DETROIT – Detroit Lions interim head coach Darrell Bevell and four defensive coaches will miss the team’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this weekend because of possible exposure to COVID-19.
PREVIOUSLY: Several Detroit Lions coaches to stay away from team facility during contact tracing
Defensive coordinator Cory Undlin, defensive line coach Bo Davis, defensive backs coach Steve Gregory and linebackers coach Ty McKenzie will also be unavailable Saturday.
Wide receivers coach Robert Prince will assume the head coaching duties for Saturday’s game.
Quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan will take over as the offensive play caller. Assistant Evan Rothstein will call defensive plays. Assistant Tony Carter will coach the defensive backs. Director of football research David Corrao will coach the linebackers. Assistant Ty Warren will coach the defensive line.
Bevell, who has coached the last three games since taking over for Matt Patricia, and the defensive staff have been deemed high-risk close contacts of someone who tested positive for COVID-19, according to the team.
Bevell is the first NFL head coach to miss a game due to COVID-19 protocols, according to Ian Rapoport.
Detroit has lost two straight games since beating the Chicago Bears in Bevell’s first game at the helm. Overall, the team is 5-9 on the season and has already been eliminated from playoff contention.
The Lions fired Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn midway through the season and have since been interviewing GM candidates.