Detroit, MI

Detroit Lions training camp preview: Aiming for goal no NFL team has hit in 3 decades

Published

2 years ago

July 21, 2024

Detroit Lions training camp preview: Aiming for goal no NFL team has hit in 3 decades

When Dan Campbell said after the Detroit Lions’ NFC championship game loss to the San Francisco 49ers in January that it was “going to be twice as hard to get back to this point next year,” he was speaking from experience.

Campbell was assistant head coach with the New Orleans Saints in 2018 when that team lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC title game on a missed pass interference penalty.

The Saints went 13-3 the next season, but lost their playoff opener to the Minnesota Vikings in overtime and haven’t played for a conference title since.

The Saints aren’t alone. No NFC runner-up has gone on to win the Super Bowl the next season since the Green Bay Packers in 1995-96. The Packers lost to the Dallas Cowboys in the 1995 playoffs, then beat the New England Patriots —pre-Tom Brady — a year later in Super Bowl 31.

GET READY: Detroit Lions training camp FAQ: Everything you need to know for 2024

Before last year’s 49ers, no NFC team that lost in the previous year’s conference championship game had even advanced to the Super Bowl since the 49ers also did it (under then-head coach Jim Harbaugh) in 2011-12. Of the 10 NFC runners-up from 2012-2021, five failed to make the playoffs.

“I mentioned this last year and I’ll say it again: It’s going to take a lot more than it did last year to get to where we were,” Campbell said this spring. “That’s just the nature of how it goes. But we’re going to be more than capable of doing that. Things got to go your way, but it does start with you. It starts with those players, starts with the coaches. We’ve got to put the work in.”

The Lions, by all accounts, had a successful spring.

They re-signed cornerstone players Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell to long-term contracts. They overhauled their sieve of a secondary, signing Amik Robertson in free agency, trading for Carlton Davis and drafting Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw. And they retained all three of their coordinators, including offensive wizard Ben Johnson, giving them unmatched continuity.

The Lions will open training camp Wednesday as one of the favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, though they will have to navigate a more treacherous schedule to get there. The NFC North is better, with improved rosters in Green Bay and Chicago and a still-young nucleus in Minnesota, and they play a first-place schedule featuring games against fellow Super Bowl hopefuls the 49ers, Cowboys, Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills, among others.

Here are five storylines to kick off camp and that will in many ways define the season.

Great expectations

The Lions were most everyone’s pick to win the North last season, so they’re not in completely uncharted territory. But you have to go back to at least the 1990s to find a Lions team generating this much Super Bowl buzz.

That’s a good thing, without qualification. Most every other NFL team would love to be in the Lions’ shoes. But there unquestionably are pitfalls that come with being the hunted rather than the hunter.

The weight of heightened expectations can be sizable, both individually and as a team. Expectations will grow as the calendar turns, and the smallest of stumbles can take a team down the wrong path. The Lions seem built to handle whatever comes their way with Campbell as head coach, but most people thought the same about the Philadelphia Eagles last year, and they were left watching the playoffs after just one week.

Falling in line

The Lions have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. They return four of five starters, including arguably the NFL’s best lineman in Sewell, and added Pro Bowl guard Kevin Zeitler to fill their only opening.

But three-fifths of the line — Zeitler, center Frank Ragnow and left tackle Taylor Decker — sat out spring practice because of injuries, and the line averages nearly 30 years old. It’s not a young group, and injuries to any of the starters could sink the ship.

Goff’s play is hugely dependent on the protection he gets up front, and the backbone of the Lions’ high-powered offense is the running game. Campbell won’t overtax his veterans in camp, but that doesn’t mean they’ll make it through the regular season in one piece.

Bates Motel

The Lions should have a real, bona fide kicking competition in camp for the first time in years.

Michael Badgley has made 26 of 30 field goals over parts of the past two seasons for the Lions, but his limited leg strength could be a liability in end-of-half and close-game situations. The Lions signed UFL star Jake Bates away from the Michigan Panthers in June. Bates has a hammer for a leg — he made three 60-plus-yard field goals for the Panthers — but is unproven after never kicking in college.

Bates will have to earn the Lions’ trust in camp to beat out Badgley for the job. One thing that might work in his favor: He was a kickoff specialist in college, and if he proves reliable in that area in camp, he could be a weapon under the NFL’s new kickoff rules.

Second in command

The Lions don’t have many holes on their roster, but they do have some question marks. Offensively, there’s not a lot of depth at receiver, and Jameson Williams, their No. 2 pass catcher, remains largely unproven.

Williams will play opposite Amon-Ra St. Brown and has the speed and explosive ability to challenge teams deep. He needs to be more consistent catching and tracking the ball and running routes, but coaches insist he made major strides in those areas this offseason.

At defensive end, the Lions have been searching for a complement to Aidan Hutchinson. They signed Marcus Davenport in free agency. They’ll get James Houston back from a lost season due to injury. And Mitchell Agude is coming off an eye-catching spring. If one of that trio — or anyone else — emerges as a reliable No. 2 pass rusher, the Lions defense will be better off.

Corner store

The Lions acquired enough depth in the secondary this offseason that Campbell said in June he had no idea who would start in his secondary this fall.

Davis and Arnold seem likely to open camp as the first-team cornerbacks, and Robertson could play the slot if the Lions are serious about giving Brian Branch the chance to win a starting safety job. Rakestraw probably opens as a backup slot defender. Kerby Joseph and Ifeatu Melifonwu give the Lions two more playmakers at safety. And at some point, Emmanuel Moseley may be ready to contribute in his return from a torn ACL, too.

There’s enough depth to survive the season, but the Arnold and Rakestraw face big learning curves as rookies playing one of the NFL’s most dangerous positions and Branch and Moseley sat out the spring in their rehab from injuries. Nothing’s a given in the NFL, no matter the size of the offseason investment.

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on X and Instagram at @davebirkett.

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Detroit, MI

Michigan State Police sends message to drivers after trooper involved in hit and run:

Published

4 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Michigan State Police sends message to drivers after trooper involved in hit and run:

“Slow down and move over” is the message that Michigan State Police is sending to drivers after one of its troopers in a parked patrol car was struck while investigating a crash this weekend. The driver of that vehicle fled the scene.

Michigan State Police tells CBS News Detroit that we’re two months into the year, and it has had six incidents across the state where patrol cars were struck by oncoming vehicles. One of those incidents occurred on Sunday evening.

“Could have been much more tragic,” said MSP Lieutenant Rene Gonzalez, First District public information officer.

Michigan State Police

Gonzalez says on Sunday, an MSP trooper was near M-10 and Schaefer Highway in Detroit, simply doing his job, when his patrol car was hit from behind.

“Trooper was out there, and he was investigating a crash when, at the time, a Jeep SUV drove into the rear of the parked vehicle,” Gonzalez said.

The impact slid the trooper’s car into a concrete wall. The 29-year-old Detroit woman driving the Jeep SUV struck the center median, got out of the vehicle, and ran away.

“Not sure why they did it. Maybe not paying attention if they were distracted. They’re attempting to locate her at this time,” said Lt. Gonzalez.

The trooper walked away with minor injuries. Gonzalez says this incident is an example of why Michigan’s Move Over Law was put in place many years ago. The law, which went into effect in 2019, requires drivers to move over into the next lane and reduce their speed by at least 10 mph when emergency or service vehicles — police, fire, rescue, ambulance and road service — have their lights activated.

Drivers who are not able to move over are still required to reduce their speed.

“Trying to do our jobs, however, people are not paying attention. The law is easy. It’s simple. You see us, you see our lights activated, you have to slow down ten miles below the posted speed limit, and then if able, move over to the next occupied available lane,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez says crashes like this can be deadly and often avoided.

“One life lost over something that was a totally preventable crash, it’s way too much. We’re asking that you slow down and move over when you see our lights. It’s a simple message that we’ve been pushing out for years,” he said.

Sunday’s crash remains under investigation. Michigan State Police detectives are still working to track down the 29-year-old suspect.

In the meantime, police are out enforcing the Move Over Law.

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Detroit, MI

Rex Satterfield’s 1956 Bel Air takes 2026 Ridler Award in Detroit

Published

16 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Rex Satterfield’s 1956 Bel Air takes 2026 Ridler Award in Detroit

Rex Satterfield hoped to see his 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible snag one of the BASF Great 8 finalist spots at this year’s Detroit Autorama. But winning the Ridler Award — one of the highest honors in the custom car business — was something he didn’t foresee.

“It’s just overwhelming right now,” said the man from Russellville, Tennessee, as he left a ballroom at downtown’s Huntington Place and made his way back to the show floor on Sunday, March 1. “We weren’t expecting this.”

Getting a car recognized as one of the BASF Great 8 vehicles is a win in and of itself as they are considered the “absolute pinnacle of custom automotive craftsmanship worldwide,” according to the show. The cars undergo an intensive judging process.

And this effort had an unexpected and emotional complication with the passing in December 2024 of the original builder, Jeff Wolfenbarger, who was battling cancer even as he continued working on the car named “Elegant Lady.”

Kevin Riffey of Kevin Riffey’s Hot Rods and Restorations in Knoxville stepped in to finish the work Wolfenbarger started. He’d had two other cars in the past make the Great 8. He said the goal with this vehicle was straightforward, calling it a “purpose-built show car.”

From its prominent spot at the front of the show floor, “Elegant Lady” sported a creamy exterior, dubbed Light Coffee. The car carries a 1,000 horsepower Don Hardy race engine. The gauges, wheels and gas tank are custom, and the dash is from a 1956 Pontiac.

Satterfield plans to show the car around some and enjoy the moment with it. He said he’s been a car guy since he was a little kid.

The Ridler Award, named in honor of Detroit Autorama’s first publicist, Don Ridler, comes with a $10,000 prize. It was awarded on the final day of this year’s Detroit Autorama, which ran Friday, Feb. 27-Sunday, March 1. This was the event’s 73rd year.

Eric D. Lawrence is the senior car culture reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Send your tips and suggestions about cool automotive stuff to elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.

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Detroit, MI

Detroit’s Sloppy Chops restaurateur Mike Brown fatally shot, 2 injured

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Detroit’s Sloppy Chops restaurateur Mike Brown fatally shot, 2 injured

Detroit restaurateur Michael “Mike B.” Brown was fatally shot early Saturday morning in a triple shooting.
The incident occurred outside a cocktail bar on the city’s west side, and police are seeking information.
Brown was a prominent figure in Detroit’s hospitality scene, known for his “Sloppy” brand restaurants.
His establishments were seen as significant in the rise of new Black-owned businesses in the city.

Detroit restaurateur and nightlife mainstay Michael “Mike B.” Brown was fatally shot early Saturday morning on the city’s west side, a violent incident that also left two other people injured and sent shockwaves through Detroit’s hospitality and entertainment communities.

According to Detroit police, the shooting occurred outside Suite 100, a cocktail bar on Schaefer Highway near Puritan Avenue. Investigators are urging anyone with information to come forward. As of Sunday afternoon, authorities had not announced any suspects or arrests.

“At approximately 4:30 a.m., Saturday, there was a triple shooting that occurred at 15789 Schaefer,” Detroit Police Department (DPD) media relations manager Jasmin Barmore wrote in an official statement Sunday afternoon. “Two of the vicims were found in front of the location and the third across the street from the location. Unfortunately, the victim found across the street from the location, Mikey Brown, succumbed to his injuries.

“The Detroit Police Department extends their condolences to the family and is asking the community for assistance with this incident. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to please contact DPD’s homicide unit or, they can submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers or Detroit Rewards TV.”

Brown, 52, had spent decades building a name for himself across Detroit’s club and restaurant circuits, evolving from party promoter to business owner and, in recent years, a culinary entrepreneur with expanding ambitions. His death comes at a moment when he had been working to grow his “Sloppy” restaurant brand – a move that aligned with the rise of new Black-owned establishments reshaping the city’s dining landscape.

His first major restaurant venture, Sloppy Chops, opened in 2020 on West McNichols just off the Lodge Freeway. The steakhouse featured high-end cuts like ribeyes and tomahawks, but it quickly drew wide attention for its low-cost lamb chop specials – a dish with a fervent local following and long-standing ties to the city’s food culture.

A year later, Brown launched Sloppy Crab, later renamed the Crab Sports Bar, on East Jefferson Avenue near the Renaissance Center. The seafood spot mixed Detroiters’ love for crab dishes with the energetic, nightlife-forward atmosphere Brown had refined during his years in the entertainment scene. Occasional cover charges, signature strong cocktails and celebrity drop-ins helped make the venue one of downtown’s most animated destinations, placing it alongside longstanding nightlife pillars such as Floods Bar & Grille and Sweetwater Tavern.

Both restaurants emerged during a period when Detroiters were increasingly vocal about who new development served. Sloppy Crab’s proximity to the riverfront offered an answer to residents who wondered where Black diners fit into the city’s transforming downtown, while Sloppy Chops demonstrated that restaurants with the energy and polish of downtown destinations could thrive in the neighborhoods as well.

As of Sunday afternoon, more than 1,000 comments expressing sadness and shock had flooded a pinned post on Brown’s Instagram page, along with a number of posts on his Facebook profile.

On her own page, Darralynn Hutson, an award-winning journalist, author, documentarian and media strategist who has provided content to a host of media outlets including the Detroit Free Press, shared photos of herself with Brown.

“I had the opportunity to interview Mike a few years ago for a feature in Food & Wine and I remember how reluctant he was about sitting down to talk,” Hutson recalled. “Interviews weren’t his thing – he was much more comfortable building than explaining. I had to call him more than 20 times to set up the interview. He didn’t care about Food & Wine. But once we ate and got into conversation, what came out was his commitment to creating something for his Detroit.”

Brown’s influence stretched far beyond his menus. His establishments became recognizable gathering places, and his presence – familiar from downtown corridors to Dexter Avenue – made him a significant cultural figure in Detroit’s nightlife and, later, its dining renaissance.

His death leaves both industries mourning a personality whose ambitions were still growing, and whose imprint on the city’s social fabric remains unmistakable.

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