The offseason of change continues for the Detroit Lions, as another new face is being added to the coaching staff.
According to reports Thursday, the Lions are set to hire Tashard Choice as their running backs coach.
Scottie Montgomery, who formerly coached the running backs coach and doubles as assistant head coach, will be coaching the wide receivers in 2025.
Detroit had a vacancy on their staff for a wide receivers coach, as Antwaan Randle El departed to join former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson on the Chicago Bears’ coaching staff.
Choice has spent the last three seasons as the running backs coach at the University of Texas, and held the same position at Georgia Tech prior to that.
The hire allows Lions’ running back Jahmyr Gibbs to reunite with his former position coach at Georgia Tech, as Choice presided over the Yellow Jackets’ running back room in Gibbs’ first two seasons. Choice was at Georgia Tech from 2019-21, with Gibbs playing for the team in 2020 and 2021.
Choice had a six-year NFL career as a player after playing collegiately at Georgia Tech. He played for four NFL teams, including Dallas, Washington, Buffalo and Indianapolis. His most productive season was his rookie year, as he totaled 92 carries for 472 yards and two touchdowns.
In his career, Choice totaled 1,579 yards and 10 touchdowns on 372 carries. He began his coaching career as an intern for the Cowboys, before returning to the college ranks as a graduate assistant for North Texas in 2017.
Choice was promoted to running backs coach the following year, then departed to take the job at his alma mater beginning in 2019.
Roehl’s role
Earlier in the week, reports indicated that the Lions were hiring former Iowa State running backs coach Tyler Roehl as an offensive assistant. According to Detroit Football Network, Roehl will be the team’s tight ends coach.
Roehl replaces Steve Heiden, who helmed the tight end room for two seasons before leaving to join former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn as the New York Jets’ offensive line coach.
