The Detroit Lions’ search for their next offensive coordinator has produced a relatively surprising name: David Blough.
The former Lions quarterback, who spent several seasons in Detroit as a backup and spot starter, has quickly ascended the coaching ranks and is now being discussed as a viable candidate to replace John Morton.
Morton, who was stripped of his play-calling duties midway through the 2025 campaign, was fired by Detroit Tuesday after spending one season as the team’s offensive coordinator.
Blough, a product of Purdue University, suited up for five NFL seasons, the majority of which were spent in the Motor City. Initially signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cleveland Browns in 2019, Blough was traded to Detroit prior to the start of the aforementioned season.
Blough proceeded to start five games as a rookie with the Lions, throwing for 984 yards, four touchdowns and six interceptions. Detroit did not win a single one of his five starts. He also suited up for a game with the Lions in each 2020 and 2021 prior to rejoining the organization as a member of its practice squad in 2023.
Blough certainly gained the admiration of Detroit head man Dan Campbell during his time in Motown, too.
“He’s extremely smart,” Campbell said of Blough back in 2021. “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.”
Blough also started two games for the Arizona Cardinals in 2022, completing 38-of-58 passes for two touchdowns and two interceptions.
The 30-year-old began his NFL coaching career in 2024 with the Washington Commanders, serving as the team’s assistant quarterbacks coach. He became Washington’s QBs coach on an interim basis for the final five games of the 2025 season, after Tavita Pritchard was named head coach at his alma mater, Stanford.
Blough, equipped with a high football IQ, has the potential to become an offensive coordinator one day. He played a role in the development of Commanders dual-threat passer Jayden Daniels, who took the league by storm a season ago and threw for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also added 891 yards and six scores on the ground, as he earned AP Offensive Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl honors.
“I had kind of known before last season started that my body was starting to fail me a little bit,” Blough said last January. “I had known that I had wanted to do [coaching]. I think when I was in high school, I said I wanted to be a high school coach. When I was in college, I wanted to be a college coach. And then at the highest level, learning from some of the great coaches that I’ve gotten to be around, this is what I’m supposed to be doing.”
Despite his many positive attributes, Blough is just two years into his coaching career, and has never called plays a day in his life. He seems more suited to be a passing game coordinator than a team’s offensive coordinator at this juncture in his coaching career. To me, his lack of experience as an NFL assistant should be used against him in his candidacy to become the Lions’ next offensive coordinator.
And if he were hired to be Morton’s successor, there’s already speculation that Campbell would retain his play-calling responsibilities. That right there is another reason why Blough should not be strongly considered for the OC vacancy.
Campbell needs to relinquish his play-calling duties in 2026 and focus solely on being the great leader and motivator that he is from the Lions sideline.
If I were Detroit general manager Brad Holmes, I would go in a different direction than Blough and target a proven play-caller as the organization’s next offensive coordinator.
