The Detoit Lions have promoted Gaithersburg native Henry Franklin Fraley Jr. (Hank Fraley) to run game coordinator while also maintaining his previous job of offensive line coach with the team. There were rumors that Fraley would leave Dan Campbell’s staff to joint Ben Johnson in Chicago or to join the Seattle Seahawks as offensive coordinator, but Campbell made sure to hang on to an integral piece of the Lions’ recent success.
Hank Fraley has been the offensive line coach for the Detroit Lions since 2020. Fraley grew up in Gaithersburg and attended Gaithersburg High School. As a senior in 1995, he helped the football team to the Maryland state championship game. He went on to play college football at Robert Morris University and entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2000. Although waived before the 2000 season, he was claimed by the Philadelphia Eagles, where he started at center for five seasons. Fraley was traded to Cleveland where he played for the Browns for four seasons and then spent one season with the St. Louis Rams.
Fraley worked as an assistant offensive line coach for both the Minnesota Vikings and the Lions before becoming the offensive line coach for the Lions under head coach Dan Campbell. In addition to coaching the offensive line, Fraley will now be coordinating the run game for a Lions team that had the 6th most rushing yards in the league in 2024.