Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard will interview in person with the Miami Dolphins for its head coach opening on Monday morning, per ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport had reported last week that the Dolphins would interview Sheppard for its vacancy. Sheppard joins Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley among the Dolphins‘ head coaching candidates that will interview with Miami on the first day in-person interviews are permitted for assistants who are under contract with other teams.

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Sheppard, 38, just completed his first season as the Lions defensive coordinator. Detroit ended 2025 with the NFL’s No. 18 total defense (331.9 yards per game), with its No. 14 rushing defense (114.5 rushing yards per game) with its No. 20 passing defense (217.4 passing yards per game) and with its No. 22 scoring defense (24.3 points per game).

Sheppard has familiarity with the Dolphins organization, having played two seasons for Miami in 2014-15. During his time in Miami, Sheppard played in 30 games, made 14 starts and recorded 129 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and two pass deflections.

In 2025, Lions linebacker Jack Campbell just earned his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods and star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson set a new career-high with 14.5 sacks. Among some other injury losses, Detroit dealt with prolonged injuries to star safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch. Branch was limited to 12 games and Joseph played in just six.

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Sheppard joined the Lions in 2021 as its outside linebackers coach and then served three seasons as the Lions linebackers coach before his promotion to defensive coordinator entering 2025.

In 2024, Detroit boasted the NFL’s top third-down defense (32.4%) and the No. 2 fourth-down defense (41.4%). The Lions allowed just 20.1 points per game in 2024 to rank seventh in the league.

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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions DC to interview on Monday for head coach opening with Dolphins