It is officially the 2026 offseason, and the "Steel City" draft in Pittsburgh is officially in the books. The energy in the Motor City is a mix of "Dan Campbell grit" and a fierce hunger for redemption. After a 2025 campaign that saw the Detroit Lions battle through a league-high injury list and a frustrating fourth-place finish in the NFC North, the front office, led by GM Brad Holmes, used the draft to build a "fortress" around Jared Goff and inject young, violent talent into the defense.
This is a new chapter for the Honolulu Blue. With Drew Petzing taking over as Offensive Coordinator and Mike Kafka arriving as Passing Game Coordinator, the Lions are shifting toward an even more explosive, multiple-scheme attack. The focus is now on the 2026 season—a year that features Detroit’s first-ever trip to Germany and a chance to prove that the "F" grade Dan Campbell gave himself last year was the fuel for a championship-caliber fire.
How to Get Lions Tickets for the 2026 Season
Ford Field remains one of the loudest venues in the NFL, and with a premier home schedule, tickets are expected to move at record speed.
- Official On-Sale: Single-game tickets go live on Ticketmaster following the NFL's official schedule release this Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. ET.
- International Game: Take note—the Lions will travel to Munich, Germany in Week 10 (November 15) to face the New England Patriots at Allianz Arena. This counts as a Lions home game for ticketing purposes.
- Mobile-Only Entry: Ford Field is a strictly digital venue. You must use the Detroit Lions app or your mobile wallet to access tickets; screenshots and paper tickets will not be accepted.
- Secondary Market: For the annual Thanksgiving Day game or the visit from the Jets, check StubHub, the official fan-to-fan marketplace for verified resale.
Detroit Lions Schedule
Week | Date | Opponent | Venue | Time (ET) | Network |
1 | Sept 13 | New Orleans Saints | Ford Field | 1:00 PM | FOX |
2 | Sept 17 | @ Buffalo Bills (TNF) | Highmark Stadium | 8:15 PM | Prime Video |
3 | Sept 27 | New York Jets | Ford Field | 1:00 PM | FOX |
4 | Oct 4 | @ Carolina Panthers | Bank of America Stadium | 8:20 PM | NBC |
5 | Oct 11 | @ Arizona Cardinals | State Farm Stadium | 4:25 PM | FOX |
6 | — | BYE WEEK | — | — | — |
7 | Oct 25 | Green Bay Packers | Ford Field | 4:25 PM | FOX |
8 | Nov 1 | Minnesota Vikings | Ford Field | 1:00 PM | FOX |
9 | Nov 8 | @ Miami Dolphins | Hard Rock Stadium | 1:00 PM | FOX |
10 | Nov 15 | New England Patriots | Allianz Arena (Munich) | 9:30 AM | FOX |
11 | Nov 22 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Ford Field | 1:00 PM | CBS |
12 | Nov 26 | Chicago Bears (Thanksgiving) | Ford Field | 1:00 PM | CBS |
13 | Dec 6 | @ Atlanta Falcons | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 1:00 PM | CBS |
14 | Dec 13 | Tennessee Titans | Ford Field | 1:00 PM | FOX |
15 | Dec 20 | @ Minnesota Vikings (SNF) | U.S. Bank Stadium | 8:20 PM | NBC |
16 | Dec 28 | New York Giants (MNF) | Ford Field | 8:15 PM | ESPN |
17 | Jan 3 | @ Chicago Bears | Soldier Field | 4:25 PM | FOX |
18 | Jan 10 | @ Green Bay Packers | Lambeau Field | TBD | TBD |
How to Watch the Lions in 2026
- Local/National:FOX (WJBK-2) remains the primary home for the Lions. CBS (WWJ-62) will handle the AFC matchups, while NBC (WDIV-4) hosts Sunday Night Football.
- Thursday Night:Amazon Prime Video is the exclusive home for all TNF games, including the Week 2 showdown against the Bills.
- Germany Tripleheader: The Munich game will air nationally on FOX at 9:30 a.m. ET on November 15.
- Holiday Special: Christmas 2026 falls on a Friday. Netflix will exclusively stream the NFL's holiday games this year.
- Best Choice for Local Fans:Fubo covers all local Detroit affiliates (WJBK, WWJ, WDIV, WXYZ) and the NFL Network.
The "Steel City" Draft: Lions 2026 Highlights
Brad Holmes was aggressive in Pittsburgh, executing a high-profile trade with the Rams to jump back into the early first round.
Round | Pick | Player | Position | School |
1 | 13 | Vega Ioane | IOL | Penn State |
2 | 50 | Kyle Louis | LB/S | Pitt |
4 | 118 | Dontay Corleone | IDL | Cincinnati |
4 | 128 | Nadame Tucker | EDGE | Western Michigan |
5 | 157 | Nate Boerkircher | TE | Texas A&M |
5 | 181 | Pat Coogan | C | Indiana |
Draft Analysis:
- The Trench Warrior: To secure Vega Ioane (#13), Detroit sent their #17 pick and a 2027 second-rounder to the Rams. Ioane is a 6'4" road-grader who can play all five spots on the line, providing immediate protection for Jared Goff.
- The "Steel City" Star: The most popular pick in Pittsburgh was Pitt's own Kyle Louis (#50). A hybrid defender with elite coverage skills, Louis is expected to be the versatile "chess piece" Kelvin Sheppard needs in the secondary.
- In-State Sensation: Fourth-round pick Nadame Tucker (#128) from Western Michigan tied for the NCAA lead in sacks in 2025. He adds immediate rotational juice to a pass rush led by Aidan Hutchinson.
Detroit Lions: 2025 Season Recap
The 2025 season was a gritty test of character for the Lions. Despite finishing 9–8, Detroit found themselves at the bottom of a historically tight NFC North where every team finished above .500. A mid-season injury crisis on defense led to several heartbreaking shootouts—most notably a 48–42 loss to the Bills. However, a Week 18 win over the Commanders and a top-4 scoring offense provided the foundation for the 2026 coaching overhaul.
Week | Opponent | Result | Record |
W1–W18 | Regular Season | 9–8 | 4th in NFC North |
Season Highlight | @ Baltimore Ravens | W, 38–30 | Road Statement |
Offense | Season Stat | 28.3 PPG | 4th in NFL |
Postseason | N/A | DNQ | — |