Detroit Free Press

Evan Heim thought his football career was over. As he stood in the shower a couple hours after the end of this spring’s NFL draft, when no teams had so much as called to check on his status, Heim “had probably some of the worst thoughts of my life.” “I was like, ‘I can’t believe

Two rookies are among the projected starters on the Detroit Lions‘ first depth chart of the summer. First-round pick Penei Sewell, who has taken every first-team rep at right tackle during training camp, and third-round nose tackle Alim McNeill were listed as starters on the depth chart put together by the Lions’ media relations department

Mike Ford carved out a role with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted rookie in 2018. He spent a brief stint on the practice squad to start that season and has been a valuable backup cornerback and special teams player since. Ford said Monday he sees a bit of himself in two young corners trying

The Detroit Lions are bringing in help for their depleted secondary, signing cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman to a one-year deal, the Free Press confirmed on Monday. Robey-Coleman is a familiar face to many on the Lions coaching staff. He played the 2017-19 seasons with the Los Angeles Rams under Lions secondary coach Aubrey Pleasant (and with

With new players who need to get used to a new system, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said he plans on playing his starters for about a quarter of Friday’s preseason opener against the Buffalo Bills. “We’re just going to kind of take it as it is right now,” Campbell said. “Instead of worrying too

The Detroit Lions are getting one of their best special teams players back on the field, and adding help for their depleted receiving corps, too. The Lions activated linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin off the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday, allowing him to practice for the first time this summer. Reeves-Maybin spent 12 days on the COVID list, one

Calvin Johnson used his induction speech for the Pro Football Hall of Fame to tout the benefits of plant-based medicine and thanked Detroit Lions fans for supporting him throughout his legendary career. Johnson joined Jim Brown and Gale Sayers as the only players to be inducted into the Hall of Fame before turning 36. He spoke

It was a good weekend for wide receivers at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. On Saturday night, Eagles star Harold Carmichael and Rams star Isaac Bruce were inducted as part of a super-sized 2020 class. Then, on Sunday night, Detroit Lions legend Calvin Johnson was inducted after making the Hall on

I covered Calvin Johnson for his entire career with the Detroit Lions and got to know him as a football player and as a person on the field and off it. On Sunday night, Johnson was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Canton, Ohio. As I look back on

CANTON, Ohio — Derrick Moore saw how special Calvin Johnson was the first time they met, and it had nothing to do with football. Moore, the former team chaplain at Georgia Tech, hosted a reception for players the summer before Johnson’s freshman season at the school. Johnson was the first player to arrive and immediately

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff rolled to the right, scanned his options and fired the ball to tight end T.J. Hockenson in the back of the end zone. Touchdown. The Goff-Hockenson connection for a 6-yard score occurred in Saturday’s 11-on-11 scrimmage at Ford Field, where fans showed up to watch the Lions prepare for their first preseason game Friday

Sunday’s Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Canton, Ohio, will feature a pair of players near and dear to many Michiganders. On offense, former wide receiver Calvin Johnson will become the 22nd Detroit Lion enshrined in the Hall. On defense, ex-Wolverine Charles Woodson will be the 36th defensive back enshrined. The induction ceremony

CANTON, Ohio — He tugged his sport coat tight, buttoned a single button and took a deep breath as he bowed his head and stepped onto a small, elevated gold disc in the shadows of the stage. Calvin Johnson was about to exchange his checkered blazer — not unlike the ones available in most men’s

Calvin Johnson heads into the sunset like other great players who toiled for the Detroit Lions. Unsatisfied. On the morning of his induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he still hasn’t committed to even mentioning the team he played for his entire career. The money he had to pay back upon his unexpected retirement remains

Without tight end T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff would not have posted three passing touchdowns in three drives during Saturday’s 11-on-11 scrimmage at Ford Field. Lions coach Dan Campbell knows this. So does Darren Fells, the No. 2 tight end. “In my mind, he’s one of the top tight ends in the NFL,” Fells said after

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff rolled to the right, scanned his options and fired the ball to tight end T.J. Hockenson in the back of the end zone. Touchdown. The Goff-Hockenson connection for a six-yard score occurred in Saturday’s 11-on-11 scrimmage at Ford Field, where fans showed up to watch the Lions prepare for their first preseason game Aug.

The Detroit Lions added two players Saturday to aid their defensive line, signing free agent defensive tackles Michael Barnett and P.J. Johnson. As a pair of new tackles join the team, defensive tackle Nick Williams was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Williams, 31, started 13 of 14 games played for the Lions last season. The Lions

A couple of rookies fought last week at Detroit Lions camp. It was more of a skirmish, truthfully, one head coach Dan Campbell let play out for a moment before stepping into to throttle everything back. “Nobody backed down from each other and they got better from it, so I was happy,” Campbell said the next day.

Detroit Lions guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai is moving past his foot injury. He is also moving past his underwhelming first season with the Lions, after former general manager Bob Quinn signed him to a five-year, $50 million contract in March 2020. Vaitai was supposed to play right tackle, but after missing the first two games of the season, he

CANTON, Ohio — Calvin Johnson and the Detroit Lions remain at odds ahead of Johnson’s enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend, but the team has submitted an official proposal to bring Johnson back into the fold that the legendary receiver has deemed inadequate. The Lions submitted their proposal to Johnson and