Roar restored: Detroit Lions grace Sports Illustrated cover after stellar season

DETROIT – The Detroit Lions are one of four teams that have never appeared in the Super Bowl’s 58-year history, but the team expected to grace the gridiron during the 2024 season inside Ford Field is racing towards one.

The team in Honolulu Blue is coming off one of the best seasons in its 94-year existence after falling half a step short of advancing to the ultimate game.

Although they won NFL Championships in 1935, 1952, 1953, and 1957, the Lions hunger to surpass the NFC Championship game and not only advance to but ultimately win Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.

With all of the hype from last season, the 2023 NFC North Division champions led by Jared Goff, Penei Sewell, and the sun god Amon-Ra St. Brown have graced the cover of Sports Illustrated’s NFL season preview.

The Lions are coming off of a 12-5 season, and the aforementioned NFC Championship game appearance coincided with their best finish to a season since Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders led the team back in 1991.

Like last season’s team, the Lions are loaded on both sides of the ball thanks to Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell. On the defensive line, the Lions will have some sort of combination of former Michigan Wolverines great Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeil, DJ Reader, Marcus Davenport, and James Houston.

That line will assist linebackers Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, and Jack Campbell. At the same time, Carlton Davis, Ennis Rakestraw Jr, Terrion Arnold, Amik Robertson, Emmanuel Moseley, Kirby Joseph, and Brian Branch will sow up the back end.

The offense will stroll out cover boys Sewell, Goff, and St. Brown alongside the backfield mates resembling thunder and lightning featuring David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Don’t forget about speedster Jameson Williams and big men Frank Ragnow, Taylor Decker, and Sam LaPorta.

This team is currently stacked, which is why One Pride and SI anointed the Lions as their pick for Super Bowl 59 inside the Caesars Superdomw on Feb. 9, 2024.