Sean Pugh enters his fourth season in the NFL and with the Lions after coming to Detroit in 2021. In his role, Pugh guides players in all aspects of developing life skills, pursuing off-the-field endeavors and engaging in external programming.
Pugh joined the Lions after spending four seasons (2017-2020) with the Purdue University football program. During his time with the Boilermakers, Pugh supported the program in a variety of roles including counseling student-athletes and coaches, leading Bible studies, organizing community service initiatives and working with student-athletes on life skills development.
Prior to his time with Purdue, Pugh worked in a similar role with his alma mater Western Kentucky's football program as the team's character coach from 2008-16. Additionally, he served as a pastor at the Hillvue Heights Church (2010-15), the Western Kentucky campus director of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (2014-16) and as the lead pastor at Church on the Main (2015-16). Pugh originally started working with student athletes in the FCA's training program at Auburn between 2007-08.
A four-year letter-winner as an offensive lineman at Western Kentucky, the Hilltoppers advanced to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs twice during Pugh's career. He graduated in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and went on to earn a Master of Theology from Campbellsville University in 2014.
Pugh is married to his wife, TraShana, and together they have four daughters, ShemaYah, ZioniYah, AnaniYah and YashaYah, and one son, Melek.
