The good news for the Detroit Lions is that, as of the middle of the third quarter, they’ve taken a 21-0 lead over the visiting New Orleans Saints in their Week 1 matchup at Ford Field.
The bad news is that not only were they shorthanded coming into the contest, but now they’re short yet another key player.
The Lions have ruled starting guard Christian Mahogany out for the remainder of the contest after he suffered what appeared to be a leg injury late in the first quarter; he was carted off the field.
The Detroit Lions Have Lost Starting Guard Christian Mahogany For The Remainder Of Week 1
Mahogany suffered the injury late in the first quarter and remained down on the field for a brief time; he eventually walked off the field under his own power, but was carted to the locker room.
While the Lions initially ruled him questionable to return, they officially ruled him as being unavailable for the remainder of the contest not long into the game’s second half.
The Lions came into the game already without the services of center Cade Mays, who suffered a broken bone in his wrist during Training Camp.
Additionally, safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch entered the season on the PUP list, meaning they’ll miss the first four weeks of the season.
Lions Guard Christian Mahogany Is Entering His Third NFL Season
Mahogany became a full-time starter at Boston College in 2020 and earned second-team All-ACC honors in 2021. After missing the 2022 season with a torn ACL, he returned in 2023 to earn first-team All-ACC honors at right guard.
The Lions then took Mahogany in the sixth round (210th overall pick) of the 2024 NFL Draft, and he’d start his rookie year on the non-football injury list before joining the active roster on Oct. 29.
Mahogany earned a starting guard spot to begin the 2025 season, but his campaign was interrupted by a broken bone suffered against the divisional rival Minnesota Vikings in Week 9. Detroit placed him on injured reserve Nov. 1, and he returned to action in December in time for the Lions’ Week 16 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Entering Sunday’s Week 1 contest against the Saints, he’d started 12 of the 18 career NFL contests he’s appeared in.
Lions Dealt Major Blow After Starting Guard Carted Off