Detroit Lions: Remember when Jon Kitna became a folk hero?
“Jon Kitna was sacked for your sins”
Kitna’s finest hour in Honolulu blue occurred on September 16, 2007 against the Minnesota Vikings. This was probably the #2 gutsiest performance I’ve ever seen by a Lions QB (Stafford vs Cleveland in 2009 being #1). As the Associated Press game recap noted, “Jon Kitna gave up his body and perhaps his mind for the Detroit Lions.”
In the second quarter of an absolute turnover-fest (10 combined giveaways, many of them unforced), the Vikings defense knocked Kitna out of the game. A defender drilled him as he threw a touchdown pass to Roy Williams, giving Kitna an obvious concussion.
J.T. O’Sullivan was largely ineffective as Kitna’s substitute, throwing two interceptions. Despite 4 interceptions of their own (Vikings rookie Tarvaris Jackson had a rough day), the Lions couldn’t gain any separation from Minnesota.
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With the score tied at 17 midway through the fourth quarter, Kitna returned to the game. The Ford Field crowd went crazy, and Kitna had to wave his arms to quiet them down and take control of the offense.
It would be difficult, if not impossible, for this situation to play out in today’s NFL. In the span of only a decade, the ‘heroic warrior’ narrative anytime someone plays through a serious injury has been considerably displaced. It’s interesting how much the public awareness of long-term player safety has shifted.
This is especially true for concussions, after the continuing CTE revelations, but goes for other injuries as well (for example, the Robert Griffin III ‘should he have played??’ knee injury in the 2013 playoffs). In 2007 however, a woozy but willing Jon Kitna talked his way back on the field, to add his name into Detroit sports folklore.
On Detroit’s final drive of regulation, Kitna drove them into field goal range after starting from their own 20. This drive included taking numerous additional hard hits to his already injured head. Kitna bounced back up each time and kept grinding away at the Minnesota defense.
Jason Hanson nearly wasted this effort by missing a potential game winning kick with 45 seconds left. Fortunately, Minnesota bricked a game winner of their own. Ryan Longwell hit the crossbar from 52 yards out as the clock ticked down. The Lions got one more chance in overtime.
In the extra period, Kitna took advantage of yet another Minnesota turnover. Starting from midfield, he completed a deflected pass to himself, raced off for nine yards, and landed on his head after being upended. He took another hard shot shortly after, while scrambling to convert on a crucial third down play. Two plays later, Jason Hanson connected from 37-yards out to seal a 20-17 overtime win.
Jon Kitna was THE MAN.