Detroit Free Press

Dan Campbell has caught plenty of flack in the 11 months since he was hired as Detroit Lions coach. From his introductory news conference to some of his late-game and fourth-down decision making, Campbell has felt the hot glare of a football world that expects perfection from its participants and rarely settles for anything less.

Apple Podcasts  |  Spotify Free Press Sports with Carlos and Shawn • Hosts: Shawn Windsor and Carlos Monarrez • Producer: Tad Davis • Executive producers: Anjanette Delgado, Kirkland Crawford • Email: swindsor@freepress.com On this episode: In this special episode, the guys share their thoughts after Michigan’s Big Ten championship game victory over Iowa and berth into the College Football Playoff. Are

Down Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow the past two months, the Detroit Lions could be without his replacement, Evan Brown, this week. The Lions placed Brown on the reserve/COVID-19 list one day after the Lions beat the Minnesota Vikings, 29-27, at Ford Field. Brown has started the past eight games at center for the Lions

The analytics supported it, and Dan Campbell said the look was there. But had the Detroit Lions run a different play on third down, Campbell said they would not have needed to go for the highly scrutinized fourth-and-1 they failed to convert late in Sunday’s win over the Minnesota Vikings. “If I could have a

After very nearly a year — their previous win came on Dec. 6, 2020 — the Detroit Lions are victorious again! It wasn’t easy, with a 14-point halftime lead wiped out in the fourth quarter, but when are Lions wins ever easy? The win brings them to 1-10-1, which is probably about as well as

Jared Goff started Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings looking like a whole new player. It almost looked like he bought a brand-new arm on Black Friday. Zip! Zing! Fling! Throw after throw, completion after completion, the Detroit Lions quarterback tossed tight spirals, passed deep and into tight windows, for 25 yards, 24, 23, a touchdown. Then

After his first win as the Detroit Lions coach, Dan Campbell held up a football. “This game ball goes to the whole Oxford community — all those who were affected,” Campbell said to start his news conference on Sunday after the Lions’ dramatic, last-second 29-27 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. In an emotional moment that

Free Press sports writer Dave Birkett breaks down the Detroit Lions‘ 29-27 win over the Minnesota Vikings, and looks at players who helped and hurt their stock Sunday at Ford Field: Stock up WR Amon-Ra St. Brown: A rookie fourth-round pick out of USC, St. Brown gave the Lions’ passing game a huge lift Sunday

After very nearly a year — their previous win came on Dec. 6, 2020 — the Detroit Lions are victorious again! It wasn’t easy, with a 14-point halftime lead wiped out in the fourth quarter, but when are Lions wins ever easy? The win brings them to 1-10-1, which is probably about as well as

It took a split-second for the ball to travel from Jared Goff’s right hand to Amon-Ra St. Brown’s chest, but it felt like forever. St. Brown, the Detroit Lions‘ rookie receiver, capped a career day by catching the game-winning touchdown pass from Goff as time expired Sunday to give the Lions their first win of

Dan Campbell threw his arms in the air, fists clenched in jubilation. Jared Goff sprinted to his coach on the sideline, and the two embraced in a big bear hug. After 11 games of shock, frustration and sometimes pitiful play, the Detroit Lions finally got a late-game break to go their way. Goff rebounded from

Free Press sports writer Dave Birkett grades the Detroit Lions in their 29-27 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at Ford Field. Quarterback Jared Goff played some of his best football this season in the first half, then committed two costly turnovers in the fourth quarter before redeeming himself with a game-winning touchdown drive. Goff

Welcome, to a perfect day for the football teams in Michigan. The Wolverines are heading to the College Football Playoff. Michigan State is in a New Year’s Six bowl. And the Detroit Lions? Wow. Didn’t see this coming. The Lions did more than escape the infamy of being the first team to go winless in

The Detroit Lions honored the victims of the recent shootings at Oxford High School before Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field. The team asked for a moment of silence before kickoff. The names and pictures of the four students who were killed — Tate Myre, Madisyn Baldwin, Hana St. Juliana and Justin

When I first heard the Detroit Lions were being formally recognized by the Fritz Pollard Alliance for a commitment to diversity in executive positions, I thought what you might be thinking right now: They’re getting a diversity award for hiring a white coach who’s 0-10-1? Then I looked into it. And when I heard what

Evan Brown was tearing through the inside track at Texas Motor Speedway at 100 or so mph, heading into one of the final turns of a Legend Car race he was determined to win, when he found himself upside down on top of another car and engulfed by flames. Brown, who will make his eighth

Free Press sports writers offer their predictions for the Detroit Lions game Sunday against the Minnesota  Vikings at Ford Field (1 p.m., CBS): LIONS VS. VIKINGS: Dave Birkett’s scouting report, prediction Dave Birkett The Lions have played well defensively since the bye, holding their past three opponents to 16 or fewer points. But the Lions have been so bad

Trey Flowers is headed to injured reserve for the second time in as many seasons, and it’s possible Flowers has played his last game as a member of the Detroit Lions. The Lions placed Flowers on IR Saturday because of a knee injury that has nagged him most of the season. Flowers missed two games

Father’s Day 2021. A day for baseball. A soft, warm, fuzzy day filled with long hugs and Hallmark cards — at least, for some families. Not this one. This was the day a certain father and certain son were hoping to beat the crap out of each other. Sean Gallagher was coaching the 18u Michigan Bulls

Father’s Day 2021. A day for baseball. A soft, warm, fuzzy day filled with long hugs and Hallmark cards — at least, for some families. Not this one. This was the day a certain father and certain son were hoping to beat the crap out of each other. Sean Gallagher was coaching the 18u Michigan Bulls