Five Detroit Lions named to ESPN all-decade NFC North team
By Reuben Gasee
Five Detroit Lions made the roster on ESPN’s all-decade team for the NFC North
This week, ESPN released their all-decade teams for each division and the NFC North all-decade team was revealed on Wednesday. Along with all-decade teams, ESPN also revealed the best player to play for each team during the 2010 decade.
For the Detroit Lions, it was wide receiver Calvin Johnson who was deemed the best player for the Lions over the past 10 years. They mentioned how he set the all-time single-season receiving yards mark with 1,964 in 2012 and the fact that he was a Pro Bowl selection in each year in the 2010 decade until his retirement in 2015. It also mentioned how Johnson was selected to the first-team All-Pro three times and exceeded 1,000 receiving yards in each season he played in the 2010 decade.
ESPN listed quarterback Matthew Stafford, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, and cornerback Darius Slay as players they considered as an honorable mention but ultimately gave the nod to Suh due to his Rookie of the Year award, four Pro Bowl selections and being named first-team All-Pro three times.
Calvin Johnson was the only offensive Lions player named to the all-decade team. From 2010-2015, he caught 538 passes for 8,548 yards (15.9 yards per catch) with 50 touchdowns.
Which Detroit Lions’ defenders made the All-Decade team?
On the defensive side of the ball, the Lions had three players named to the all-decade team. Suh was one of two defensive tackles named to the all-decade team and earned his spot as when he was a Lion, he recorded 238 tackles (179 solo) with 66 of those going for a loss of yards as well as 36 sacks and 98 quarterback hits.
Slay was one of two cornerbacks named to the all-decade team. As a member of the Lions from 2013-2019, he recorded 347 tackles (296 solo) with 104 pass deflections and 19 interceptions. In 2017, Slay led the league in interceptions with eight and pass deflections with 26. He was also selected to three Pro Bowls and was named a first-team All-Pro in 2017.
The third Lions defensive player named to the all-decade team was safety Glover Quin. In six seasons with the Lions from 2013-2018, Quin had 423 tackles (330 solo), with 37 pass deflections and 19 interceptions. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2014 where he led the league in interceptions with seven.
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On special teams, punter Sam Martin was named to the NFC North all-decade team. So far in his seven-year career which has all been spent with the Lions, he averages 46 yards a punt with his longest punt going 72 yards which came in 2013. You can view the full roster of ESPN’s all-decade NFC North team on their website here.