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Eric Woodyard, ESPN
There were countless options, with intriguing storylines, as the NFL was creating the 2023 schedule but ultimately, they decided to showcase the Detroit Lions at Kansas City for the prime-time Thursday night kickoff game on Sept. 7.
Obviously, the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs – led by reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes – will always draw interest, but it’s a big deal for Detroit to receive such national coverage, especially since they were the only NFL team without a prime-time game on the schedule at this same point last year.
Mike North, the NFL’s Vice President of Broadcast Planning said the Lions “earned” the spotlight after winning eight of their final 10 games in 2022 to finish at 9-8. It marked their first winning season since 2017.
“Detroit’s record down the stretch, what was it, 8 of the last 10? And the last time we all saw them, they were going into Lambeau (Field) and ruining the Packers’ season,” North told reporters on a media conference call Friday. “We always talk about you play your way into primetime, you play your way into the bigger television windows and the Lions have done that.
“Maybe it started a little bit in August with Hard Knocks, and everybody getting to know Coach (Dan) Campbell and learning what a kneecap biter might be some day, but they earned it with their play on the field, and we considered all the options for kickoff, all the Kansas City home opponents and any one of them would’ve worked,” he continued. “We were comfortable with every one of them and that included Detroit on the final schedule.”
The Lions are scheduled for four prime-time games in 2023, in addition to their traditional Thanksgiving Day game versus Green Bay on Nov. 23 at Ford Field.
Detroit will return to Lambeau Field for Thursday Night Football against the Packers on Sept. 28, host the Las Vegas Raiders for Monday Night Football on Oct. 30 and travel to face the Dallas Cowboys Saturday night on ESPN/ABC on Dec. 30.
Over the last five seasons, the Lions have played in just five prime-time games, which are the fewest in the NFL.
Campbell made an early appearance on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football on Friday where he talked about the Week 1 appearance at Arrowhead Stadium.
While Campbell is excited for the opportunity, he’s keeping everything in perspective as they’ll try to “showcase what we’re about on prime-time.”
He says it means the Lions are “gaining respect” across the league, but they have to deliver.
“Here’s my first thought, I’ll be totally honest with you as to why they would give us Kansas City,” Campbell hilariously told NFL Network’s Good Morning Football. “Okay, you finished the year a certain way, but it also means that they’re betting that we won’t get our a** kicked. You may get beat, but you’re not gonna get your a** kicked. That’s what they’re saying.”