A year ago, Shaun Dion Hamilton was hitting the offseason trying to solidify his spot as a linebacker with the Detroit Lions. Now Hamilton is quickly climbing up the coaching ladder a year later.
Hamilton, who served as a defensive assistant coach during the 2022 season, was selected to coach the defensive backs for one of the teams at the Senior Bowl in early February. It’s a great opportunity for Hamilton to grow his burgeoning coaching career.
Lions fans barely saw Hamilton in uniform. Claimed off waivers from Washington in early 2021, the former Alabama linebacker injured his knee in preseason and missed that season. Hamilton struggled to find a role in 2022 training camp and his ongoing injury issues led him to retire. Head coach Dan Campbell quickly offered him a position on the coaching staff.
While he played linebacker, Hamilton was noted for his coverage skills, so taking charge of defensive backs is not a huge stretch.
The Senior Bowl opportunity is a fortunate one. Normally the Senior Bowl brings in an entire coaching staff of a non-playoff team; the Lions and Jets were the full staffs in the 2022 game week. This year, the Senior Bowl is giving higher-level coaching roles to various young assistants from across the league to help them advance their careers.
