And then there was Suh

The Detroit Lions have had seven Associated Press Rookie of the Year award winners in the team’s history. In 1967, the award was introduced for the first time and given to a defensive player and an offensive player (the same format we still use today). The Lions won both. Mel Farr, running back drafted out of UCLA won the offensive award and Lem Barney, the Hall of Fame cornerback out of Jackson State won the defensive award. The following year a Lion brought home the award again, this one going to Earl McCullouch, wider receiver out of USC. The other Lions’ offensive winners include two running backs that both wore the number 20. Billy Sims and Hall of Famer Barry Sanders. Our second, and last defensive ROY winner was Al Baker in 1978, until this year.

As expected, Ndamukong Suh won the ROY award on Friday, taking home another

piece of hardware. Suh also won the Sporting New, 

Pepsi, Pro Football Weekly and Pro Football Writers of America 

ROY. And don’t forget a Pro Bowl selection. Suh was also selected 

to the All-Pro team, a rarity for a rookie. 

Suh is now the face of the franchise, and for good reason.

Suh scrambles after his first career INT vs the Rams

Watching the Packers win the Super Bowl remind me of the first Lions game I went to. I watched Barry Sanders run all over the Pack at the Silverdome. We beat Favre and the Packers 31-17. This year I watched the Lions beat the Packers 7-3 at Ford Field for our first divisional win since 2007. The question I asked myself was; when is it finally going to be our time? Our time is now. The Lions organization and the players have an opportunity to really turn this franchise around.  Suh is an example of what the future holds for Detroit. It’s time to get it done.