Sheppard will replace Aaron Glenn, who was hired by the New York Jets as their next head coach.
“Having Shep there with me, he’s been there from the beginning, and he knows exactly how I think—exactly,” Glenn said of Sheppard in December. “And that’s a guy that I’ve been actually mentoring to be in the DC role at some point. I think he’s damn near close, if not there, to be ready to do that. He’s a damn good coach.”
As we wrote in our 10 options to replace Glenn at DC, Sheppard was considered the front-runner for the position, having been on coach Dan Campbell’s staff since the beginning of his tenure and quickly taking on new coaching and organizational responsibilities.
Sheppard, who played linebacker in the NFL for eight seasons, brings a high level of experience and intelligence to the Lions' defensive staff. With a no-nonsense approach to coaching that rewards players for how they produce on the field, Sheppard has earned the trust of both players and coaches over the past four years.