The Detroit Lions are hiring Drew Petzing as their offensive coordinator after firing John Morton at the end of the season. Joe Rondone / Getty Images
The Detroit Lions are hiring former Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing to be their next OC, a source told The Athletic’s Michael Silver.
The Lions were in search of a new offensive coordinator after parting ways with John Morton, hired a year ago to replace Ben Johnson in Detroit. While the Lions ranked among the top 5 offenses in yards per game and scoring, head coach Dan Campbell took over play-calling duties around midseason, and ultimately decided to move on two days after the season concluded. Morton has since joined the Denver Broncos as a consultant for the postseason.
While the Lions interviewed Mike McDaniel, Mike Kafka, Arthur Smith and Jake Peetz for a coveted OC job, Petzing, 38, is the name Campbell zeroed in on.
A Kevin Stefanski pupil, Petzing has worked with the newly hired Falcons head coach in various roles with the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns. Petzing has coached wide receivers, tight ends and quarterbacks at the NFL level. He’s good friends with Johnson from their time together at Boston College, and his work in the run game could be an asset in Detroit. The Cardinals ranked sixth in EPA per rush and seventh in offensive rushing success rate from 2023-25. He’s worked with Kyler Murray and Jacoby Brissett — two quarterbacks with drastically different playing styles. The Cardinals ranked seventh in play-action rate under Petzing, which might’ve appealed to Campbell.
This is an important hire for Campbell, considering how quickly things with Morton fell apart. He needs to get this one right, as the Lions try to work their way back from a fourth-place finish in the NFC North.
This story will be updated.
