The NFL has announced Tuesday that the New York Jets and the Detroit Lions will coach the players in the 2022 Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL. For the first time in the games history, the head coaches of each franchise will be in an advisory role.
The change to the Senior Bowls format comes as a chance for the teams assistants to take charge and showcase their skills in front of other NFL teams. Another change to the format will include four coaches from HBCU's, connecting with the league for future opportunities.
Both the Lions and Jets will be picking twice in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, so an experience like this can benefit each franchise to get a first look at top prospects.
"Dan Campbell and Robert Saleh's staffs will bring great intensity to our game week and our players will undoubtedly get better during their time in Mobile. Our leadership is committed to using our game's unique platform inspire change and we are excited about opportunities the new staffing model will create," Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy said in a statement.
The Lions will have the second overall pick and have another spot in the first round as a result of the trade that sent quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams, with the second overall pick being determined once the Rams' postseason run is over. New York will select at No. 4 and again at No. 10, the selection the Seahawks gave the Jets in the Jamal Adams trade.
The Senior Bowl set a record for players drafted in the league last year at 106. The showcase game is for college players who finished their last year of eligiability.
Both Campbell and Saleh completed their first seasons as NFL head coaches in 2021. The Lions finished out strong with a win over Green Bay and the Jets lost their final game of the year to the Buffalo Bills.
Follow Jasper Jones on Twitter: @jonesj2342
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