By Sunday 
Time to Finish What They Started
If there’s one quote that perfectly captures the Detroit Lions’ mood heading into the 2025 NFL season, it’s this one from running back David Montgomery:
“Everybody’s tired of being close… You want to finish it, so this is the year for us. The year of the reckoning and the year that we choose that we need to finish.”
That’s not just player-speak. It’s the emotional pulse of a team — and a fan base — that’s had enough of almost. Enough of what-ifs. Enough of being right there.
Because now? It’s all about finishing.
From Hopeful to Heartbreaking
Flashback to the start of the 2023 season. The Lions were scrappy underdogs with playoff aspirations. They weren’t yet expected to go toe-to-toe with the league’s elite — but by season’s end, they were.
They pushed all the way to the NFC Championship Game, only to watch a second-half lead slip away like sand through their fingers. The sting of that collapse only sharpened the hunger.
Then came the 2024 regular season: 15 wins. Momentum. Firepower. Confidence. All the ingredients of a Super Bowl run… until the Commanders crushed that dream 45-31 in the first playoff round.
Just like that, another “close but not quite” was added to the shelf.
“This Is the Year for Us”
Montgomery didn’t sugarcoat it. He’s not leaning on clichés or dodging expectations. He’s leaning in — hard.
“You don’t want to get comfortable with being close all the time. That’s not what you want to be known for.”
There’s a powerful self-awareness in that statement. The Lions are no longer outsiders. They’re contenders. And with that status comes pressure — the kind that separates teams who just make noise from those who make history.
A Familiar Struggle in the League
Detroit isn’t alone in this purgatory of almost-there. The Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens know that pain too well.
All three franchises have had rosters strong enough to make deep postseason runs in recent years — but none have broken through. As training camps get underway, those teams share more than just loaded depth charts and All-Pro talent.
They share a storyline: When will they finally finish the job?
The Reckoning Year
What makes Montgomery’s quote so resonant isn’t just its honesty — it’s the sense of accountability it carries. He’s not talking about waiting around for the stars to align. He’s calling his teammates to action.
“The year of the reckoning.”
That’s strong. That’s personal. That’s a man putting his heart on the line for a locker room he believes in. And honestly? That’s exactly what you want to hear from a team that’s had enough of being just close enough.
Detroit’s not sneaking up on anybody anymore. The league sees them. And they see themselves.
Now all that’s left… is to finish.