DAILYREPORT

🦁 Top Story

The Lions held a shortened, non-contact practice Tuesday ahead of their preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, with coach Dan Campbell planning to hold back most starters in Thursday's exhibition game. The Lions face the Bengals on Thursday, August 13th at 7:00 PM — your first chance to see the 2026 roster in live action.

📰 Headlines

• The Detroit Lions will enter the 2026 season with some key players already nursing injuries, with new center Cade Mays set to miss some time after injuring his wrist in recent training camp.

• The Detroit Lions will wear their new "rivalry" uniform for the very first time against the Minnesota Vikings on November 1, 2026 at Ford Field, with retiring team president Rod Wood believing fans will be impressed with the design.

• The Lions announced their 2026 preseason broadcast crew, featuring play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti, color analyst T.J. Lang, and sideline reporter Patti Cesarini on FOX.

• Veteran linebacker Devin White, signed as a free agent on August 1st to add depth after rookie linebacker Jimmy Rolder suffered a hamstring injury, continues to get acclimated to the defense alongside All-Pro Jack Campbell.

🎙️ Podcast & Media Picks

• The latest episode of the Daily DLP from the Detroit Lions Podcast reviews training camp sessions from Monday, August 10th and Tuesday, August 11th with a deep dive into the sights and sounds from the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park.

• Offensive Coordinator Drew Petzing sits down to discuss developing relationships with Jared Goff and the offense, with WR Jameson Williams talking about being back on the field with the team and the offseason work under Petzing's leadership.

📊 Season Watch: Offensive Coordinator Impact

The Detroit Lions hired Drew Petzing as offensive coordinator in 2026 after spending the previous three seasons as the Arizona Cardinals' offensive coordinator. Over his three seasons leading Arizona's offense, the Cardinals ranked second in the NFL in rushing average (4.92) and were ninth in rushing yards (6,399). Early signs are encouraging—Detroit's Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Dan Campbell have been impressed by Petzing, with Goff excited to continue working with him after the disappointing 2025 season. Watch how seamlessly the new scheme translates to a Lions offense stacked with talent.

🗓️ Lions History & All-Time Greats

27 Years Since Barry's Brilliant Peak

Barry Sanders topped out at 2,053 rushing yards in 1997, an NFL record for the time. This August marks the anniversary of one of the greatest single seasons in Lions history—a year when Sanders wasn't just the best back in football, he was unstoppable. In 1997, he was just the third player to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season and was named the NFL Most Valuable Player. When he retired after the 1998 season, Sanders had amassed 15,269 yards rushing, a franchise record that stands untouched today. In his 10 seasons with the Detroit Lions (1989–98), Sanders led the National Football League (NFL) in rushing four times and was selected every year for the Pro Bowl.

Career Rushing Yards — Lions All-Time Top 5

1. Barry Sanders — 15,269
2. Billy Sims — 5,106
3. Dexter Bussey — 5,105
4. Altie Taylor — 4,817
5. Mel Farr — 3,072

🔮 What to Watch

• Cade Mays' wrist injury progression: The newly acquired center is critical to the revamped offensive line. How much time he misses and his readiness for Week 1 will shape early-season stability.

• Preseason performance metrics: With starters getting minimal reps Thursday, look to the depth chart shake-ups and which reserves impress Dan Campbell during the exhibition slate.

• "Rivalries" uniform debut in Week 8: November 1st against Minnesota will be the first look at Detroit's bold new aesthetic. Anticipation is building.