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Lions Potential First-Time Pro Bowl Candidates

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Lions Potential First-Time Pro Bowl Candidates


The Detroit Lions had seven players chosen for the Pro Bowl last season, along with a host of others as alternates.

With the team being one of the league’s best and most-popular, another strong season will likely see a number of players once again earning the honors. Even with the talent on the roster, there are several key contributors who have yet to make the Pro Bowl heading into the 2025 season.

Here are six players who could be first-time Pro Bowl selections in 2025.

Joseph was snubbed for the Pro Bowl last year despite being named a First Team All-Pro at the safety position. He led the league in interceptions, but some believe his reputation for big hits in the middle of the field that have caused injuries have caused a disdain for him throughout the league.

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Last year, Joseph finished first in the fan vote at his position but was still left off the team. With votes from fans, players and coaches each counting for a third of the total vote, it can be interpreted that he didn’t fare as well in the coach or player vote to warrant a place on the Pro Bowl roster.

Joseph is one of the best safeties in the game, and signed a contract that made him the highest-paid player at the position this offseason. If he has another strong year, he should be able to earn the honors in 2025.

The NFC is deep at the wide receiver position, and as such it will be tough for the Lions to get two players on the list with Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown. However, Williams’ speed makes him one of the most explosive players in the league.

Williams was not eligible for the Pro Bowl last season because of a two-game suspension he served for violating the NFL’s anti-performance enhancing substance policy. He put together a career year in his third season, surpassing 1,000 receiving yards for the first time.

The wideout has the ability to once again be a big threat in Detroit’s offense. His game-breaking speed makes him a threat to score every time he touches the ball, and as such he should be able to put up big numbers once again in 2025.

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Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1).

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1). / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Detroit’s newest veteran cornerback is still waiting on his first Pro Bowl selection heading into his eighth NFL season. While he has shown an ability to be physical in coverage, he does have a lack of flashy production with just six career interceptions at this stage.

After not recording a pick last season for the New York Jets, Reed has his sights set on improving in this area in 2025. He’s somewhat undersized, as he’s listed at 5-foot-9, but plays up to his competition and can be a threat with the ball in the air.

Reed is expected to be Detroit’s top cornerback entering the year, and if he holds his own and makes an impact on a secondary that struggled last year he should be able to warrant consideration for a Pro Bowl spot.

After some struggles in his first NFL season, Campbell enjoyed a big second year to the tune of 131 combined tackles. When Alex Anzalone suffered a forearm injury that landed him on injured reserve, Campbell took over as the green dot linebacker and earned valuable experience as the defensive play-caller.

The Iowa product is capable of taking another step forward in 2025, and should be able to handle increased responsibility for the defense. Listed at 6-foot-5, Campbell also has the ability to make an impact against the pass with his big frame.

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With former linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard taking over the defensive coordinator responsibilities, Campbell should be able to thrive in the Lions’ scheme. As a result, he could put himself in a position to be a first time Pro Bowl selection.

After being a role player in New Orleans for the first four seasons of his career, Anzalone has renovated his career playing in Detroit since 2021. He enjoyed back-to-back seasons with over 100 combined tackles from 2023-24, and may have had another last year had he not been injured.

The energy the defense had in his return in the regular season finale last year is a prime example of the impact he has when healthy.

Anzalone’s contract situation has been one of the offseason’s main storylines, and as such it remains to be seen whether he participates in training camp if no new deal is done. Still, he’s expected to be a big contributor for Sheppard’s group. His impact defensively should put him in the Pro Bowl conversation in 2025.

The Lions are hoping that the 2024 first-round pick will reach his full potential starting with the 2025 campaign after an up-and-down first season. He struggled with pass-interference penalties and making too much contact down the field early, but looked more comfortable by season’s end.

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Arnold has all the athletic ability to be a shutdown corner at the NFL level, and displayed some of the instincts at times as well. He also has a solid mentality that allows him to bounce back from tough plays.

Detroit is expected to once again rely on the young cornerback as a starter in the secondary, and as a result he’ll have plenty of opportunities to display why he was so coveted for the team’s defensive scheme. With his experience after a full year of starting, he could break out in 2025.



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Detroit Lions running backs open up about life on and off the field

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Detroit Lions running backs open up about life on and off the field


Detroit Lions fans get to sit back and watch running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery put on stellar performances to help lead the team’s offense. What fans don’t often see are the bonds and dynamics that hold the backfield group together. CBS News Detroit’s Rachel Hopmayer hung out with the group at Bronx Bar to shoot the breeze and play some pool.



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Detroit Fire Department brings Christmas joy to family who lost everything in house fire

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Detroit Fire Department brings Christmas joy to family who lost everything in house fire


DETROIT (WXYZ) — Christmas came early for a Detroit family of 10 after the Detroit Fire Department surprised them with a truck full of gifts, nearly a year after they lost their home and all belongings in a devastating fire.

On Jan. 6, Raychelle Womack and her family were living in their home on Santa Rosa Drive near Fullerton Street when it caught fire. All their possessions were destroyed in the blaze.

Watch Demetrios Sanders’ video report below:

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Family’s Christmas saved after fire

“You try buying everything for a new baby and then you lose it all, on top of the other seven kids that you’ve got — that’s everything,” Womack said.

As the family continued recovering from the fire, questions remained about what Christmas could look like this year.

“Whatever we could make happen, that’s what we’re going to make happen,” Womack said.

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WXYZ

That worry disappeared when the Detroit Fire Department and community partners visited the family’s new east side home with a truck full of Christmas gifts.

“To lose everything and then slowly but surely gain everything, it means a lot,” Womack said.

This marks the fourth year the Detroit Fire Department has brought Christmas cheer to families in need during the holidays.

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“We know people lose everything in these fires, so if we can do anything to make their lives better, to make their lives easier, especially around the holiday season, we’re willing to do it,” said Chuck Simms, executive fire commissioner with the Detroit Fire Department.

Simms said the effort is driven by donations and brings joy not only to the families impacted but also to the first responders who participate.

“It’s just a great thing and nice thing for us to do,” Simms said.

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With a Christmas tree now surrounded by gifts, Womack’s children are definitely looking forward to Christmas.

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“It was nice and we appreciate it,” one child said.

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For Womack, only one challenge remains.

“Now it’s making sure everything (gifts) stays closed until Christmas,” Womack said.

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This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.





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Near 500 saves, Kenley Jansen joins Detroit Tigers without closer role

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Near 500 saves, Kenley Jansen joins Detroit Tigers without closer role


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Kenley Jansen is destined for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The 38-year-old right-handed reliever is fourth on the all-time saves list, first on the active saves leaderboard, 24 saves away from the 500 milestone and just signed a one-year contract that guarantees $11 million.

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But he hasn’t received the closer role from the Detroit Tigers for the 2026 season.

“Will we label Kenley the closer?” Tigers president baseball operations Scott Harris said Wednesday, Dec. 17, deferring to manager A.J. Hinch. “I don’t know. That’s going to be for A.J. to figure out. I’m just going to try to give him as many options as possible.”

Entering 2026, Jansen – a four-time All-Star in his 16-year MLB career – trails only three relievers on the saves list, all three of which are Hall of Famers: Lee Smith (478), Trevor Hoffman (601) and Mariano Rivera (652).

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Before signing Jansen, the Tigers connected him with Hinch for an important phone call. For context, Hinch hasn’t named a full-time closer since left-hander Gregory Soto in 2021-22, instead favoring a bullpen that operates without defined roles.

Early signs suggest Jansen has already embraced the Tigers’ approach.

“From that conversation, we learned Kenley is all about winning,” Harris said of Jansen, who won the 2020 World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. “He’s willing to pitch in any spot. He just wants to be in a winning environment. And he was really attracted to Detroit as a destination, which is a huge step forward for this organization.”

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With three more saves, Jansen will move into sole possession of third place.

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He has secured at least four saves in each of his 16 seasons, along with 25 or more saves in each of the past 13 full seasons, not counting the coronavirus pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign.

“We liked a lot of things,” Harris said. “First of all, he’s one of the best to ever do it. I’ve admired him from afar – and up close for a few years. He brings a ton of success in the highest-leverage moments of games in the regular season and postseason.”

[ MUST LISTEN: Make “Days of Roar” your go-to Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]

In 2025, Jansen registered a 2.59 ERA with 19 walks and 57 strikeouts across 59 innings in 62 games for the Los Angeles Angels, racking up 29 saves in 30 opportunities.

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His 8.1% walk rate ranked in the 46th percentile, while his 24.4% strikeout rate ranked in the 63rd percentile.

Many indicators foreshadow regression coming soon – most notably the lowest strikeout rate of his career, driven by his third-worst in-zone whiff rate and worst out-of-zone whiff rate over the past four seasons – but the Tigers believe in their future Hall of Fame reliever.

“The cutter still really plays,” Harris said. “He also has a two-seamer that misses bats, as well as a curveball. We think he’s going to miss plenty of bats for us. We think there are some things that we can do with sequencing and refining some of the shapes of his mix.”

The Tigers have pursued Jansen several times.

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There was interest during the 2024-25 offseason, when he ultimately signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Angels, then at the 2025 trade deadline, when the Angels opted not to move him, and once again in the 2025-26 offseason, when the Tigers finally signed him to a one-year, $9 million contract, which includes a $12 million club option for 2027 (with a $2 million buyout).

“I’ve admired him from afar and up close,” Harris said.

With Jansen, the Tigers now feel confident using four relievers in save situations. The other three: right-hander Kyle Finnegan, right-hander Will Vest and left-hander Tyler Holton.

Of those four relievers, three of them produced more than 20 saves during the 2025 season, led by Jansen’s 29 and followed by Finnegan’s 24 and Vest’s 23.

“I think it was really important for us to add to the bullpen and be able to protect the leads that we know we’re going to get,” said Harris, who re-signed Finnegan on a two-year, $19 million contract earlier this month. “Whether we can find other opportunities to make our bullpen better, I’m not quite sure yet, but I like the bullpen as it is right now.”

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For Jansen, his sights are set on reaching 500 saves.

It’s likely to happen in 2026.

But Jansen isn’t the Tigers’ closer.

Not yet.

“It’s going to be A.J.’s call on that,” Harris said.

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Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

Listen to our weekly Tigers show “Days of Roar” every Monday afternoon during the season and Tuesday afternoon during the offseason on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.





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