Getty Ndamukong Suh rushing T.J. Lang when he played in Green Bay.
The Detroit Lions have had multiple players leave town through the years, and few have managed to return after leaving the team. Could that change in a notable way? All of a sudden, it’s seeming possible.
Defensive lineman Ndamukong 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.
Ndamukong Suh Lauds Jared Goff, Dan Campbell
Speaking before the Super Bowl to reporters including Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Suh was asked about some of the big moves in Detroit. As he said, he wanted to connect with Goff, his former quarterback, to help acclimate him to Detroit.
In terms of Campbell, Suh said he is a fiery guy who can bring the team success providing everybody buys in and does what they are asked to do. He also admitted he’s excited for the Lions to be able to get a guy in the mix like Campbell, and to see what they can do with Goff as quarterback.
Suh said in the piece:
“You can see that fire in him, as you saw in his press conference, so I’m excited for Detroit to have a guy like that and I think he’s going to be able to have an opportunity to bring some success and guys just got to hone in and understand what they need to accomplish. He just got a great quarterback in Jared Goff, who I was in the Super Bowl with two years ago. So I’m excited to see what they’re going to be able to do up there in Detroit.”
Suh was a fan-favorite in Detroit, but when he departed, many believed he was looking for an easy way out of the city. He maintained his distance and silence for a while, but it’s clear as he’s aged, Suh has some fond memories from his time with the city and now has some old friends coming into the mix there.
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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.
It’s clear that Suh knows Campbell and might know about Brad Holmes from his time in Los Angeles, too. Only time will tell if this is the case and a return is in the cards.
Until then, fans and former Lions alike will be free to wonder.
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