For Sheppard, the texts and shout-outs on social media from defensive players were one thing. It was quite another to hear from “guys like Jared Goff.”

The Detroit Lions could look very different during the 2025 season. Detroit lost both of its coordinators this offseason to head coaching jobs with other teams. Lions fans got their first big opportunity to learn about new defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard during a recent interview.

"Everything you do on defense starts with the front," Sheppard said. "Just look at the final guys in the championship game. And everybody knows. This is not [like] I’m telling some secret. It starts with the trenches in both the run and pass game.

Kelvin Sheppard doesn’t quite understand why everybody keeps pointing out that he's "still so young." Sure, the Detroit Lions’ new defensive coordinator is only 37 years old. But in football years? He’s spent 32 years in the game,