By Blessing 
Brian Branch Reflects on Lions’ Grit, Growth, and Their Burning Super Bowl Hunger
Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch had a standout 2024 season — and it wasn’t just about performance. After nearly making it through the entire season unscathed, Branch earned his first Pro Bowl selection and became one of the few players on the roster to stay mostly healthy during the team’s intense campaign for their first Super Bowl.
Staying healthy, though, was the exception, not the rule, especially on the defensive side. Detroit’s roster was hit hard by a string of major injuries that tested the team’s resilience all season long.
It began early. Star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson suffered a devastating injury in Week 6, fracturing both his tibia and fibula. Before that, the team had already lost Marcus Davenport and Derrick Barnes to season-ending injuries. As the season continued, Alex Anzalone went down with a broken arm, Malcolm Rodriguez tore his ACL, defensive tackle Alim McNeill suffered the same fate, and cornerback Carlton Davis had his season cut short due to a broken jaw.
Despite the injury list reading like a hospital chart, Detroit pushed forward. The team clawed its way to the top of the NFC with a 15-2 record and claimed the conference’s No. 1 seed. Though the dream fell short in the Divisional Round against the Commanders, Branch believes the battle scars have only made the Lions stronger.
“We went through the ups and downs,” Branch told Rainer Sabin of the Detroit Free Press. “We fought together in tough games. We have been in a game where it depended on us to win. So, it just makes everybody buy in. Once you have a group that has bought in and has gone through trials and tribulations, we feel invincible.”
That kind of resilience, forged in fire, is now the bedrock of Detroit’s 2025 aspirations. With many key players returning from injury and a deeper sense of chemistry, Branch is confident that this year’s squad is even more dangerous.
“I feel like we’re better than last year,” he said. “We’re hungry, and I feel that’s gonna separate us. Our chemistry is on a whole ‘nother level.”
Of course, turning belief into results is never easy — especially for a team that’s already had back-to-back impressive seasons. The Lions notched 12 wins in 2023, tying their franchise record at the time, and made it all the way to their first NFC Championship appearance since 1991. In 2024, they raised the bar even higher with 15 regular-season wins, powered by the league’s No. 1 scoring offense and a defense that ranked seventh. But in the playoffs, the weight of their injury toll finally caught up, and Detroit was unexpectedly knocked out before the NFC title game.
And since the season ended, the team has undergone some significant changes. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn have both moved on to head-coaching positions. Veteran center Frank Ragnow surprised everyone with his retirement, and players like Carlton Davis left in free agency.
Still, the front office was proactive in shoring up depth and reinforcing the roster. The secondary gained strength with new signings: D.J. Reed, Avonte Maddox, and Rock Ya-Sin. First-round pick Tyleik Williams is expected to be a difference-maker on the defensive line, and second-rounder Tate Ratledge might help fill the void left by Ragnow’s departure on the offensive front.
While it’s no small feat to top a 15-win season, Branch and the rest of the Lions have shifted their focus. Regular-season records are no longer the measuring stick. It’s postseason wins — and eventually, the Lombardi Trophy — that matter most now.
As long as they can stay healthier this time around, Branch is convinced the Lions are primed to go even further.
“Last year, injuries, they were kind of against us,” he said. “This year, everybody’s healthy that is coming back. And we’re just hungry. We’ve still got the same mission and the same goals. We’re trying to get that Super Bowl.”
The Lions have already proven they can overcome adversity. Now, with lessons learned, fresh reinforcements, and a relentless hunger for more, they’re gearing up for another shot — only this time, they’re aiming to finish the story.