DAILYREPORT

🦁 Top Story

Rod Wood, who has been the Lions president and CEO since 2015, is set to retire before the start of the 2026 season and will remain with the team until his successor is hired following a global search. Wood reflected on his decision to step down this offseason, what he viewed as his greatest successes and failures, what he'll miss most about the job, and the role he'll have in helping find his replacement. The Lions' organization is embarking on a significant leadership transition at the top as the team attempts to rebuild its roster under Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes.

📰 Headlines

• The Detroit Lions have opted out of joint practices for 2026 training camp. Detroit had held joint practices each of the past four years but is now shifting focus inward ahead of camp.

• The Detroit Lions announced they've signed safety Chuck Clark, a high-character safety with plenty of experience who comes to Detroit with a reputation of being a hard worker. Clark enters a safety competition that has more questions than answers, with Kerby Joseph dealing with a lingering knee injury and Brian Branch recovering from a torn Achilles.

• After former Detroit Lions tackle Taylor Decker shared his frustrations with how his divorce from the team played out, Lions coach Dan Campbell offered his perspective on the situation, with Decker believing the Lions failed to properly communicate that his return was dependent on his willingness to take a pay cut, and the team releasing him earlier this month.

• The Detroit Lions will play a game in Munich, Germany for the 2026 season, with the Germany international game traditionally played in the first week or two of November. The team was able to protect two games from being overseas: the Packers and the Vikings.

• Rod Wood defended recouping a portion of Frank Ragnow's signing bonus, stating team precedent and insisting that money is the team's, not the player's.

🎙️ Podcast & Media Picks

The Pride of Detroit PODcast unpacks the Taylor Decker situation and what the drama means for the Detroit Lions moving forward—both from a roster and salary cap perspective—then shifts to the NFL Draft, breaking down nine potential first-round candidates for Detroit discussing fit, positional value, and which prospects make the most sense. Available on Apple Podcasts and all major platforms.

📊 Season Watch — Theme A: Trenches Rebuild

Penei Sewell is the sole remaining lineman from the 2023 unit that powered Detroit to the NFC Championship game, with a decline in O-Line play dropping the Lions from first to last place in the NFC North last year. Some seismic moves up front have dwindled the amount of money that the team has poured into the group, headlined by the releases of Graham Glasgow and Taylor Decker, with Decker leaving behind a dead money total of $9.444 million for the upcoming season. The Lions replaced Decker in the short term with the signing of Larry Borom to a one-year deal with a cap hit of $5 million and added center Cade Mays on a three-year deal worth up to $25 million. The team still has some cash to spend for the impending season with just over $23 million in cap space available. As the draft approaches on April 23–25 in Pittsburgh, the Lions' 2026 fortunes will hinge on whether they can rebuild the interior and tackle positions that crumbled in 2025.

🗓️ Lions History & All-Time Greats

Twenty-seven years of greatness: Barry Sanders' legendary 1997 season

It's been nearly 27 years since Barry Sanders authored one of the greatest single seasons in NFL history. In 1997, Sanders rushed for a league-best 2,053 yards and gained another 305 yards on 33 catches for an amazing 2,358 combined yards gained, gaining more than 100 yards rushing in an NFL record 14 consecutive regular season games. That year, Sanders was named the league's MVP. Sanders played for the Detroit Lions for 10 seasons, leading the league in rushing yards four times and in rushing touchdowns once. Sanders rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his 10 seasons with the Detroit Lions (1989-1998) and was the first running back ever to do so. Though he retired just 1,500 yards short of Walter Payton's all-time rushing record, Sanders' explosive, elusive style and humble demeanor left an indelible mark on the franchise. Today's Lions lean heavily on Jahmyr Gibbs to anchor the rushing attack—a reminder of how much Sanders' magic shaped the team's identity.

🔮 What to Watch

• NFL Draft (April 23–25, Pittsburgh): The Lions have nine picks in the upcoming draft, with only two of those coming in the first 100 selections, and the draft focuses on potential first-round candidates who could be the Lions' first-round pick—be it at 17 overall or higher/lower. Keep an eye on Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor, who is one of the more polarizing and talented prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft class and has been connected to the Lions as a dream target at pick 17 overall.

• Safety Room Health & Clarity: Chuck Clark's signing provides veteran depth, but the Lions must closely monitor whether Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch can return to All-Pro form. Their availability and conditioning will be a critical early-camp storyline heading into OTAs.

• Rod Wood's Replacement Search: Candidates could emerge as soon as April, and they'll meet with a panel consisting of owner Sheila Hamp, ownership advisor Chris Spielman, chair William Clay Ford Jr., chief people officer Lindsay Verstegen and Wood, with Wood saying he hopes general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell also have an opportunity to weigh in, focusing on finding an experienced COO or CEO with the right kind of executive presence and leadership skills.