Tag: Detroit Lions

Construction crews install the first panels on the stadium exterior as work continues on the Buffalo Bills new stadium, across the street from their current home at Highmark Stadium, in Orchard Park, NY Thursday, July 10, 2025.

Bills to open Highmark Stadium Week 2 against Lions

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The NFL announced Monday the Buffalo Bills will play their first home game at newly constructed Highmark Stadium on Sept 17, Week 2 of the 2026 season, against the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football.

The game will stream exclusively on Prime Video but will be made available locally in Buffalo on a channel to be determined.

The $2.1 billion facility is open-air but has a canopy covering 64% of the crowd, according to ESPN. The Bills will be playing on grass, which can be heated, instead of turf, and the first row on one of the sidelines will be moved 54 feet closer to the field.

Highmark Stadium will be open for events this summer, including Buffalo’s Blue & Red practice during training camp.

The Bills played at their previous home, originally named Rich Stadium, since 1973. It was re-named Highmark Stadium in 2021. Buffalo has won its last four home openers.

The Bills went 12-5 last season, losing to the Broncos in overtime during the AFC Divisional Playoffs. Detroit missed the playoffs, finishing 9-8.

The NFL’s full 2026 schedule will be released at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday during a two-hour special on ESPN and NFL Network.

–Field Level Media

Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) looks on before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Report: RB David Montgomery ‘wants out’ of Detroit

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Lions running back David Montgomery “wants out” of Detroit after three seasons, ESPN reported on Sunday.

Montgomery, however, immediately appeared to refute the report on X, posting: “Damn, Dmo told you that?”

The ESPN report claims the Lions would want “a decent Day 3 pick (possibly a fifth-rounder)” in the 2026 NFL Draft in return for Montgomery, who turns 29 in June and is owed $6 million next season.

The report follows general manager Brad Holmes’ remarks after the season about Montgomery being unhappy with his playing time in 2025. Sharing a backfield with Jahmyr Gibbs, Montgomery rushed for a career-low 716 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games (no starts).

“Those are conversations that we’re going to have to have because I’ve got a lot of respect for that player,” Holmes said of Montgomery in January. “He deserves to be in a situation where his skillset can be utilized, and so yeah would love for it to be here, but if it can’t be here then you’d just love to see where could work out best for him.”

At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday, Holmes said the situation with Montgomery is “fluid.” He signed a two-year extension during the 2024 season that runs through the end of the 2027 campaign.

“Yeah, I have been in touch with David’s agent, and his representation,” Holmes revealed. “Obviously, we love David, he’s a great player, we love to have him, you know, kind of want to put last year in the rear view, and just move forward. But, obviously, a player has to want to be at a certain place as well. The conversations are still fluid, but we’ll see how it goes.”

Montgomery has rushed for 2,506 yards and 33 touchdowns in 45 games (28 starts) in three seasons with Detroit (2023-25). He has 76 catches for 650 yards in that span.

He began his career with the NFC North rival Chicago Bears, who drafted him in the third round in 2019. Montgomery rushed for 3,609 yards and 26 scores in 60 games (51 starts) with the Bears (2019-22).

–Field Level Media

Bears playing for seeding, Lions for pride in Week 18

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The Chicago Bears, surprisingly, are playing for a higher playoff seed with the NFC North title already clinched. The visiting Detroit Lions, unexpectedly, are playing for pride.

That’s where things stand in the final game of the regular season Sunday. It’s a scenario few would have predicted after the Lions clobbered the Bears and their former offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, 52-21 during the second week of the season on Sept. 14.

“It’s early in the season, and you’re still getting to know your team a little bit,” said Johnson, the Bears’ first-year head coach. “Being in that locker room after the game and how that felt, you don’t always remember exactly what was said or anything like that, but you always remember how you felt in those moments. And so, I know our players do, too.”

Chicago (11-5) lost any chance of gaining the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs when it dropped a 42-38 thriller to San Francisco on Sunday night. The Bears can still gain the No. 2 seed with a win over the Lions or a Philadelphia home loss to Washington. In that scenario, the Bears would host Green Bay during the wild-card round next weekend.

The Bears would be the No. 3 seed with a loss to Detroit and a Philadelphia victory. Chicago would then host either the Los Angeles Rams or the 49ers in the wild-card round.

“I think anytime you lose, you want to get back on track, you want to get back on a winning streak,” quarterback Caleb Williams said. “That’d be great for us to get that going. I know (the Lions’) record is 8-8 and they’re not necessarily in the playoffs, but that’s a really good team over there.”

Williams exceeded 300 passing yards for the first time this season against San Francisco, throwing for 330 yards and two touchdowns. He can become the first QB in franchise history to reach 4,000 yards in a season by throwing for 270 yards on Sunday.

“It’d be cool just in the sense of there’s never been one here. I think I was brought here for those types of things and those types of moments — things that haven’t been done here, to try and be able to accomplish,” he said. “Like I’ve said before, the self goals and all of that always gets swept under when you go for the team goals. That’s winning ballgames. That’s first and foremost in my mind.”

Detroit fell out of the playoff race by losing three straight following a win over Dallas to open the month of December. The Lions were held to 231 total yards and quarterback Jared Goff was sacked five times in a 23-10 loss to Minnesota on Christmas Day which formally ended the team’s playoff hopes.

Goff plans to play against the Bears.

“It’s what I’m paid to do,” he said. “I’m the quarterback of this team and paid to play on Sundays and do my job and do it to the best of my ability. It doesn’t matter what our record is, what the situation may be, that’s my job.”

Lions coach Dan Campbell wants to leave this disappointing season on a winning note.

“Sometimes you’ve got to hit rock bottom before you can work your way back up,” he said. “And relative to where we were at, this is rock bottom.”

Star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (knee/ankle), offensive tackle Penei Sewell (ankle) and linebacker Alex Anzalone (concussion) were among the Lions who didn’t practice Wednesday.

Bears receiver Rome Odunze (foot) was a limited practice participant Wednesday as he attempts to return from a four-game absence.

–Field Level Media

Report: Lions signing veteran DB Damontae Kazee

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The Detroit Lions are signing safety Damontae Kazee to the practice squad, NFL Network reported Monday.

The 32-year-old veteran has played in 111 NFL games with four teams, including four with Cleveland this season.

The Lions (8-5) lost starting safety Brian Branch to a torn Achilles in last Thursday’s win against the Dallas Cowboys.

Kazee topped the NFL with seven interceptions for Atlanta in 2018 and has 17 career picks and 363 tackles for the Falcons (2017-20), Cowboys (2021), Pittsburgh Steelers (2022-24) and Browns (2025).

Detroit faces a tough closing stretch with three of four games on the road, starting Sunday at the Los Angeles Rams (10-3).

–Field Level Media

Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown exits with ankle injury

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter against the visiting Green Bay Packers on Thursday.

An offensive lineman rolled up on St. Brown as he was making a block. He was deemed questionable to return.

St. Brown, 26, entered the Thanksgiving game with 75 receptions for 884 yards and nine touchdowns. He had one target and no catches before the injury.

The two-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler has 505 catches for 5,735 yards and 42 TDs in 78 games (70 starts) since Detroit drafted him in the fourth round in 2021.

–Field Level Media

Lions, Packers clash with playoff implications on menu

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The Detroit Lions have scored more points than any other NFC team. The Green Bay Packers have allowed the second-fewest points among conference teams.

Detroit’s annual Thanksgiving Day home game will likely come down to whether its explosive offense can solve Green Bay’s stout defense.

The pivotal NFC North showdown will have major postseason implications for both teams. Playing on a holiday with a national audience adds to the intrigue.

“Big-time opponent, really good team, division game, Thanksgiving, first game on,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “You couldn’t ask for anything better.”

Right now, Campbell’s team doesn’t even hold a wild-card spot despite a 7-4 record. It trails the first-place Chicago Bears by a game in the division with the Packers (7-3-1) sandwiched between them.

Green Bay’s defense held visiting Detroit to 246 yards in a season-opening 27-13 Packers victory.

Detroit barely escaped against the two-win New York Giants on Sunday, rallying for a 34-27 overtime victory. Jahmyr Gibbs had 264 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns, including a 69-yard scoring run in overtime.

Campbell hopes to use that game as a springboard for a strong finish.

“I just think when you’re able to come back and win a game in that fashion, it speaks volumes of your team and where you’re at,” Campbell said. “I think it’s good for you to get those. You need one or two of those a year because you’re always tested. Every team gets tested. Those are tough. You’re down two scores in the fourth. To be able to do what we had to do in all three phases, I do think it can pay dividends for you.”

Jared Goff is averaging 261.2 yards passing in home games with 12 touchdowns and three interceptions. Counterpart Jordan Love, who is playing with a separated left (non-throwing) shoulder, hasn’t reached the 200-yard passing mark in his last three games and four of his past six.

Love threw for 188 yards in the Packers’ opening-night win over the Lions with two touchdowns. Now, he’ll have to face Detroit in a hostile environment.

“It’s always a test,” Love said. “Obviously, playing them — it’s always a great environment, a very loud environment. We’ve been there before and we know what it’s about. Communication has got to be on point.”

The Packers haven’t allowed more than 20 points in any of the last four games and they enter on a two-game winning streak. They manhandled Minnesota 23-6 on Sunday, holding the Vikings to 145 total yards while collecting five sacks and forcing three turnovers.

“Coming off two wins is great — it’s always going to build confidence,” Love said. “Two weeks that we did what we needed to do. We know what we’ve got in front of us … but with the level we’re at, we’re in a great spot.”

With Josh Jacobs sidelined by a knee injury for Green Bay, Emanuel Wilson rushed for a career-high 107 yards and two scores against the Vikings. Jacobs is questionable for Thursday.

“We’ll just see how he’s feeling on game day,” coach Matt LaFleur said.

Defensive linemen Karl Brooks (ankle) and Lukas Van Ness (foot) missed Tuesday’s practice, as did kick returner Savion Williams (foot).

Detroit safety Kerby Joseph (knee) won’t play on Thursday. Center Graham Glasgow (knee), tight end Brock Wright (neck) and wide receiver Kalif Raymond (ankle) missed Tuesday’s practice.

The Lions snapped a seven-game Thanksgiving Day losing streak last season by defeating the Bears 23-20. Green Bay will be making its third straight Thanksgiving appearance. It defeated the Lions in 2023 and downed Miami last year on the holiday.

–Field Level Media

Jahmyr Gibbs’ 69-yard OT TD run lifts Lions over Giants

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Jahmyr Gibbs totaled 264 yards and three touchdowns, including a 69-yard TD run in overtime, as the Detroit Lions turned aside the New York Giants’ upset attempt, 34-27, on Sunday.

Gibbs also had a 49-yard scoring run and a 3-yard touchdown reception for the Lions (7-4). Jared Goff passed for 279 yards and two scores, while Amon-Ra St. Brown caught nine passes — including his 500th career reception — for 149 yards and a touchdown.

Jake Bates’ 59-yard field goal in the final minute sent the game to OT.

Jameis Winston threw for 366 yards and two scores, and also caught a touchdown pass for the Giants (2-10), who have lost six straight games. Wan’Dale Robinson caught nine passes for 156 yards and a touchdown.

On the first play from scrimmage of overtime, Gibbs burst through the middle and outran the defense as the Lions took their first lead of the game.

New York reached the Detroit 27 on its possession, but Winston was sacked on fourth down. Winston was filling in for Jaxson Dart, who missed his second consecutive game due to a concussion.

New York led 20-17 at halftime.

The Giants used some trickery to take an early lead. They scored on a flea flicker, as Devin Singletary tossed the ball back to Winston, who fired a 39-yard strike to Robinson.

New York took a 27-17 lead with 12:16 remaining in the game with another trick play.

Winston pitched the ball to wide receiver Gunner Olszewski, then ran a pass route. Winston snared Olszewski’s throw, shook off linebacker Derrick Barnes and scored on the 33-yard play.

Gibbs scored on a 49-yard run with 10:50 left to cut New York’s advantage to three. He slipped through the middle and broke several tackle attempts.

A 39-yard pass from Winston to Theo Johnson put the Giants deep into Lions territory. However, New York gambled on 4th-and-goal from the 6 and Winston’s pass was incomplete with 2:54 left.

Bates’ clutch kick came with 28 seconds left.

–Field Level Media

Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (97) waves at fans after 24-9 win over Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field in Detroit on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025.

Reports: Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson lands $180M extension

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The Detroit Lions are signing star pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson to a four-year, $180 million contract extension, his agent confirmed to multiple media outlets on Wednesday.

The Lions had not confirmed the reports by late morning, but did post a meme of Hutchinson dancing on the team’s official X account.

The reported $141 million guaranteed is the highest ever among non-quarterbacks and the $45 million average salary trails only the Green Bay Packers’ Micah Parsons ($46.5 million) among non-QBs.

Hutchinson has recorded six sacks, a league-leading four forced fumbles and 13 quarterback hits through seven starts this season with the Lions (5-2).

The 25-year-old defensive end has 34.5 sacks, 78 QB hits, 138 tackles, eight forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, four interceptions and 11 passes defensed in 46 career games (all starts). He made the Pro Bowl in 2023 but missed the last 12 games in 2024 after fracturing his leg in Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys.

Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, already had been signed for $20.86 million for next season on the fifth-year option in his rookie contract.

–Field Level Media

Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) celebrates a play against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024.

Report: Lions CB Terrion Arnold likely out for season

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Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold could miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury, NFL Network reported Tuesday.

Per the report, the second-year player is seeking a second opinion.

Arnold, 22, sustained the injury in Detroit’s 34-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns in Week 4 and aggravated it during Sunday’s 37-24 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

The injury comes after fellow cornerback D.J. Reed was placed on injured reserve last week because of a hamstring strain. Cornerback Khalil Dorsey is dealing with a wrist injury, while Ennis Rakestraw underwent shoulder surgery in August and is out for the year.

Arnold started all five games this season and recorded 22 tackles and four passes defensed. The first-round draft pick in 2024 has a fumble recovery, 82 tackles and 14 passes defensed in 21 games (20 starts) for the Lions.

Detroit (4-1) visits the Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) on Sunday night.

–Field Level Media

Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) runs onto the field for the Minnesota Vikings game at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. Arnold left the game injured.

Lions CB Terrion Arnold (shoulder) to miss extended time

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Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold is expected to miss extended time with a shoulder injury, head coach Dan Campbell told reporters Monday.

Arnold, 22, was injured during Sunday’s 37-24 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Campbell stopped short of saying his second-year player will miss the remainder of the season.

“We put a lot on him (Sunday) and I thought he answered the bell,” Campbell said about Arnold on Monday. “Unfortunately, he’s going to be out for a while. He’s going to be out for a long time.”

The injury to Arnold comes after cornerback D.J. Reed was placed on injured reserve last week because of a hamstring strain.

Arnold started all five of the Lions’ games this season with 22 tackles and four pass breakups. The first-round draft pick in 2024 has a fumble recovery, 82 tackles and 14 passes defensed over two seasons with the Lions.

Detroit (4-1) next plays at Kansas City (2-2) Sunday night.

–Field Level Media