A coach with “25 hats”
The Detroit Lions’ coaching staff looks a little different this season, and Scottie Montgomery is right in the middle of it. Already serving as assistant head coach and running backs coach, Montgomery has taken on another major responsibility: leading the wide receivers group.
Head coach Dan Campbell summed up Montgomery’s value simply: “He’s an invaluable coach.” In other words, if there’s a fire to put out, Montgomery is often the one with the hose.
Montgomery joked about his expanded workload in a press conference earlier this week, saying, “Coming in here, I probably had three hats. Now, I probably got like, 25 hats.”
New perspective with the WR room
For a coach who has spent much of his career with running backs, the move to oversee wideouts has been an eye-opener. Montgomery admitted he’s gained a new respect for the detail and precision that receivers bring to the job.
“What I didn’t understand about these guys though is just how truly special they were as it comes to detail and hard work. And that’s driven by Saint, it’s driven by Khalif, it’s driven by Waymo.”
-Scottie Montgomery via Detroit Lions
Working daily with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Kalif Raymond has deepened his appreciation for their craft. He’s seen firsthand the level of accountability and discipline required in a unit that thrives on timing, chemistry, and execution.
Strengthening the Lions’ culture
The added responsibility isn’t just about X’s and O’s. Montgomery says the relationships formed in the receivers’ room have built stronger bonds across the offense. That sense of trust and accountability has become a staple of Detroit’s culture under Campbell.
“It’s just the big picture. Like you can get so involved when you’re in a room that you can’t see the building, right? So, what Dan has given me the ability to do since I got here is to see the building, not just from an offensive standpoint, but from a defensive standpoint and also an administrative standpoint.”
-Scottie Montgomery via Detroit Lions
Montgomery’s willingness to stretch himself across multiple groups speaks to the Lions’ bigger picture: a staff that values adaptability, collaboration, and putting players in the best position to succeed.
Watch the full press conference below:
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