Detroit Lions Jared Goff on Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery
Jared Goff praised Detroit Lions running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery after a 44-30 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025.
The Detroit Lions had eight coaching vacancies after winning the most games in franchise history last season. They’ll have at least one in 2026.
Lions tight ends coach Tyler Roehl is expected to join Iowa State’s staff as an assistant, league sources told the Free Press. Iowa State has not announced the hire yet, but Roehl is expected to be the school’s offensive coordinator.
Roehl, who joined the Lions staff in February after spending the 2024 season as Iowa State’s assistant head coach/running backs coach, remains with the team in preparation for this week’s game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Iowa State introduced former Washington State coach Jimmy Rogers as its new coach on Monday, Dec. 8 (replacing Matt Campbell, who took the vacant job at Penn State). Rogers coached at South Dakota State coach in 2023-24 after serving as an assistant at the school in 2013-22, a span when he competed against Roehl at North Dakota State.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said he hired Roehl last winter after first interviewing him for a coaching position in 2023. Roehl and Campbell first met at North Dakota State’s pro day in 2021, when Campbell and Lions general manager Brad Holmes watched quarterback Trey Lance.
The two stayed in touch, and Campbell targeted Roehl to replace Steve Heiden when Heiden left to become offensive line coach of the New York Jets last winter.
In Detroit, Roehl has overseen a tight end room ravaged by injuries. Starter Sam LaPorta underwent season-ending back surgery in November, backup Brock Wright was placed on injured reserve last week with a trachea injury and Shane Zylstra and Kenny Yeboah, who were competing for the No. 3 job this summer, suffered injuries in traning camp.
The Lions have just two tight ends on their 53-man roster, Anthony Firkser and Hayden Rucci, though Zylstra returned to practice last week and is eligible to be activated off injured reserve.
Roehl said earlier this year “it’s been unbelievable for me in my career to learn” from Campbell and coach with the Lions.
“Someone who is extremely passionate about not only the sport but this team, this place, this organization, the city,” he said. “How he embodies what this place represents in grit, and how the messaging is about grit and we’re all on a mission to do things better than they’ve ever been done before. That’s the mission, that’s why we’re here. And we’re going to work tirelessly to accomplish that mission.”
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
