PRESEASON EditiON - Detroit Lions

exeCutives & CoaChing
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strengthening each position unit from top to bottom. Instead of just
featuring some standout players, this team now moves forward with
deep, talented position groups.
On defense, the team’s ability to disrupt opponent offenses starts
upfront with the Lions defensive line. Over the past two years, it has
led the Lions defense with its ability to attack. In 2010, it was the
most-improved defensive line unit in all of the NFL, accounting for 39
of the team’s 44 sacks. That season, it registered 23.5 more sacks than
in 2009 and line play was a big factor in the defensive unit allowing
46.9 yards less per game (highest improvement in NFL) and 125 less
points (highest improvement in NFL). In 2011, the defensive linemen
garnered 35 of the team’s 41 sacks, and its pressure helped the team
tie for the third-most takeaways (34) and record the most defensive
return touchdowns (7) in the NFL.
Mayhew bolstered that unit over the past two years by combining
DE Kyle Vanden Bosch (unrestricted free agent), DT Corey Williams
(trade), DT Ndamukong Suh (second overall draft pick and 2010 AP
Defensive Rookie of the Year) and DE Cliff Avril to form the starting
unit. Vanden Bosch not only provides a tenacious motor on the outside,
but he also provides veteran leadership on and off the field that
helps guide this team. The team’s deep defensive line also features
productive players who significantly contribute in the team’s rotation,
including DE Lawrence Jackson (a former first round pick from Seattle
acquired via trade), third-year DE Willie Young (a 2010 seventh-round
pick), DT Sammie Hill, DT Nick Fairley (winner of the 2010 Lombardi
Award, a consensus All-American and AP SEC Defensive Player of the
Year) and veteran DT Andre Fluellen.
At linebacker, the team returns all three starters (Tulloch, LB
Deandre Levy and LB Justin Durant) for the first time since 2007, and
Mayhew has used the draft over the last two years, with the additions
of LB Doug Hogue in 2010 and LB Tahir Whitehead and LB Travis Lewis
in 2011, to bolster the position’s depth. Tulloch had career highs in
sacks, interceptions and fumble recoveries in his first season with
Detroit. The importance of resigning Tulloch to a long-term deal was
not understated by Mayhew as he referred to him as the quarterback
on defense. Tulloch’s knowledge of the schemes and ability to attack
from the linebacker spot gives the team an anchor in the middle.
In the secondary, the Lions return three players who started (S
Louis Delmas, S Amari Spievey, CB Chris Houston) in 2011, along
with veteran S Erik Coleman, who missed all of last year due to
injury. To add depth, Mayhew signed free agents CB Jacob Lacey and
S Sean Jones and selected three cornerbacks, Dwight Bently, Chris
Greenwood and Jonte Green, in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Offensively, wide receiver and tight end have become positions of
strength to complement Stafford at quarterback.
Leading the receivers is Johnson, who combines unparalleled
athletic ability and size with an outstanding work ethic that has
resulted in him now being considered among the very best players
in the game.
In 2011, he earned his second-straight Pro Bowl nod and was
named All-Pro. He set a team record with 16 touchdown catches,
and he accumulated the second-most receiving yards (1,681) in team
history when he led the NFL in that category. Including the playoff
game, Johnson registered over 200 receiving yards in three of the
team’s final four games. With the long-term extension completed,
Johnson will remain a critical component as the team pushes to
greater heights. This past offseason his ranking as the third best
player in the NFL in an NFL Network poll of current players was the
highest for any non-quarterback.
While Johnson leads the receiver group, veteran WR Nate
Burleson and second-year WR Titus Young accompany him to give the
Lions inside and outside receiving threats. Burleson set a career-high
with 73 receptions last year, and his veteran leadership continues to
positively impact the team in many ways. Young offers another deep
threat on the outside, and the Lions added to that unit in the draft by
selecting WR Ryan Broyles, who set the NCAA all-time career record
for receptions at Oklahoma.
Few teams feature a group of talented tight ends who offer
multiple dimensions as do the Lions. Fourth-year TE Brandon
Pettigrew rewrote the record books for Lions tight ends each of
the past two seasons, and TE Tony Scheffler presents matchup
challenges for opponents with his size, speed and ability to flex out
wide. In 2011, Pettigrew and Scheffler combined for 11 touchdown
passes. Veteran TE Will Heller adds power and the ability to flex in
the backfield as a fullback.
Upfront, the Lions have featured the most consistent lineup on
offensive line for the team since the early 1980s. Returning starters
LT Jeff Backus, LG Rob Sims, C Dominic Raiola, RG Stephen Peterman
and RT Gosder Cherilus became the Lions’ first offensive line to start
the same five players to begin the 2011 season since the team did so
from 1980-82. Backus became the Lions all-time leader in consecutive
starts last year by ending the season with 176. This consistency helped
the Lions finish in the Top-10 in fewest sacks yielded per pass play.
As Mayhew seeks to upgrade talent, he added 2012 first-round
pick T Riley Reiff to compete for a starting spot and to provide another
building block on the line for the future.
The running back position should give the Lions another threat on
offense as Best, second-year RB Mikel Leshoure and RB Kevin Smith
return healthy in 2012.
On special teams, the Lions once again feature one of the NFL
all-time great kickers in Jason Hanson, whose 126 points in 2011
were the fourth-most in team history. In his 20th NFL season last
year, Hanson connected on five 50-yard field goals, became the first
player to hit 50 career 50-yard field goals and set an NFL record for
most games played with one team.
The team’s special teams units are led by John Wendling, a Pro
Bowl alternate. He once again was among the League leaders in
special team’s tackles.
lEgal Background
Throughout his journey leading up to his current post, Mayhew has
always kept an eye toward the future, as evidenced by his strategic
exposure to several jobs and internships while earning his law degree
from Georgetown’s Law Center (2000). He is one of two Lions’ front
office executives with law degrees.
During the 1999 NFL season, while attending law school, Mayhew
served a nine-month internship in the Washington Redskins’ pro
personnel department, which exposed him to the responsibilities of
an NFL scouting department. While with the Redskins, he scouted
NFL players and late NFL cuts and worked the waiver wire and also
assisted in the evaluation of college players for the 2000 NFL Draft.
Mayhew also had two separate internship stints with the NFL in both
the labor operations and legal departments.
In labor operations, Mayhew worked closely with NFL executives
on issues involving player contracts and the salary cap. With the legal
department, Mayhew assisted the NFL’s in-house labor counsel by
researching legal issues, digesting cases in preparation for arbitration
hearings and drafting legal memoranda related to player injury and
non-injury grievances. He also was exposed to corporate law while
working for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld, L.L.P. in Washington
D.C., one of the NFL’s primary firms used as outside counsel. At
Akin Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld, he researched legal issues,
wrote legal documents and assisted firm associates and partners in
preparation for litigation.
Pro carEEr
Mayhew played nine years in the NFL as a cornerback for Buffalo
(1988), Washington (1989-92) and Tampa Bay (1993-96). He was the
Bills’ 10th-round selection in the 1988 NFL draft and was a starter
on the Redskins’ Super Bowl xxVI championship team.
sEMinolE standout
He entered the League after graduating from Florida State with
a bachelor of science degree in business management. While at FSU,
he was a National Merit and Achievement Scholar and earned GTE
CoSida Academic All-America honors. He was also a two-sport athlete,
lettering on both the Seminoles’ football and track teams. Between
graduation and the draft, Mayhew was a corporate trainee at First
Union National Bank in Charlotte, N.C.
off thE fiEld
Throughout his professional career, Mayhew has contributed to
several community endeavors both as a player and as an executive.
In 1993, while playing for Tampa Bay, Mayhew was given the Chelo
Huerta Community Service Award, and the following year he was a
nominee for the True Value Hardware Man of the Year. From 1995-
96, Mayhew was the Bucs’ United Way Spokesperson. Mayhew is
a member of the Florida Bar and the Sports Lawyers Association.
Additionally, Mayhew is a member of the Board of Trustees for the
Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village.
For the past four years, he has hosted the Martin Mayhew Youth
Football Coaching Academy for approximately 100 coaches from
Think Detroit PAL. The purpose of the camp is to provide additional
teaching and training tools for coaches so they can continue having
a positive and long-lasting impact on the young lives they touch
through youth football.
Mayhew and his wife, Sabrina, have a daughter, Sierra, and two
sons, Ryan and Justin.