Category: Detroit Lions

 

A Detroit Lions wide receiver who played four games in 2024 is following Ben Johnson to the Chicago Bears.

 

Former Detroit Lions wide receiver Maurice Alexander has signed a futures deal with the Chicago Bears, according to NFL’s transaction wire. Maurice will reunite with former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who became the Bears head coach last week. He’ll also reconnect with his position coach, as Antwaan Randle El also went to Chicago for a promotion to wide receivers coach/assistant head coach.

 

Alexander finished the season on the Lions practice squad, and the Lions opted not to sign him to a futures deal. That meant Alexander was a free agent free to sign with any team, even before free agency opens in March.

 

Alexander, 28, has been on and off the Lions’ roster since 2022. This past year, he made three game appearances, serving as the team’s kick and punt returner when Kalif Raymond spent over a month on injured reserve with a foot injury. Alexander got a total of four punt returns and turned it into 42 yards and a fumble (that was not lost).

 

Nicknamed “Hard Time,” Alexander may not have gotten many opportunities on the field in his three seasons (seven game appearances), but he had earned a reputation as a hard worker and good teammate. He was one of the many players who Teddy Bridgewater worked out with in and out of the Lions’ training facility.

 

“He’s been back there just listening. After practice, catching jugs. Walk through, catching jugs, just listening,” Raymond said of Alexander in 2022. “And then as I’m working, he’s working. And a lot people don’t know his story.

This dude’s working another job, got a call from the USFL, balls out for the USFL, becomes a Detroit Lion and then finally takes a punt back in the NFL. There’s a lot of work that went in between that moment—the moment had in that game, and a lot of work that went in between that nobody saw. And that dude works his tail off.”

When the Detroit Pistons prepare to play the Dallas Mavericks at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Friday, January 31, 2025, at 7:00 PM ET, basketball fans should expect an exciting matchup.

Given the particular difficulties that each team is facing, this game could have a big impact on the remainder of the season.

The Pistons will rely on their growing star, Cade Cunningham, who has been a force this season with an average of 25.0 points and 9.3 assists per game, in an attempt to end a current skid.

He has been supported by Jalen Duren and Tobias Harris, who each contribute 12.7 points and 6.2 rebounds, and Duren, who averages almost a double-double (10.2 points and 9.8 rebounds) a game.

The Mavericks, on the other hand, are getting used to life without Luka Dončić, who is still out due to injury.

Kyrie Irving has taken over as the team’s leader in his absence, averaging 24.2 points and 4.9 assists.

Klay Thompson, who was just acquired, is anticipated to be a key player who will provide his exceptional three-point shooting.

This is going to be an exciting game. According to Stats Insider’s simulations, the Mavericks have a 57% chance of winning, and Dallas is predicted to win 115-113. Given how close this game is, the Pistons are a 1-point underdog ($2.00) and the Mavericks are a small favorite ($1.83) according to the most recent betting odds.

 

The Chicago Bears are entering a new era with the hiring of former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their next head coach.

This hire was first reported on January 20, just two days after the Lions’ heartbreaking loss to the Washington Commanders in the NFL playoffs’ Divisional Round.

Johnson wasted no time assembling a staff that includes Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator and Declan Doyle as offensive coordinator.

However, these weren’t rushed decisions, as Allen recently revealed that Johnson had reached out to him late in the season to gauge his interest in the position.

This information has left many Lions fans upset, with accusations that Johnson had already quit on the team.

“Lions had no chance of reaching the SB. Ben was checked out weeks before,” said one fan.

“So during the playoffs???? Makes sense now why they went for it on 3rd and 1 when Gibbs was having such a strong first quarter,” added another.

“Ben Johnson had already checked out. How disappointing,” a third fan commented.

A fourth said, “If that’s true, I’m glad he’s gone. We don’t need anyone in Detroit who doesn’t want to be here.”

“Is this surprising? The guy was picking out drapes for his new house in Chicago instead of planning for the playoffs…” another remarked.

“So what I’m understanding is Ben Johnson was already thinking about his new job at the end of the regular season when we still had the playoffs,” noted one more.

It’s important to mention, however, that despite their loss to the Commanders, Detroit’s offense remained impressive, racking up 521 total yards and four touchdowns.

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Six Detroit Lions will formally play in the NFL’s annual Pro Bowl Games, which are scheduled for Thursday and Sunday.

Several players drafted by Detroit have been replaced, notably wide receiver Amon-Ra St.

Brown and offensive lineman Penei Sewell. They will still have good representation, though.

The NFL is set to conduct its annual Pro Bowl Games Thursday and Sunday, and six Detroit Lions will officially be participating.

 

Detroit has had multiple players selected that have been replaced, including offensive tackle Penei Sewell and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. However, they will still be well-represented.

There will be several activities on Thursday that will give athletes a chance to show off their skills in an enjoyable setting.

On Sunday, the league will play its yearly flag football match. Security Running back Jahmyr Gibbs and Brian Branch will compete in a 40-yard dash relay.

Micah Parsons, an edge defender for the Dallas Cowboys, and Jaycee Horn, a cornerback for the Carolina Panthers, will round out the four-man team.

The NFC’s dodgeball squad will include offensive tackle Taylor Decker and punter Jack Fox. Decker will also compete in the tug-of-war competition.

Fox will compete in the perfect punt competition, on the other hand. Jared Goff, a quarterback, will compete in the Passing the Test tournament for athletes in his position.

In addition, Center Frank Ragnow will take part in two events.

On Thursday, a number of events will occur allowing players to showcase their athleticism in a fun environment. The league will conduct its annual flag football game on Sunday.

 

Safety Brian Branch and running back Jahmyr Gibbs will participate in a 40-yard dash relay, with Dallas Cowboys edge defender Micah Parsons and Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn completing the four-player squad.

 

Offensive tackle Taylor Decker and punter Jack Fox will be part of the NFC’s dodgeball team, and Decker will also participate in the tug-of-war event.

Fox, meanwhile, will be one of the competitors in the perfect punt competition.

 

Quarterback Jared Goff will be in the Passing The Test competition for players at his position.

Center Frank Ragnow will participate in two events in addition to the flag football game, titled The Big Spike and The Great Football Race.

 

 

 

The Detroit Lions coaching staff departures continue, as an offensive coach leaves to join Aaron Glenn and the Jets.

 

The Detroit Lions will have another coach on the offensive staff to replace this season. As first reported by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the New York Jets are hiring Lions tight ends coach Steven Heiden to be their next offensive line coach.

 

It’s an unexpected move, seeing as Heiden played 11 years in the league as a tight end, and has spent most of his coaching career at that same position. However, he did spend a single season as the Arizona Cardinals’ assistant offensive line coach in 2018. Heiden has served as the Lions tight end coach for the past two seasons, joining the team shortly before Detroit drafted tight end Sam LaPorta in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

 

“Coach Heiden has done a phenomenal job getting those guys ready, particularly a young player like LaPorta,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said of Heiden back in 2023.

 

Under Heiden, LaPorta set the NFL record for most receptions by a tight end in their first two seasons (146).

 

Heiden will join former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn with the Jets, as he continues to build out his staff. Reportedly, that staff may also include Lions pass game coordinator Tanner Engstrand, who is believed to be the top candidate to fill New York’s offensive coordinator position.

 

It’s been a huge offseason of attrition for the Lions’ coaching staff. Here are all the coaches who have departed or the Lions have parted ways with, per various reports:

 

 

The Detroit Lions are facing some tough decisions as their offseason begins following their first playoff game loss to the Washington Commanders, which ended their Super Bowl dreams. Now, the team must focus on which players to keep and possibly cut, with an eye on salary cap management for the 2025 season.

As teams review their contracts and potential cuts, Pro Football Network’s Ben Rolfe highlighted some key Detroit Lions players who could be on the chopping block. “Determining cut candidates is tricky, especially with teams undergoing coaching or coordinator changes, as it can alter player value,” said Rolfe.

Though much of Rolfe’s attention is on defensive lineman D.J. Reader, he also mentions wide receiver Kalif Raymond as a possible cut. Raymond’s 2025 cap number sits at $6.4 million, and the Lions could save $3.3 million before June 1 or $4.8 million after.

USA Today’s Ryan Love notes that Raymond is beloved by Lions fans, especially for his successful stint as a kick returner. However, Love points out that Raymond’s productivity could be easily replaced for a modest cap savings in 2025.

Beyond Reader and Raymond, Rolfe also points to linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin and EDGE Za’Darius Smith as potential cuts. While Reeves-Maybin’s situation is tricky due to the team’s thin linebacker depth, Smith’s inclusion could surprise fans. Smith was instrumental when Aidan Hutchinson was injured, but Love suggests Smith’s performance wasn’t enough to elevate the Lions back to their early-season form.

Smith’s cap number for 2025 is $5.7 million, and while Love acknowledges Smith’s solid contributions, he believes Smith is not a game-changer as expected from his position. Love also notes that cutting Smith wouldn’t be a major financial loss for the team.

Anne Erickson is an award-winning reporter with experience covering the NFL and college football for various outlets like ESPN and Fox Sports. She also hosts podcasts and radio shows based in Detroit.

 

 

 

 

Detroit Lions star Jameson Williams has been fined $25,325 for his obscene celebration during his team’s loss to Washington Commanders last weekend.

 

After scoring an incredible 61-yard touchdown, Williams appeared to thrust his hips to the ground before teammate Amon-Ra St Brown hauled him back up to his feet in the celebrations.

 

Cameras quickly cut away from Williams on the broadcast but the two seconds that went out live on the air was all that was needed to make it a talking point.

 

The NFL’s X account tweeted out video of his touchdown but abruptly cut the footage before the 23-year-old’s crude celebration.

 

His touchdown was a major moment in a wild first half between the two teams, as Lions made the score 24-21 thanks to wide receiver Williams – who somersaulted into the end zone at the end of his massive run.

 

‘Wow! This is crazy! I mean, this is video-game stuff right here,’ an astounded Tom Brady said on the Fox broadcast after Williams scored his touchdown.

 

Detroit Lions star Jameson Williams has been fined $25,325 for his obscene celebration

Detroit Lions star Jameson Williams has been fined $25,325 for his obscene celebration

After somersaulting into the end zone, Williams appeared to thrust his hips at the ground

After somersaulting into the end zone, Williams appeared to thrust his hips at the ground

 

 

And fans watching the game on the night expected Williams to be punished for the scenes, too.

 

‘How to lose 300k in two seconds,’ one fan said on X, and another wrote: ‘Williams won’t receive a check for 4 years after this celebration.’

 

The Lions went on to lose 41-35 to the Commanders, with head coach Dan Campbell fighting back tears in his post-game press conference.

 

‘It just hurts to lose, man,’ he said. ‘I don’t care if you’re the seven seed, six seed, five seed, one seed… cause I’ve lost all of them, damn near.’

 

‘It hurts,’ he continued. ‘At the end of the day, I didn’t have them ready.’

 

As he became more and more emotional, Campbell later added: ‘What [the players] put into it, a lot of people don’t know what they go through. You have to get up, your body’s beat to s***, mentally stay locked in and do those things. Long season.

 

‘It’s my fault. It’s my fault.’

 

The Commanders meet the Philadelphia Eagles later on Sunday for a place in the Super Bowl in New Orleans on February 9.

 

They will face the winner of the Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs, who play in the later game on Sunday.

 

One of the exciting times within the NFL season is the head coaching cycle. It’s a time for coordinators to go for head coaching spots and a chance for position coaches to become coordinators. However, one of the down parts about being a fantastic team is that your coordinators are more than likely to leave. We just saw it with the Detroit Lions, who lost Ben Johnson to the NFC North rival Chicago Bears, and Aaron Glenn to the New York Jets.

 

The Buffalo Bills were starting to get close to losing offensive coordinator Joe Brady, up until it was reported that he withdrew himself from the New Orleans Saints’ process to stay in Buffalo. However, not every team is so lucky like the Bills.

 

The Lions are going under a brand new revamp of their coaching staff. They lost both of their coordinators, as well as their defensive line coach Terrell Williams to the New England Patriots. Even though they have lost a great amount of coaching, they promoting within, and it involves a former player of the Bills. With the Lions losing Glenn to the Jets, they have decided to promote Kelvin Sheppard to run the defense from his LBs coach position, per Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.

 

Lions promote former Bills linebacker Kelvin Sheppard to defensive coordinator

The Bills drafted Sheppard in the 3rd round of the 2011 NFL Draft out of LSU. In two short seasons with the Bills, Sheppard recorded 150 total tackles and two sacks. Prior to the 2013 season, the Bills traded Sheppard to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for defensive end Jerry Hughes. The Bills clearly won that trade as Hughes went on to become a defensive leader for the Bills while Sheppard lasted just one season with the Colts.

 

Before his playing days ended, Sheppard also spent time with the Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, and the Detroit Lions.

 

Sheppard was hired by the Lions to help with the linebackers in 2021 and the fact that he has been promoted to the defensive coordinator position just shows how well he is trusted by Dan Campbell. The Lions are going into a big change on their coaching staff and seeing a former Bill work his way up to coordinator status is awesome to see.

Despite a 45-31 loss to the Washington Commanders last week, the Detroit Lions had some positive moments. In the first half, the Lions kept things competitive in a back-and-forth start to the NFC divisional-round matchup.

For instance, wide receiver Jameson Williams made a big play in the second quarter when he took an end around for a 61-yard rushing touchdown. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs received the handoff from Teddy Bridgewater, who briefly replaced an injured Jared Goff. Gibbs then pitched to Williams, who had several blockers in front of him on the spectacular play.

The 23-year-old speedster cut against the grain, celebrating as he reached the 15-yard line, easily scoring to narrow Washington’s lead to 24-21.

However, Williams was fined $25,325 for unsportsmanlike conduct after celebrating the touchdown with “obscene gestures,” according to the NFL.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound receiver had little impact on the rest of the game, finishing with just one reception for 19 yards in the defeat.

The Lions had more first downs (30 to 27) and total yards (521 to 481) but struggled with turnovers, committing five (four interceptions and one lost fumble) while Washington had none. The Commanders also scored touchdowns on all four of their red zone trips, while the Lions only scored three times on six red zone visits.

Washington will face the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship on Sunday.

 

The driving force behind Detroit’s 2024 offense record-breaking performance was the offensive line. The Lions joined the 2000 Rams as the only NFL teams to record a season with at least 35 passing touchdowns and 25 rushing touchdowns, and they topped the league in both points scored (33.2) and touchdowns (70).

Detroit had four players with at least 1,000 scrimmage yards: running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, and wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. Without outstanding offensive line play, that is not feasible.

Tim Twentyman’s news The Daily Drive: Going Beyond Podcasts and Press Releases Sign Up for Community Emails and SMS Holmes always prioritizes keeping a solid offensive line.

January 25, 2025, 7:00 a.m. Picture of the Author Tim Twentyman, an experienced writer The driving force behind Detroit’s 2024 offense record-breaking performance was the offensive line. The Lions joined the 2000 Rams as the only NFL teams to record a season with at least 35 passing touchdowns and 25 rushing touchdowns, and they topped the league in both points scored (33.2) and touchdowns (70).

Detroit had four players with at least 1,000 scrimmage yards: running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, and wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. Without a great offensive, that is not conceivable.

Logo of the Detroit Lions Lions Shop Season Tickets Every News Tim Twentyman The Daily Drive: Going Beyond Podcasts and Press Releases Sign Up for Community Emails and SMS Holmes always prioritizes keeping a solid offensive line. January 25, 2025, 7:00 a.m.

Picture of the Author Tim Twentyman, an experienced writer The driving force behind Detroit’s 2024 offense record-breaking performance was the offensive line.

The Lions joined the 2000 Rams as the only NFL teams to record a season with at least 35 passing touchdowns and 25 rushing touchdowns, and they topped the league in both points scored (33.2) and touchdowns (70). At least 1,000 players played for Detroit, including running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs and wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.

Without a doubt, Holmes views maintaining their high level of play up front and possibly even figuring out methods to make it even better this offseason as a top objective. “And so, I don’t care how good we ever get on the offensive line, that one right there is too important for not only our team, our quarterback, everything, it’s our identity, man,” stated the quarterback. “So, I think just that alone is just – it’s always going to be at the forefront.”