The Detroit Lions’ offensive line is elite for a reason, and according to All-Pro Penei Sewell, that reason wears a headset and answers to Coach Hank.
You can’t talk about the Detroit Lions’ recent success without mentioning their offensive line. It’s been the foundation of Dan Campbell’s identity: tough, physical, relentless. And while players like Penei Sewell, Frank Ragnow, and Taylor Decker get the headlines, the heartbeat behind it all is Hank Fraley.
Fraley, Detroit’s offensive line coach and newly appointed run game coordinator, is so essential that when rumors swirled about him potentially leaving this offseason, Sewell had a very public reaction.
“If he wasn’t coming back, I’m retiring.” —Penei Sewell (sort of)
Speaking to reporters, Sewell cracked a joke with a serious undertone:
“I told him if he wasn’t coming back, I’m retiring… Nah, I’m kidding,” Sewell said as quoted by LionsWire. “But I told him, ‘you mean more than anything to me.’”
That’s not lip service. The All-Pro tackle has a long history with Fraley, who first recruited Sewell while coaching at UCLA (Sewell eventually chose Oregon). Their bond has helped transform Sewell into arguably the best right tackle in football.
Why Hank Fraley matters so much to the Lions
Fraley isn’t just a coach—he’s an architect. Since joining the team in 2018, he’s:
Taken over as OL coach in 2020
Oversaw the development of Sewell, Ragnow, and others
Turned mid-round picks and practice-squad guys into reliable contributors
Stuck around despite offers from other NFL teams to leave Detroit
In a league where coaches bounce constantly, Fraley’s loyalty—and Detroit’s commitment to keeping him—speaks volumes.
More than just a coach: Fraley is a tone-setter
Sewell isn’t the only one who values Fraley’s presence. The entire OL room has adopted his gritty, no-nonsense style.
He’s part of the reason Detroit’s run game is one of the most efficient in football. And now that he’s officially the run game coordinator, he’ll have even more say in how the Lions attack opponents on the ground.
The Bottom Line
When your All-Pro tackle jokes about retiring over a coach possibly leaving, it tells you something. Hank Fraley isn’t just developing one of the best O-lines in the NFL—he’s building a culture. One that Sewell, Campbell, and Lions fans hope sticks around for a long time.
Detroit’s offensive line is dominant, and that dominance starts with the guy in the trenches wearing the headset.