Darlings of the 2023 NFL season, the Detroit Lions won multiple postseason games for the first time since 1957.
General manager Brad Holmes made it clear on Monday he doesn't expect another lengthy drought in between postseason celebrations.
"I don't want anybody to think that this was a one shot, Cinderella, magical journey that just happened," Holmes during his season-ending news conference, via The Associated Press. "No, it's real. This is exactly what was supposed to happen.
"I understand that based on history from what's happened in the past, I understand you have a season like this, it's easy to feel like this was kind of a one shot, magical, lucky, cute story, which I'm tired of hearing. It was none of that."
Detroit was favored by many to win the NFC North title for the first time, which it did. However, the Lions winning a playoff game for the first time since 1991 and advancing to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since that same year provided a riveting ride for Lions fans and NFL rooters in general. They were a win away from reaching their first Super Bowl before squandering a 17-point halftime lead to the San Francisco 49ers in the conference title game.
Brimming with plenty of young talent, the Lions aren't set up to be one-year wonders and Holmes made that clear.
"Look, that was a disappointment that we didn't make it," Holmes acknowledged. "And again, that wasn't a, 'Man, we got lucky.' No, that's what we expected and fell short, but still accomplished a lot."
And, memorable as 2023 was, Holmes expects that more accomplishments are ahead.
