Report: Miami Dolphins to sign former Lions DB coach Brian Duker

The reported hirings of Terrell Williams and Deshea Townsend this offseason have linked the Detroit Lions to two coaching acquisitions; but, it now appears, for the first time since the end of the season, that they have lost one of their coaches to South Beach.

Brian Duker, the defensive back coach for the Lions, is reportedly leaving Detroit to take a position with the Miami Dolphins, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. In addition to coaching the Dolphins’ defensive backs, Duker will also serve as the passing game coordinator, according to Pelissero.

Duker was originally hired in 2021, by coach Dan Campbell, and held a defensive assistant role, while working closely with the Lions secondary. His ties to the Lions coaching staff included his time in Cleveland as an intern for the Browns while Lions current defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn was an assistant secondary coach in 2015.

In 2022, he was promoted to safeties coach and oversaw the Lions entire secondary after Aubry Pleasant was let go mid-season. In 2023, he was officially promoted to defensive backs coach, and Dre Bly was brought on to assist him in working with the cornerbacks.

The Dolphins hired Renaldo Hill as their defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator in 2023, but at the time of this publishing, Miami still has Hill listed on their staff and there have not been any rumors about his future with the team—though it’s worth noting that Hill joined the Dolphins to work with Vic Fangio, who has vacated his defensive coordinator and joined the Philadelphia Eagles in the same role.

It’s not uncommon for teams to make coaching moves like this and not announce any hirings until they have made all the necessary adjustments to their staff.

For example, the Lions have not announced the reported hirings of Williams and Townsend, and are likely in the process of shifting around roles on their staff. Once those decisions are finalized, the Lions will likely make an announcement detailing their reorganized coaching staff for the 2024 season.