When Dan Campbell was hired as head coach of the Detroit Lions, he made it very clear that he planned to surround himself with outstanding coaches, who could relate to and teach the players. One of the coaches Cambell hired that fits that bill perfectly is Aubrey Pleasant.
Pleasant, who is just 35 years old, is currently the Lions’ defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator and from all accounts, he is doing an amazing job.
Not only has Pleasant, who played in the NFL, been able to relate to the Lions’ players on a personal, but he has also been able to challenge them to get better every single day.
Detroit Lions assistant Aubrey Pleasant included on prestigious list
Here is some of what The Athletic had to say about Aubrey Pleasant as one of the top young NFL coaches under 40 years old:
In Detroit, Pleasant has been tasked with developing players like cornerback Jeff Okudah, the No. 3 pick in 2020 who struggled under former coach Matt Patricia, then suffered a ruptured Achilles in the 2021 season opener. Pleasant interviewed for defensive coordinator jobs with Minnesota and New Orleans last offseason.
“What I learned quickly is he’s a hands-on coach, and a hands-on teacher,” Campbell told The Athletic recently. “He’s very much in it with the players. He does a great job of communicating in different ways, demonstrating, watching tape, getting on the board, bringing players up to the front of the room.”
Pleasant is also a fiery coach, as we saw last season, when TV cameras caught a heated sideline exchange with Okudah. The interaction ended with a hug, an example, Campbell said, of how close Pleasant is with the players and how hard he pushes them.
“He’s all-in with those guys all the time,” Campbell said.
Nation, if Detroit Lions’ current defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn moves on after the 2022 season, do you think Aubrey Pleasant should get a promotion?
