The Detroit Lions are coming off a down season, the first under HC Dan Campbell. They finished 9-8, but that was good for last place in the tough NFC North, losing a tiebreaker with the Vikings. After losing both coordinators — OC Ben Johnson and DC Aaron Glenn — to head coaching gigs elsewhere, the Lions were hoping to continue their momentum after earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC in 2024. Instead, they missed the playoffs altogether.
Appearing on the Real Ones: The League podcast with 49ers LB Fred Warner on Thursday, Lions star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown talked about losing Johnson and the down season Detroit had in 2025.
“Going into this year, we just wanted — the way last year ended, like you said, that feeling of having the No. 1 seed and another team coming into your stadium, beating you [on] your home turf,” St. Brown said. “It was, I think, right below the Niners loss. It would take the Niners loss just a little worse than that one, just because we were so close to it. But it was a felling that you never even expect.”
Detroit Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown on the Lions’ Down Season After Losing OC Ben Johnson
GettyDETROIT, MICHIGAN – DECEMBER 04: Amon-Ra St. Brown #14 of the Detroit Lions plays against the Dallas Cowboys at Ford Field on December 04, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
“You’re not expecting, I don’t even know what seed they were, but you’re not expecting the Commanders to come in [with] a rookie quarterback to come into your house when you’ve only lost two games all year,” St. Brown continued on how the Lions’ 2024 season ended. “So going into [2025], I mean, like you said, we lost Ben [Johnson], we lost [Aaron Glenn], two great coaches.”
“But we still felt like we had the guys to go make a run at the whole thing. And honestly it just didn’t pan out the way that we wanted it to. We lost some close games, and I think that’s the biggest thing. You lose those close games, and if we win — say, you lose three or four close games. You flip the whole thing from four losses, four Ls. The whole season is different, you might have home-field advantage, a No. 4 seed, whatever it may be. And then once you get into the dance, anything can happen. You saw the Panthers [this year], they almost beat the Rams.”
Detroit Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown on Making the Playoffs
“You never know what can happen in the playoffs,” St. Brown said on the Lions’ title chances. “The goal really is to get to the playoffs and once you get there it’s a whole new season. It wasn’t the year any of us wanted as players and as coaches. So I think going into this year, this is really the first — you were part of a down year,” he said, talking to Warner.
“We were kind of on the rise every year since I’ve been in Detroit, so we finally just took a dip. I think it’s going to be good for us, I think everyone’s going to be more motivated going into this year, players and coaches included. I’m excited to get to OTAs and see what it’s like.”
Lions Star Amon-Ra St. Brown Sends Message on Ben Johnson After Disappointing Season