Among the contenders expected to chase a Super Bowl run this year are the Detroit Lions, who went 15-2 in 2024 before being stunned by the Washington Commanders in the divisional round. Detroit enters the new campaign with most of its starters intact and welcomes back defensive star Aidan Hutchinson, making them one of the favorites in the NFC according to projected win totals.
But not everyone is buying the hype. Hall of Famer Devin Hester, a Chicago Bears legend, shared his outlook on Up & Adams with Kay Adams and boldly picked the Lions to finish dead last in the NFC North.
Both Adams and Hester agreed the division could send three teams to the postseason, but Hester stunned the host when he broke down his order of finish.
“I think Chicago, I think Green Bay… I see Detroit at the bottom, and Minnesota ahead of them,” Hester said, drawing a shocked reaction from Adams.
His reasoning centered around Detroit’s major offseason change. “For the past three years, Detroit’s identity has been their offense. You lose that, you lose games,” Hester explained, pointing to the departure of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
Johnson, who orchestrated top-five scoring offenses in each of his three seasons with the Lions, left this offseason to become head coach of the Bears. Hester believes the adjustment will be a rough one. “That offense is going to have trouble early. And when the offense struggles, the defense ends up worn out,” he added.
While some might chalk up Hester’s take to Chicago loyalty, the concern isn’t unfounded. If Johnson truly was the driving force behind Detroit’s surge, the Lions could indeed regress while the Bears benefit from his arrival.
Detroit won’t have to wait long to face that narrative. After opening against Green Bay in Week 1, the Lions will host Johnson’s Bears in Week 2 — an early litmus test for whether Hester’s prediction carries weight.
