Texans, where he played almost entirely as a four-core special teamer.
“My role last year decreased on the defensive side, but it increased on the special teams side, and that’s okay,” Clark said. “Like I say, every morning I wake up, and I just thank god for the opportunity, because I got homeboys and people back at the crib that would do anything just to be on practice squad, something like that. So, you have to make the most of every opportunity and put that in the forefront of your mind, that guys wish to be in this position.”
Looking to Detroit, he sees an opportunity to compete and an opportunity to grow. And that starts with working alongside Sheppard, who Clark has seen develop Detroit’s linebacker room into a point of strength.
“You’re seeing guys that Shep has coached and developed, like, who wouldn’t want that to be them?” Clark said. “Who wouldn’t want that to be them, just to get that opportunity to get that coaching. And you go out on Sundays, you’re out there flying around, making plays. That makes yourself proud, it makes your family proud, but it also makes your coaches proud, too.”
But Clark knows everything still needs to be earned. One thing he’s always loved about Sheppard is his ability to talk straight with you. He knows that just because he and Sheppard go way back, the Lions’ defensive coordinator won’t be playing favorites.
“There’s no homeboys in this business,” Clark said. “Like, you need to come in here, put your head down, and go to work, and the best man will win.”
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