DETROIT — Multiple reports leading into Thursday Night Football at Ford Field suggested that Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown would be a game-time decision against the Dallas Cowboys — a point reinforced by comments from coach Dan Campbell earlier in the week.
The All-Pro receiver suffered an ankle injury during a Week 13 loss to the Green Bay Packers, and his availability for Thursday — and possibly the rest of the season — seemed in jeopardy. St. Brown even spoke with uncertainty on Tuesday during a media scrum at the practice facility.
All of that shifted a few hours before kickoff, when St. Brown not only took the field for warmups, but was preparing to etch his name into the NFL record books.
During the Lions’ 44–30 Week 14 win over the Cowboys, St. Brown made NFL history by recording the most receptions through a player’s first five seasons. His 511th catch surpassed the previous record held by former New Orleans Saints receiver Michael Thomas.
And the Lions still have four games remaining on their schedule.
“St. Brown is what we are. He’s what we are,” Campbell told reporters after the game. “Where he goes, we go. His toughness, his willpower, and his desire to compete and to help those guys around him, to do whatever it takes to win, is second to none. He’s rare. His mentality — his mindset — is just: he refuses to fail. Nothing is going to dictate where he goes, what he does, or how it’s going to be. He will dictate to himself what he’s going to do.
“It was really yesterday — It came down to provided nothing happened today when he woke up. We did a workout, and quickly it was like ‘I’m going.’ And we watched him, and he was good. Was it perfect? No. But he was going, and nobody was going to talk him out of not playing. I can tell you that. It was great to have him just to have him out there. And yes, his teammates feed off of that.”
St. Brown caught six of nine targets for 92 yards, including a 37-yarder. At times, he appeared a step slower coming in and out of the huddle, but once the ball was snapped, he looked like his usual self.
“I thought he was playing all along, so it wasn’t really a surprise to me,” Lions offensive lineman Taylor Decker said. “So I don’t know— I just know him. I’ve been with him enough. I’m like, ‘Oh, he’ll play. He’ll be fine. He’s a guy who’s going to play unless he’s going to be on IR. There’s no middle ground. So I wasn’t surprised.”
Donning a throwback Lions Starter pullover, St. Brown spoke to reporters near his locker about the significance of the moment and helping his team stay alive in the playoff hunt.
“It meant a lot. And like I said before, for me it’s just—no matter what our record was, whether we were undefeated right now or didn’t have a win—I was going to do everything to be out there, just to be out there for my guys,” St. Brown told reporters. “Like I said, I feel availability is the best ability at the end of the day, so my job is to go out there and make plays and be on that field.
“That’s what they pay me to do. So I was going to do whatever it takes to be out there, and with the help of our training staff—they did a great job, and I think they’re amazing—got me back working all week trying to get back and ready.”
St. Brown also reflected on what it meant to set the new record, holding the game ball in his hands.
“I’m happy for this. I’m this. I’m thankful,” St. Brown said. “I’m thankful for all of the guys, Jared (Goff), the coaches, the O-Line. Just everyone, man. I couldn’t do it without them.”
As for Goff, who delivered the record-setting 37-yard completion with 2:50 remaining, he spoke about what it meant to connect on the historic play, which set up Jahmyr Gibbs’ 13-yard touchdown run.
“I loved the call. I really did, I thought that was awesome by Dan (Campbell),” Goff said. “He’s our guy. And the way they were playing the run, they were so downhill, you don’t want to wait until third down when they know you’re going to potentially throw it, you do it on second down. It was a great call, he was wide open, and made a great play.”
