Recent injuries have taken a toll on the Detroit Lions, which is why the front office acted quickly to strengthen Dan Campbell‘s squad for the final stretch of the NFL season. Joining the team to help Jared Goff is a former teammate of Trevor Lawrence from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Lions‘ defense has been severely weakened due to the recent injuries of Khalil Dorsey and Alim McNeill, making the addition of a player to strengthen the defense crucial.
As a result of these events, linebacker Anthony Pittman, a former teammate of Lawrence with the Jaguars and with a brief stint at the Washington Commanders, is returning to Detroit. It is worth noting that the player had been performing on the practice squad of Doug Pederson’s team. Pittman has already spent five seasons in Motown from 2019 to 2023.
Sports director at @WXYZDetroit, Brad Galli, confirmed it through his X (formerly Twitter) account: “The Lions plan to sign linebacker Anthony Pittman off the Jaguars practice squad, @davebirkett reports. Pittman played for Detroit from 2019-23, mostly on special teams. He played for Birmingham Groves and Wayne State.”
Detroit Lions linebacker Anthony Pittman (57) during a preseason NFL, American Football Herren, USA football game between the Detroit Lions and the Carolina Panthers on August 25, 2023, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
During his time with the Lions, the linebacker made 29 tackles in parts of five seasons. Playing primarily on special teams, he made two starts on defense and saw time as both a stack linebacker and edge rusher.
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Campbell stresses ‘next man up’ mentality amid injuries
One of the biggest challenges for the Lions in this stretch of the NFL season has undoubtedly been the serious injuries affecting the roster, particularly on offense. Regarding this situation, Dan Campbell delivered a strong message for the final stretch of the season.
“I don’t think you get caught up in it. Most of the time, you’re so focused on getting yourself prepared for the game and your unit prepared for the game that that’s where your focus has got to be,” Campbell said.
“We acknowledge the fact that we’ve lost players, we’ve lost really good players, but nobody cares. Nobody cares, and nobody is gonna give us a pass or put an asterisk next to your record,“ he also stated.
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell looks on during the NFL, American Football Herren, USA football game between the Detroit Lions and the Indianapolis Colts on November 24, 2024, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Lions’ final stretch of the season
The NFC North is one of the most competitive divisions in the league, making every victory crucial, as another setback could prove costly as the season comes to a close. Jared Goff‘s Lions know they must win all three of their remaining games to secure the top spot in their division.
The next matchup will be on Sunday, December 22, as they travel to Chicago to face the Bears at the always challenging Soldier Field.
The penultimate game will also be on the road, this time against the San Francisco 49ers on December 30, while they will close out their regular-season campaign in what could be the most important game of the season: on Sunday, January 5, they will host the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field.
