Detroit Lions turn things around as they Clinch their 1st Division Championship Title since 1993

Posted by DavidGreen
Dec 27, 2023

Introduction

The last time that the Detroit Lions clinched a division championship the current Detroit Lions quarterback, Jared Goff, was not even born yet. However, on Sunday, December 24th, 2023 the now veteran NFL quarterback in Goff (who was born back in the year of 1994) was at the forefront of the Detroit Lions' celebrations following them securing their first division championship title since 1993.

Detroit Clinches

With the Detroit Lions 30 to 24 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, the Detroit Lions clinched their very 1st - division championship title in over 3 decades, ending the National Football League's 2nd - longest active drought without a division title next to the Cleveland Browns who have not accomplished that feat since 1989.

"It's cool. It really is cool," the Detroit Lions quarterback, Jared Goff, explained. "Being able to really reflect on it like we did something that [hadn't been done by] team after team after team for 30 years. This 2023 team did it and broke that streak and we will guarantee a home playoff game. But, yeah, we've got some work to do next week and the following and see where we go."

On Sunday, December 24th, 2023 Goff ended up passing for 257 - yards and 1 - touchdown, and the Detroit Lions rookie, Jahmyr Gibbs, rushed for 80 - yards and 2 - huge touchdowns, but it was Ifeatu Melifonwu's interception of the Minnesota Vikings quarterback in Nick Mullens’ pass at the Detroit Lions' 5 yard line, with just 58 - seconds remaining in the football game and the Minnesota Vikings driving down the field for the potential go - ahead scoring drive, that would seal the victory for the Detroit Lions. The interception was N. Mullens' 4th of the game.

"It was about time; that was my first career interception, and thank God for that," Ifeatu Melifonwu of the Detroit Lions exclaimed. "I was in a post, and I saw Justin Jefferson in the middle, then I saw the quarterback and I jumped it. When Kerby [Joseph] got two earlier, it was a matter of time. My time was coming."

Lions’ receiver Amon - Ra St. Brown also finished with his eighth 100 - yard receiving game this season, tying Tyreek Hill for the most in the NFL. He ended with 12 - receptions for 106 - yards and a touchdown. He admitted to feeling speechless after the back - and - forth battle.

"It was really important for us. I mean 30 - years is a pretty long time when you think about it," the Detroit Lions wide receiver in Amon - Ra St. Brown mentioned. "I mean for us, we knew it. It was on our fingertips. It was here. This was a chance. We couldn't let it slip."

Entering the game, Goff stated the current Detroit Lions team did not, "carry the weight of the last 30 - years here," with the division - title drought. However, coach Dan Campbell, also a former Detroit Lions player, made it a priority to help the guys fully understand the special opportunity in which they had in front of them with the ultimate possibility to accomplish this season - long goal.

"I'm proud of everybody. This has been a long time coming," the Detroit Lions head coach in Dan Campbell expressed. "Look, I'm proud of all the Lions fans out there that have been dying for this for years, man. That's for you, too. I know it's been a long time. You deserve that. And it's not over. That's just one."

Following the win last Sunday, Campbell welcomed the Detroit Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp and their president Rod Wood into the locker room to celebrate with their team, where he called their offensive lineman, Taylor Decker, the longest - tenured Detroit Lion, and the NFL Pro Bowl center in Frank Ragnow in front of the entire team to be fully recognized after experiencing so many years of agony within the franchise prior to this day.

"It means everything," says the Detroit Lions owner, Sheila Ford Hamp. "It's amazing."

Decker and Ragnow shared a very emotional experience together in the midst of the celebration, which included the team blasting Lil Yachty's song, "Minnesota" in the visitors' locker room. "It's just a lot of pent - up emotion, just to want to be respected as a team and to be looked at as a winner," Ragnow said. "I've cried more today than I have in probably my whole career. It's just because it means a lot to me."

The now 83 - year - old Wayne Fontes, was the coach of the Detroit Lions way back in 1993 when they finished that NFL season at 10 & 6 while clinching the NFC Central division in the final week of that NFL regular season with their victory over the Green Bay Packers.

"Congratulations. Dan Campbell has done a great job. He's an outstanding coach," the previous head coach of the Detroit Lions, Wayne Fontes, said. "The football team is well coached. Their assistant coaches do a great job and Dan Campbell is probably one of the best coaches to come around in a long, long time in Detroit. I keep rooting for them and I think they're going to continue to win because again, they have a good coach, coaching staff and good players."

"Thirty years is a long time ago," Fontes goes on to say while laughing. "Dan Campbell deserves a good 'attaboy' or 'way to go' or whatever because he's done a great job. I really believe that."

Sources:

“Lions end long drought, win 1st division title since '93”, Eric Woodyard, espn.com, December 24, 2023.