Getty Ndamukong Suh before a Buccaneers game.
Ndamukong Suh has had a complicated past with the Detroit Lions and the city with which he used to play, but in recent months, he has made his feelings very clear about his first NFL stop.
Suh, who recently won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, keeps making flattering remarks about the Lions when pressed on the matter. So far this offseason he has complemented Detroit’s hire of Dan Campbell while also admitting to helping Jared Goff get ready to acclimate to his new city.
Perhaps the most interesting remark Suh has made, however, just came on a new podcast. Recently, Suh joined Fox Sports analyst Shannon Sharpe on his Club Shay Shay podcast, and Sharpe asked him directly about his time with the Lions. As Suh said, he wished he could have won more with the Lions and had a true championship run when he was in town, but as he said, he loves Detroit to this day.
Suh told Sharpe:
“I think the first year was a lot of growing pains and kind of getting guys that weren’t really built for winning ways and understanding how to win and kind of moving that out and keeping the core group of guys and bringing that winning mentality in which I’ve always expected to win each and every game. I look at it from the standpoint, especially in 2014 when Jim Caldwell came in there. We should have definitely had a championship run at some point in time. It was definitely disappointing it ended the way it did and I didn’t get a chance to play more in Detroit. I understand it’s a business. I will forever be indebted to that city. I love that city to death. That’s why I spend time back there. I got on the plane right after the Super Bowl parade and my first stop was Detroit. So that’s how close it is to me and I always love that place.”
After not saying much for years, Suh has suddenly become very vocal about what Detroit means to him. After his rocky exit from town and the fans harboring resentment, it seems everyone has matured enough in this case and moved on. It’s certainly interesting how quickly Suh came back to town after winning the Super Bowl as well.
Hearing Suh’s genuine regret about not winning a title in Detroit and his love for the city might only further endear him to Lions fans at this point in time, and push many to hope for him to return at some point to play for the team again.
T.J. Lang Wondered if Ndamukong Suh Would Sign With Lions
Suh, who recently won the Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has been very vocal about Detroit lately. He has admitted to speaking to Jared Goff about his new city, while also saying he thinks he is excited for Dan Campbell to take over as the team’s next head coach
If this seems a bit interesting to you, you’re not alone. A few weeks back in the wake of some of these revelations, former Lions lineman T.J. Lang wondered if all of the positive comments by Suh lately could be a precursor to a return to town given he is a free agent this offseason.
Lang is right to wonder about this. Typically, Suh has been quiet about all things Detroit, but ever since he opened up about the team perhaps giving up on Jim Caldwell unjustly late last fall, Suh hasn’t been shy about sharing his opinion about his first team.
Detroit could have a need for a veteran body up front on a young team, and now that Suh has captured his title, would he want a return? It might be something to remember as Lang hints at. Certainly, these comments will do nothing to sour fans on a return, either.
Could Ndamukong Suh Return to Lions?
Suh has been playing on short-term deals for the last few seasons, and while he’s reached the Super Bowl a few times, he hasn’t broken through to win the game just yet. If that changes this season, it would be interesting to see if Suh would decide upon a return to Detroit. The Lions’ defensive line is thin in the trenches, and they could use some veteran leadership like Suh would provide them. Suh will be a free agent this coming offseason, and while his numbers have gone down, he did have 43 tackles and 6 sacks this past year.
In the same podcast, Suh was asked about his future and remained tight-lipped only to say that he would be representing himself in talks. Could that lead to a reunion? If the Lions ask, anything is possible given how he feels about Detroit.
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