5 out of nowhere productive individual seasons in Detroit Lions history

3. RB James Stewart (2000)

Stewart had 931 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1999, so it was something that may have made you go “hmm” when they allowed him to leave in free agency. The Lions signed him, and installed him as their lead back for head coach Bobby Ross.

Modern sensibilities bring cringes when we look at Stewart’s average of 3.5 yards per carry in 2000. But he did run for 1,184 yards and 10 touchdowns, getting there on sheer old-school volume (339 carries; fourth-most in the league). In a lean into modern times for running back usage, it’s worth noting he averaged a solid 9.0 yards per catch (32 for 287, with a touchdown).

That first season in Detroit is the only of Stewart’s career where he played all 16 games, and he topped 1,000 rushing yards one time otherwise (2002 with the Lions, his final NFL season as it were, with a shoulder injury late that season ending his career).

The Lions have gotten some good pop-up seasons from running backs over the years (Kevin Jones, Joique Bell, Theo Riddick, etc.). But Stewart’s old-school workhorse campaign in 2000, the second-most recent 1,000-yard rusher for the Lions (pending Jamaal Williams getting the six yards he needs in Week 18), gets the nod here.