The Detroit Lions have once again turned to a former NFL player to help fill their coaching staff, hiring Antwaan Randle El to coach the team’s receivers.
Randle El has been an offensive assistant with Tampa Bay for the past two seasons, helping the team win the Super Bowl over Kansas City earlier this month.
The 41-year-old played nine years in the NFL with Pittsburgh and Washington, and played in 143 games with 71 starters. He took 370 passes for 4,467 yards and 15 touchdowns. It was also a return to a part of his career with 26 returns for 288 yards and a touchdown.
Randle made him quarterback at Indiana University.
After retiring from the NFL, he became the athletic director of Virginia Academy, a high school he helped start. Then, in 2019, he decided to train.
Randle El becomes the last former NFL player to join the Lions coaching staff along with coach Dan Campbell, offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell, l assistant coach / runners coach Duce Staley, offensive line coach. Hank Fraley and defensive assistant Kelvin Sheppard.
Campbell said this was unintentional as he gathered his staff.
“I didn’t get into that issue and I said I wouldn’t hire more than former players. That really never crossed my mind,” Campbell said. “After all, I said, who is the best guy I know as far as the person I know as an excellent teacher and coach. That was the criterion. I mean, those were always the set standards and I swore that I never was.I will hire the first and second person coach.I hired the first person and the second coach.
“So I refused to do it, that’s what I knew, I refused to hire my friends who are average coaches or the type I should, but who is an average coach but an excellent human being. Because that’s how he becomes an average person. bonus he knew AG. It was a bonus he knew A-Lynn because they are exceptional human beings who are exceptional coaches and so I got into that question literally saying, ‘Where can i find the best guys How can I find the best guys? Who are the best? “