The Detroit Lions are entering the 2026 season with a leadership group that blends continuity at the top with fresh faces on defense, and the team made it official on Monday.
Detroit named seven captains for the upcoming campaign: quarterback Jared Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, offensive tackle Penei Sewell, edge defender Aidan Hutchinson, defensive tackle Alim McNeill, linebacker Jack Campbell and punter Jack Fox.
Goff, St. Brown, Sewell and Hutchinson are all repeat captains. Goff is entering his sixth season wearing the honor, while Sewell and St. Brown are entering their fourth. Hutchinson is entering his third year with the team, continuing to build on the leadership role he took on after Detroit made him a No. 2 overall pick out of Michigan.
McNeill and Campbell are the two newcomers to the group, replacing linebacker Alex Anzalone, who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. Campbell is coming off a first-team All-Pro season in which he set career highs in tackles, tackles for loss, and sacks, while McNeill is a first-time captain looking for a bounce-back year after his 2025 season was cut short with an injury.
Fox rounds out the group as the special teams captain, taking over the role held by Grant Stuard, who also left in free agency for the Los Angeles Rams. It’s the first time in Fox’s career wearing the captain’s badge.
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Detroit finished 2025 with a disappointing 9-8 record, missing the playoffs. However, this group looks to help turn things around in 2026. The Lions open the 2026 season on September 13 against the New Orleans Saints at Ford Field.
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