2015 DETROIT LIONS MEDIA GUIDE

JASON
ARAPOFF
Coordinator of
Physical Development
Years with Lions: 15
Years in NFL: 28
Jason Arapoff enters his 15th season directing
the Lions’ strength and conditioning program. His
primary role is to oversee the physical fitness of
all Lions players. As he begins his 15th season
in Detroit, Arapoff is now one season behind Aldo
Forte (1950-65) and George Wilson (1949-64) for
the second-most seasons coached (16) in team
history.
Focusing equally on the offseason regimen
and the regular season program, Arapoff utilizes
high-end cardiovascular strength training and
free weight equipment in the team’s state-ofthe-art
facility. His hands-on training techniques
emphasize a balance of muscular strength and
cardiovascular fitness, and are underscored by a
comprehensive, personalized approach to each
athlete. He also has introduced a shift toward
more football-specific activities that encompass
high-intensity protocols to train the entire body.
Arapoff arrived in Detroit prior to the 2001 season
with 13 years of experience with the Washington
Redskins. While serving as the team’s conditioning
director for nine years, he was instrumental in
computerizing and implementing the team’s
strength and conditioning and nutritional programs.
Arapoff has been a monthly columnist for
Scholastic Coach Magazine and is a frequent
speaker for industry events, schools, universities
and football camps. He, along with assistant
strength and conditioning coach Ted Rath, launched
the annual Detroit Lions Strength and Conditioning
Clinic in 2011. The event is a forum for providing,
sharing and exchanging information in the everchanging
world of strength and conditioning.
During his playing career as a collegian, Arapoff
was a four-year letter-winning defensive back at
Springfield (Mass.) College, where he earned his
undergraduate degree in health fitness. He went on
to obtain his master’s degree in exercise physiology
from American University in Washington, D.C.
Arapoff was born July 8, 1965. He and his wife,
Jennifer, have three daughters: Julia, and twins,
Anna and Alexa.
ARAPOFF’S COACHING BACKGROUND
Detroit Lions................................................. 2001-
Coordinator of Physical Development....................2006-
Strength and Conditioning................................... 2001-05
Washington Redskins............................. 1988-2000
Conditioning Director........................................1992-2000
Conditioning Assistant.......................................... 1988-91
JIM BOB
COOTER
Quarterbacks
Years with Lions: 2
Years in NFL: 7
Jim Bob Cooter joined the Lions offensive
coaching staff as the team’s quarterbacks coach
last season after serving as an offensive assistant
with the Denver Broncos in 2013. Entering his
seventh season as an NFL coach, Cooter came to
Detroit after helping guide the Broncos offense en
route to a berth in Super Bowl XLVIII in 2013.
LIONS COACHING HIGHLIGHTS
Lions QB Matthew Stafford maintained his place
among the NFL’s Top-10 quarterbacks throughout
the 2014 season under Cooter’s guidance, as he
finished ninth in passing yards with 4,257 and
became the first Lions QB to play in the Pro Bowl
(replaced Peyton Manning) since QB Greg Landry in
1972. Among the top single-season passing marks
in team history, Stafford now holds four of the top
five spots, including: 5,038 in 2011, 4,967 in 2012,
4,650 in 2013 and 4,257 in 2014.
‣ ¾ After replacing Manning in the 2015 Pro Bowl,
Stafford threw for 316 yards and two touchdowns
in the game and was named the game’s
Most Valuable Player.
‣ ¾ With two touchdown passes in the Lions’ Week
8 comeback win over Atlanta in London (10/26),
Stafford reached 120 touchdown passes for his
career and became the Lions all-time leader in
that category, breaking Hall of Fame QB Bobby
Layne’s previous record of 118. His current total
stands at 131.
‣ ¾ On Stafford’s 30-yard completion to WR Golden
Tate in the second quarter at Arizona (11/16),
he surpassed 20,000 career passing yards. By
reaching 20,000 career passing yards in his 71st
career game, he set a new NFL record reaching
that mark in the fewest career games (Courtesy
Elias Sports Bureau). He broke the previous
record set by Hall of Fame QB Dan Marino who
accomplished this feat in 74 career games.
‣ ¾ Thus far, Stafford has led the Lions to 17 victories
when trailing or tied in the fourth quarter or
overtime, five of which came in 2014. He has six
career game-winning touchdown passes with
less than one minute to play in the quarter
(franchise record) and six after the two-minute
warning.
‣ ¾ Stafford also displayed a knack for leading the
offense on third down as he tied for fifth in the
NFL in third-down completions with 100. He
also threw 10 touchdown passes on third down
last season.
‣ ¾ Stafford’s start at New England in Week 12
(11/27) was his 60th-consecutive start as he
became the first quarterback in franchise history
to start 60-straight games.
With Cooter as a member of the coaching staff in
2013, the Broncos offense ranked first in the NFL in
multiple categories, including total yards per game
(465.3), total touchdowns (76), points per game
DETROIT LIONS
EXECUTIVES AND COACHING