Allen Park — It was a steaming hot day in Westfield, Indiana when Detroit Lions running back D’Andre Swift made a proclamation ahead of the team’s joint-practice session with the Indianapolis Colts.
“1,000, 1,000,” he said of the goals he set for his third NFL season, meaning he hoped to have 1,000 receiving and rushing yards, each.
He didn’t hit on either, something he was forced to confront at locker-room, clean-out day at the Lions’ facility in Allen Park Monday. But he finished the season healthy, a vital part of the Lions’ win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night.
And once Week 18 finally came to a close, he was able to get into the injuries that have belabored him since Week 1.
“No, not really,” Swift said when asked if he met his individual goals for 2022. “Kinda was faced with a little bit of adversity throughout, early in the season, but I was able to battle through, push through. I was happy with how I did.
“It started off the first game, Eagles game. So it was kind of a long year, playing through a high-ankle (sprain), separated shoulder all year, it was kind of rough.”
After setting the world on fire with a 144-yard performance against the Eagles, Swift simply wasn’t the same. He played through the ankle injury in Week 1, only to then miss Weeks 4-7 and be handcuffed through Week 17 against Chicago.
There was much ado about his lack of involvement: It was well-known that he was battling some sort of injury, but after getting some insight into his relationship with running backs coach Duce Staley through HBO’s “Hard Knocks”, there was speculation that he could be “in the dog house” for not taking up the publicized coaching points. Swift could often be spotted trying to get on the field, while Staley pulled the frustrated rusher back to the sideline.
What was supposed to be the Year of Swift turned into the Year of Jamaal Williams, as the Lions’ No. 2 coming into the season became one of the faces of Detroit’s rebuild, topping Barry Sanders’ touchdown record and cracking 1,000 rushing yards himself.
His next best game came in that late-season contest against the Bears, 11 rushes for 78 yards and two touchdowns. The final stat line for Swift: 14 games, 542 rushing yards, 389 receiving yards on 48 receptions and eight total touchdowns.
Still, it doesn’t sound like Swift has any regrets about the way the season went for his team. If anything, his struggle and rebound mirrored that of the Lions as a whole.
“I’m just blessed to go out there and compete with them guys,” Swift said. “Special group here. Just proud of everybody, the way we finished and the way we fought through adversity the whole year. I was blessed to be able to do that.”
And while the sum of his production didn’t meet the standard he was hoping, his efficiency was still pretty impressive. He didn’t get enough snaps to qualify for the leaderboard, but his 5.5 yards per carry would rank second amongst qualified running backs, behind only Khalil Herbert of the Chicago Bears.
It’s a big caveat — the same one heading into this season — but if Swift can stay healthy in 2023, the Lions will be very happy with what he can provide.
Swift said he “can’t wait” for Week 1.
nbianchi@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @nolanbianchi