Shaun Dion Hamilton enters his third season coaching with the Lions and second as assistant linebackers coach in 2024. He originally transitioned into the coaching ranks as part of Detroit's WCF Minority Coaching Assistantship in September of 2022 after spending the preseason playing linebacker for the team.
In 2023, Hamilton helped LB Alex Anzalone become the third player in franchise history to produce a season with at least 125 tackles and 3.0 sacks. Over the 2022-23 seasons, Anzalone produced a franchise record-long streak of 30 games with at least five tackles.
Hamilton also guided LB Jack Campbell to immediate success as a rookie in 2023, with Campbell ranking second among all NFL rookies with 89 tackles. In 2022, Hamilton helped LB Malcolm Rodriguez become Detroit's first rookie selected in the sixth round-or-later to start in Week 1 of his same draft year since 1987.
Prior to spending two training camps with Detroit (2021-22), Hamilton spent his first three seasons (2018-20) with the Washington Commanders, where he appeared in 46 games (seven starts) and registered 89 tackles (63 solo), nine tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one interception. He was originally drafted by Washington in the sixth round (197th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Alabama.
A native of Montgomery, Ala., Hamilton played four seasons for the Crimson Tide from 2014-17, helping the team to College Football Playoff National Championships following the 2015 and 2017 seasons. He was named a permanent team captain as a senior in 2017.
While at Alabama, Hamilton earned both his undergraduate degree in business administration and master's degree in sports management in under four years. He attended Carver High School, where he was named class valedictorian and Alabama Sports Writers Association 6A All-State.
