Detroit Lions open season, frame 2026 as a Super Bowl window

sportsSep 13, 2026253,488

The Detroit Lions open the season at Ford Field against the New Orleans Saints, a kickoff set for 1:00 p.m. Eastern on FOX with the club and local coverage framing this roster’s goal as winning a Super Bowl in 2026. Detroit returns the same core that powered the team in 2023-24 after missing the 2025 playoffs, signaling the front office believes the current window can be pushed into championship contention. The team created significant cap space through two contract restructures, moves coverage and posters noted that free-agent anchors Penei Sewell and Amon-Ra St. Brown remain foundational to the plan. Locker-room and fan moments surfaced ahead of the opener, from linebacker Derrick Barnes attending in matching Spider-Man suits with his son to widespread fan hope and nerves about the season. The Lions’ opening-day framing sets expectations for the roster and establishes 2026 as the target season for concrete postseason achievement.

Kelly Knox

@kelly-knox.com

Detroit Lions LB Derrick Barnes came to the game today in matching Spider-Man suits with his son 😭

315826d ago

Stacy Parker Le Melle20

Love this so much!!! Barnes was great today!!! What a memory for his son!! 🥹

JF13

This is a real man and a real dad.

Pete Stewart 🏳️‍🌈10

Oh this is too much 😭

J Booksy9

He can say "My dad is the coolest dad" and be 100% correct.

Brian Morans9

Makes you realize how nice a superhero costume looks on a professional athlete! Damn!

jimkmm7

Being a Dad - His super power!

Joe Kassabian

@jkass99.bsky.social

It is adorable watching the new Detroit Lions fans we've gathered over the last few very brief years of not being total ass be hopeful for a coming season. You'll learn like the rest of us have. You'll be given only pain and suffering.

11727d ago

Beach Hunter2

Detroit Lions, rebuilding since 1957 🤣. Still a fan though

Blast Hardcheese1

Every Lions fan inevitably gets visited by Pinhead wearing a Favre jersey

Alex-barrett1

Same thing happened in 2008, when the Saints were good for a couple years. I was like- just you wait… And here we are.

Nick Fenton1

I dropped them for good in 2017. And then they sucked me back in. These fucking monsters, yet there I was like Charlie Brown trying to kick that football.

Alice last name1

The bills are definitely up there 😆 go birds

jonwcpt.bsky.social1

This will sound rich, but packer fandom is being excited, being confident, being an asshole to rival fans about said team of destiny. Then losing badly in the divisional round. Come for the close, stay for the pain.

Megaholt 𓅃

@megaholt.medsky.social

Same. He’s here to grit shit done, as I’ve once seen on a Detroit Lions pin.

3027d ago

Dave Birkett

@davebirkett.bsky.social

Finally, Lions season is here. The Lions open against the Saints at Ford Field today and "The goal’s to go win a Super Bowl." www.freep.com/story/sports...

2227d ago

Erik Schlitt

@erikschlitt.bsky.social

Detroit Lions create massive cap space with 2 contract restructures Makes a ton of sense to make room in this manner. Penei Sewell and Amon-Ra St. Brown are foundational corners of this team. www.prideofdetroit.com/detroit-lion...

1928d ago

Lionsfan8603

Roll this over to next year, double it and then resign BB and Sam!!!

ospresso.bsky.social1

Silly question but….if St. Brown was expecting 33 mil this year and his new number is 12 mil, does he actually get paid 28 or 12 this year? Is the salary cap just for the books or does it impact when the actual pay occurs?

Mr. November1

I was listening to this week's POD content just about an hour ago and KNEW this would happen

Alejandro Zúñiga

@byazuniga.bsky.social

NFL scouts from the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants and Kansas City Chiefs are at Michigan Stadium today.

1528d ago

stef

@crickwooder.bsky.social

win ONE Super Bowl the season I drank from this mug every week and it becomes a load bearing coffee mug but fuck it GO BIRDS

1926d ago

Sum FatKid1

And also with your Jawn.

🥤🍊Big Buppy🍊🥤🔜AFC'25

@supersizedsamoyed.bsky.social

The new NFL season started today! I drew my prediction for how 59's gonna be at the end of the year and for the Lions to pull off: GOING BIG AND TAKING IT ALL IN THE SUPER BOWL!! Here's to a great season! Go Lions!

1326d ago

erika

@yeeeerika.bsky.social

FIRST DETROIT LIONS GAME TOMORROW I'M READY TO HURT AGAIN

the screaming lady from the tv show Severance

1627d ago

Terry Sports

@terrysports22.bsky.social

Go Detroit Lions!! First game of the 2026-27 season is today against New Orleans in Detroit at 1pm Eastern Time. 9/13/2026

927d ago

Jeff "Always Sit Your Studs" Krisko

@jeffkrisko.bsky.social

Folks, this episode is really dumb, but also smart, the week one preview with @bddrix.bsky.social and @rflredzone.bsky.social! footballabsurdity.com/2026/09/12/f...

428d ago