Getty Isaiah Buggs greets the fans leaving the field after a 2023 game vs. Chicago.
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs stirred concern when he scrubbed the team from his social media accounts ahead of the team’s Week 1 win against the Kansas City Chiefs on September 7.
Buggs was benched for that first game, going down as a healthy scratch, but has since alleviated some of the concerns that he could be unhappy with the team. Buggs spoke out on his benching, telling SI.com’s All Lions that he turned it into a learning experience and found a way to support the team from the sidelines.
Veteran Took Benching in Stride
Buggs sparked some controversy just ahead of last week’s season opener, taking to social media to share a post that many took as discontentment with the organization.
“I’m good but just know situations change #96BALLFOREVER Y’all gone see,” Buggs wrote in his post on Twitter on September 3.
But this week Buggs clarified that he was ready to do whatever the team needed, even if that meant staying inactive for their Week 2 home opener against the Seattle Seahawks.
“Whatever the team needs me to do, that’s what I’m gonna do,” Buggs said. “I don’t get into all that, I’m a team player. So whatever they lock me in to do, that’s what I’m gonna do.”
Buggs said he made the most of Thursday’s benching, trying to stay active on the sidelines and giving help to some of the team’s younger players.
“It was definitely different for me,” Buggs said. “But when I was on the sideline, I was just coaching the young guys and the guys around me, and then also seeing myself in certain positions and kind of staying focus mentally. Just waiting on the opportunity.”
The veteran Buggs joined the Lions in 2022 after three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played a significant role last season, starting 13 games and finishing the season with 46 tackles with one sack, one forced fumble and a pass defended.
Lions Dealing With Injury on Line
The Lions could be shorthanded on the line for Sunday’s game against the Seahawks. Head coach Dan Campbell said on Friday that defensive lineman Josh Paschal was injured on Thursday and then unable to practice.
“Paschal had a little bit of an episode yesterday injury-wise, so he won’t be going today,” Campbell said, via SB Nation’s Pride of Detroit.
Campbell added that the team didn’t yet know the severity, but said there was a chance that Paschal could miss some time.
“I don’t think serious, but I think there is a chance—we’ll know more today—but there is a chance he could be out for a little bit,” Campbell said. “But I don’t feel like this is something to be a season-ending type of deal.”
Josh Paschal suffered an injury on Thursday, and could miss “a little” bit of time.
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As Pride of Detroit noted, Paschal had a big impact in a small amount of snaps in Thursday’s win over the Chiefs. Though he played just 17 snaps on defense, Paschal made three tackles including a key stop on a third-down late in the fourth quarter.
If Paschal is unable to play on Sunday, it could give Buggs an opening to return to the lineup.
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Lions DL Isaiah Buggs Breaks Silence on Week 1 Benching