Fans of the Lions, happy holidays. For the first time since 1993, your NFL team is the division champion.
The last time the organization claimed a division title, this writer was less than a year old. Only four current Detroit players—left tackle Taylor Decker, offensive lineman Graham Glasglow, backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, and long snapper Jake McQuaide—were born during that period.
In case you were curious, Jared Goff, the starting quarterback for the Lions, was born in 1994, one year later.
Furthermore, the division had not yet adopted the name NFC North. There were five clubs instead of four, and it was still called the NFC Central. When the NFL expanded to four divisions per conference in 2002, the fifth franchise, the Buccaneers, were assigned to the NFC South.
In 1993, the globe was a very different place.
In those days, a loaf of bread cost just 75 cents, a gallon of gas only cost $1.11, Bill Clinton had just been sworn in as president, “Jurassic Park” was the biggest movie at the box office, and the late Whitney Houston was still the music industry’s queen. In America, her popular song “I Will Always Love You” peaked at number one.
Unquestionably, throughout the past thirty years, a lot has changed, notably with the Lions.
Thankfully for Detroit supporters, Chris Spielman, Brad Holmes, and Dan Campbell were appointed to their respective positions by the Lions ownership in 2021 after they eventually pledged to create a winning culture.
For up to that point in 1994, Detroit had only made seven trips to the postseason, had not hosted a single playoff game, and had not emerged victorious from a single postseason match. The team’s record throughout that time was a pitiful 165-266-1, with a winless season (0-16 in 2008) sandwiched between all of those campaigns.
However, the loyalty of the Lions fans remained unwavering even as the losses mounted. Initially at the Pontiac Silverdome and later at Ford Field in downtown Detroit (which opened in 2002), the fans continued to turn out in large numbers. And they continued to believe that their beloved NFL club would eventually turn things around, even in the absence of a lot of on-field evidence.
It was far from a given that Campbell would be the head coach to turn things around in Motown after the team finished the 2022 season with a record of 1-6 and only three victories the season before. In fact, a lot of supporters had begun to question if Campbell—a former tight end for the team—was the best candidate for the position.
It seemed far more plausible at the time that Campbell would become the most recent head coach of the Lions to be abruptly fired.
But the team has experienced a seismic shift since that season’s sixth loss, which occurred on October 30 against the Miami Dolphins.
In fact, Detroit has an incredible 19-6 record in its last 25 games. Furthermore, Campbell’s team has only suffered four losses since January 1 and has established itself as the NFC North’s top team.
This ardent Lions faithful, which has seen 19 losing seasons since 1993, is deserving of a victory if anyone has.
Goff has been tenacious and undervalued in the not-too-distant past, much like the squad he works for now.
Goff was seen as nothing more than a throw-in to seal the deal in the Matthew Stafford blockbuster trade of almost three years ago. Furthermore, a lot of observers and supporters believed that the seasoned signal-caller would only act as Stafford’s “bridge quarterback” until his real replacement in the Motor City emerged.
But by the time we get to the present, the story about Goff has changed. Like the Lions, he’s turned around his play, and a lot of people now see him as the team’s long-term answer at center.
Regarding Detroit’s comeback, a visibly emotional Goff told the NFL Network postgame, “It’s hard to (describe), it’s a lot of hard work, a lot of hard work, excuse me, a lot of hard work and yeah, the division (championship) feels good.” “It’s emotional, but we’re just getting started.” For us, it’s the first tick. I feel emotional when I think about all the people that finished 3-13-1 and 1-6 at the beginning of the season and are now the NFC North champions.
A great deal of credit should go to Goff and Campbell for the team’s remarkable comeback.
Both of them have contributed significantly to the establishment of a successful football brand in the Motor City thanks to their excellent leadership qualities. And by doing this, they’ve elevated being a Lions fan to a “special” occasion.
Following Detroit’s NFC North-clinching victory over the Vikings on Sunday, Campbell remarked, “I’m proud of a number of people in this organization.” “I’m really pleased of the guys and the coaches. This is unique. This is unique. It’s not something you get to do every day. Winning a category is always an accomplishment. Because of the work involved, I don’t care how many of them you receive. It’s unique to accomplish something for a team that hasn’t been done in thirty years.
It’s time to celebrate and exhale, Lions supporters. The NFC North champions are your Detroit Lions, yeah, the former laughingstocks of the league.
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