Lions Announce Coaching Staff Update
Allen Park, Mich. – The Detroit Lions announced today the following updates to the coaching staff:
DAVID CORRAO – DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL RESEARCH
Corrao joins the Lions after spending the 2017 season as a senior player personnel analyst at Mississippi. He worked as the defensive coordinator at Northern Michigan in 2016 following eight seasons with the Miami Dolphins, where he assisted in coaching the team's linebackers. Corrao began his coaching career in the high school ranks before serving in assistant coach roles at Syracuse (2000-03), Northeastern (2004) and Mississippi (2005-07). A native of Mission Viejo, Calif., he holds a bachelor's degree in creative writing from the University of Arizona and a Master of Science in Instructional Design Development and Evaluation from Syracuse.
JEFF DAVIDSON – OFFENSIVE LINE
With 24 years of NFL coaching experience, including 15 tutoring offensive linemen, Davidson begins the 2018 season as the Lions' offensive line coach after spending last season with the Denver Broncos. In addition to his offensive line coaching experience with the San Diego Chargers (2016), Minnesota Vikings (2011-15), Cleveland Browns (2005) and New England Patriots (1998-2001), Davidson also served as the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach/offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers (2007-10) and Browns (2006), respectively. A graduate of Ohio State, be began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant with the New Orleans Saints from 1995-96 following a three-year playing career with the Broncos from 1990-92.
GEORGE GODSEY – QUARTERBACKS
Godsey returns to Detroit in 2018 in his first season as the team's quarterbacks coach. He joined the Lions coaching staff in 2017 as a defensive assistant following a two-year stint (2015-16) as the Houston Texans' offensive coordinator and one season as the team's quarterbacks coach in 2014. Prior to Houston, he spent three seasons with the New England Patriots, beginning as an offensive assistant in 2011 before coaching the tight ends from 2012-13. A four-year quarterback at Georgia Tech (1998-2001), Godsey spent the first seven years of his coaching career at Central Florida.
AL GOLDEN – LINEBACKERS
After coaching the tight ends in his first two seasons with Detroit, Golden enters the 2018 season as the team's linebackers coach. He originally joined the Lions coaching staff in 2016 after 23 years as a college coach, including 10 seasons as a head coach at the University of Miami (2011-15) and at Temple University (2006-10). After working as a graduate assistant at Virginia (1994-96), Golden went on to coach the linebackers at Boston College (1997-99) and Penn State (2000) before being named Virginia's defensive coordinator from 2001-05.
PAUL PASQUALONI – DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
A 46-year coaching veteran, Paul Pasqualoni comes to Detroit in 2018 as the team's defensive coordinator following two seasons (2016-17) as the defensive line coach at Boston College. This year marks Pasqualoni's ninth season coaching in the NFL after previous stints with the Houston Texans (2015), Chicago Bears (2014), Dallas Cowboys (2005-07, 2010) and Miami Dolphins (2008-09). He served as defensive coordinator for both the Cowboys (2010) and Dolphins (2008-09). He also served as head coach at Connecticut (2011-13), Syracuse (1991-2004) and Western Connecticut State (1982-86). The Cheshire, Conn. native holds a bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Penn State, as well as a Master of Science in Physical Education and Human Performance from Southern Connecticut State.
BRIAN STEWART – DEFENSIVE BACKS
Stewart most recently served as defensive coordinator and interim head coach at Rice University in 2017. Prior to Rice, he coached at Nebraska for two seasons (2015-16) where he worked with the team's defensive backs. Prior to Nebraska, he was the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at both Maryland (2012-14) and the University of Houston (2010-11). Stewart's NFL experience includes stops with the Philadelphia Eagles (2009), Dallas Cowboys (2007-08), San Diego Chargers (2004-06) and Houston Texans (2002-03). A native of La Puente, Calif., Stewart played defensive back at Santa Monica City College and Northern Arizona and holds a degree in criminal justice.
CHRIS WHITE – TIGHT ENDS
White returns to the NFL after spending the 2017 season working with the University of Connecticut football program as the senior quality control director of football research and special projects. Prior to UConn he spent four years as the special teams coordinator/running backs coach at Iowa. White earned his start in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings from 2009-12 as an assistant special teams coach after serving in various capacities at Syracuse (2000-08), Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo (1999-2000) and UNLV (1996-98). The Groveland, Mass. native graduated from Colby College before going on to receive a master's degree in education from Syracuse.
