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Detroit Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley. Junfu Han via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Lions Promote Hank Fraley

Originally posted on Detroit Lions on SI
By Christian Booher | Last updated Jan 24, 2025 5:58 PM ET

In a week where the Detroit Lions’ coaching staff has seen plenty of changes, good news arrived on Friday.

Hank Fraley will remain in Detroit and has been promoted, according to reports. In addition to his offensive line coach duties, he now will also have the title of run game coordinator.

Fraley originally came to Detroit in the 2018 season and took over the offensive line room in 2020. He stayed with the organization through the coaching change from Matt Patricia to Dan Campbell, as he was backed up by support from Taylor Decker.

The veteran offensive line coach interviewed for the Seattle Seahawks' offensive coordinator vacancy this offseason and was also rumored to be in play to join former Lions' offensive coordinator Ben Johnson on the Chicago Bears' staff.

On Sunday, center Frank Ragnow explained that he was adamant that he did not want Fraley to leave the organization. Nearly a week later, it's official that Fraley will stay with the team.

“You refuse to let Hank leave. I haven’t played in this league without Hank and don’t plan on doing it,” Ragnow said. “I’ll sabotage him, I’ll leak stories, whatever it takes.”

Detroit Lions Hank Fraley earned promotion to run game coordinator/offensive line coach
— DetroitSportsPodcast (@DetroitPodcast) January 24, 2025

Ragnow was a first-round pick of the team in 2018, which correlates with Fraley’s first year with the organization. The two have struck up a strong bond, to the point where the veteran center questioned his own ability to perform in the league without his position coach.

“I don’t think I could play in this league without the guy, he’s everything to me,” Ragnow explained. “He’s been there since day one. In this league there’s a lot of coaches, but there’s not many coaches like him that empower his players and really it is an open dialogue. Really, he does everything he can to put us in the best positions to be confident and go out there and play well. Again, I’ve said it before, him being a former center in this league has been invaluable for me. Talking about how we see things and not only him giving me advice but me telling him how I see it and him being willing to listen. I think that’s so rare, and I’m just so grateful for him.”

Detroit’s staff changes started on Monday when Ben Johnson became the new head coach of the Chicago Bears and continued when Aaron Glenn became the head coach of the New York Jets and Terrell Williams left to become the defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots on Wednesday.

The Lions filled the vacancy left by Williams with the hire of Kacy Rodgers but still has openings for offensive and defensive coordinators.

This article first appeared on Detroit Lions on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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