The Detroit Lions alway seem to be snakebit, with injuries a prominent part of the equation, but torn ACLs have just not been a thing for them.
Seemingly every season, the Detroit Lions lose a key player or two, or three or four, for a significant stretch to a significant injury. Prior to the success down the stretch of the 2022 season, injuries took guys like DJ Chark, Amon-Ra St. Brown and D’Andre Swift off the field.
If any specific injury has been prominent for the Lions the last couple seasons, it has been Achilles’ tears. Cornerback Jeff Okudah, defensive end Romeo Okwara and safety Tracy Walker have all had season-ending Achilles’ tears. A coming upgrade to the turf at Ford Field should help that situation moving forward, and keep it from becoming a wider epidemic among Lions’ players.
But in one sense, going back awhile now, the Lions have been barely touched by a certain major injury.
Detroit Lions suffered no ACL tears in 2022 season
With a huge hat-tip to Jeff Risdon of Lions Wire, here’s a look at the number of torn ACLs for each NFL team going back over the last chunk of years via ACL Recovery Club.
“Documented” is a key caveat here, but it’s pretty hard not to document a torn ACL in someone’s knee.
The Lions had zero ACL tears last season, one of five teams to claim that, and they also had zero in 2013, 2019 and 2020 going back over the last 10 seasons. Cornerback Jerry Jacobs was one of the two in 2021, and the second isn’t coming to mind quickly. 2022 rookies Jameson Williams and James Mitchell had their final college seasons ended by torn ACLs, for whatever that’s worth since this list is clearly those that were documented by each team within the specific NFL season.
Overall, the Lions’ 12 ACL tears over the last 10 seasons is toward the bottom of the league over the span. The San Francisco 49ers have had the most (28), while the Atlanta Falcons have had the fewest (eight).