AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas running backs coach Tashard Choice is headed to the NFL.
According to multiple reports, the Detroit Lions will hire Choice as their running backs coach, reuniting him with Jahmyr Gibbs whom he coached while at Georgia Tech. Choice has been with the Longhorns since 2021.
Inside Texas was the first to report Choice’s hiring Thursday.
Under Choice’s guidance, running backs in the 40 Acres have thrived. He helped develop Bijan Robinson, Roschon Johnson and Jonathon Brooks who are now in the NFL, and he recruited current Longhorns Quintrevion Wisner, CJ Baxter, Jerrick Gibson and Christian Clark. He also helped land wide receiver Ryan Wingo and 2025 4-star running back James Simon among others.
Robinson won the 2022 Doak Walker Award and Brooks was on his way to the honor in 2023 before a knee injury ended his season early. Wisner rushed for more than 1,000 yards in his sophomore season with more carries than originally planned with injuries to Baxter and Clark. Angie Wisner, Quintrevion’s mother, thanked Choice via social media for coaching her son.
“Such an honor to have my child coached by one of the best! Thank you for doing exactly what you said you were (going to) do,” she wrote. “Not one time did you promise anything about football, you promised to help shape my child into a man! Thank you!”
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While at Georgia Tech, his alma mater, Choice coached Gibbs to a freshman all-America selection and two Atlantic Coast Conference team nods. He also coached current San Francisco running back Jordan Mason with the Yellow Jackets. Choice got his college coaching career started with North Texas after an internship with the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys interviewed Choice for their open running backs coach job but hired New Orleans running back coach Derrick Foster.
As a player, Choice starred for the Yellow Jackets before a 6-year NFL career with the Cowboys, Commanders, Bills and Colts.
Texas recently hired Rutgers’ Mark Orphey as its safeties coach after Blake Gideon left to take the defensive coordinator job for Georgia Tech. With the amount of talent the Longhorns have to carry the ball, the job should have very high interest.
