The first Detroit Lions OC candidate has emerged

The first Detroit Lions OC candidate has emerged
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The Detroit Lions’ search for a new offensive coordinator has just begun, but one candidate has already emerged. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, former Lions quarterback David Blough is a candidate to fill the role left after John Morton’s firing.

Blough is only two years into his coaching career after retiring from playing after the 2023 season. He has spent the last two seasons as the Washington Commanders’ assistant quarterbacks coach, helping young quarterback Jayden Daniels emerge as a strong franchise player for Washington. Late in the 2025 season, Commanders quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard took the Stanford head coaching job, leaving Blough to serve as the interim quarterbacks coach for the rest of the season.

While backing up Jared Goff in Detroit, Blough was often described by the coaching staff as an excellent backup and strong offensive mind.

“I love the kid, if I’m being totally honest with you,” Campbell said back in 2021. “He’s just a little football player. And when I say that, I mean that in the highest regard. Look, he’s smart. He’s extremely smart. He knows where to go with the football, I love his timing. He knows how to command the huddle, he communicates well and on top of that, he’s a hell of a dude, by the way. He just is. So, he has not disappointed. He’s doing a good job. He’s out there competing with the rest of those guys.”

Obviously, this would be a big jump for Blough, considering he has barely led a position group, let alone ran an entire offense. But he has a strong knowledge of the team’s offense, and was even credited with designing a game-winning play for the Commanders last year.

As of now, this is the only known candidate for the Lions’ offensive coordinator position, but it’s still early in the process. When more candidates emerge, we’ll have a tracker so you can see all of the names in one place.