What Lions Are Getting in New DL Coach Kacy Rodgers

The Detroit Lions have added a Super Bowl-winning coach to their staff heading into the 2025 season in former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers.

River Wells is a Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat writer covering the team for Tampa Bay Buccaneers OnSI. He recently answered five questions from Detroit Lions OnSI to discuss the Lions' hire of Rodgers, who had been with the Buccaneers since 2019.

Before Tampa Bay, Rodgers worked with the New York Jets as defensive coordinator from 2015-18 and with the Miami Dolphins as defensive line coach from 2008-14. He worked with Lions coach Dan Campbell with the Dolphins from 2011-14, as Campbell was the team's tight ends coach until 2015.

Last season, Tampa Bay ranked third in the NFL in opponent rushing yards and 10th in the league in sacks per game. Rodgers worked with the likes of Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey with the Buccaneers, and will now get the chance to coach Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeill.

1.) What are the Lions getting in new defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers?

Wells: Kacy Rodgers has been in the NFL coaching the defensive line since 2003 — he brings a lot of experience over numerous teams. He’s been with Todd Bowles since 2008 at various stops, so it’ll be interesting to see how he fares away from Bowles for the first time in a long time.

2.) How would you evaluate his time with the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers?

Wells: It went well, I’d say. Rodgers put out three Pro Bowlers in Miami in Cameron Wake, Randy Starks and Paul Soliai, and he’s done similar work in Tampa Bay with players like Vita Vea.

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New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito (15) is sacked by Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea (50). | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

3.) What are his strengths and weaknesses?

Wells: His strength is absolutely facilitating a run defense — Tampa Bay was sixth in yards per rush and third in yards per game on defense in 2024, and those numbers have been similar the past few campaigns. Getting interior pressure from the line has been tough in the past, so that’s something to watch, but that wasn’t a problem in 2024 — Vita Vea put up 7 sacks and Calijah Kancey put up 7.5.

4.) The Lions have been good against the run, but struggle to generate consistent pressure and record sacks aside from Aidan Hutchinson. Will Rodgers be able to help generate pressure and get to the quarterback?

Wells: Tampa Bay’s edge rushers have struggled year-in and year-out to pass rush. A lot of that could be the lack of development from OLB coach George Edwards, who has been with the team for a while with very little results, but Rodgers’ lines have had problems with that in the past when it comes to rushing four. Aidan Hutchinson was built in a lab to play football, so he’ll be fine — if the pass rush starts falling off in Detroit otherwise, that could say something about Rodgers.

5.) How will Aidan Hutchinson improve working with Rodgers?

Wells: Hutch is already a monster — I’ve seen that spin move in my nightmares plenty (Hutchinson had four sacks against Tampa Bay in September). Rodgers brings a lot of experience and could show him a few things he doesn’t know, but with how Tampa Bay’s edge rushers have struggled in recent years, Rodgers might not be able to help him develop much further. Thankfully, he was already a DPOY candidate before his injury.