One former Lions RB knows all too well what they're playing for in 2025

As the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs gear up for their second Super Bowl meeting in a three-year span, it's hard not to focus on the teams who aren't playing.

In particular, this was supposed to be the Detroit Lions' year. All the stars aligned behind two brilliant coordinators, the NFL's most beloved head coach, and an offense with unmatched firepower. Jared Goff put up MVP numbers. Amon-Ra St. Brown is once again an All-Pro wideout, while Jahmyr Gibbs just participated in his second Pro Bowl in as many seasons.

Unfortunately, injuries dulled the Lions' bite, and the campaign ended with a deflating 45-31 loss to the Washington Commanders in the NFC Divisional Round. Detroit's offense was prolific until the end, but the defense was held together by thoughts and prayers when the lights got bright. Instead of celebrating a historic turnaround for the beleaguered Lions franchise, we are instead coronating Jayden Daniels and, once again, watching the Eagles on Super Bowl Sunday.

A 15-win season is hard to scoff at. The Lions were one of the most dominant regular season teams in recent memory, and the playoffs probably play out differently if Detroit is at full strength. Excuses are cheap in this league, though, and championship windows shut without notice. With Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn both coaching new teams, Dan Campbell's staff will look vastly different in 2025. There's more pressure than ever for the Lions to deliver a Super Bowl.

Few know this better than former Lions RB D.J. Dozier, speaking on behalf of Sports Innovation X, who opened up on Detroit's thwarted aspirations in a recent interview with FanSided's Stacking the Box.

D.J. Dozier gets candid about disappointment of Lions' postseason flameout

Dozier, who spent one campaign with the Lions in 1991, knows a thing or two about the pressure of expectations in Detroit — and the sting of failure. His last playoff victory, in his final NFL season, came with the Lions, who advanced to the NFC Championship Game before losing to... who else? Washington. 41-20.

It was a bitter note for Dozier to end his career on, but it has been especially tough sledding for the Lions franchise since then. Detroit did not win another postseason game until 2023. That is over 30 years between Dozier's final hurrah in the playoffs and Detroit's return to contention.

Now, with seemingly their clearest path to the Lombardi Trophy scuttled, the Lions are back to the drawing board. When asked which postseason collapse was more disappointing — Detroit's or Minnesota's, forced to pick between his two former teams, the choice was obvious for Dozier. He knows what the stakes are for the Lions.

"Both were really tough, but I would say the Detroit Lions' [loss was more heartbreaking]," Dozier told FanSided. "To have the season they did, and the expectation that comes with it. But, it's a tough game, especially in the playoffs... Unless you've been there as a team, you're disadvantaged. You've gotta have that experience."

Detroit made it to the NFC title game in 2023, but came up short against the juggernaut 49ers. This time around, the Lions were widely viewed as the juggernaut, but injuries got in the way, and Detroit couldn't hold up to a significant stress test against Washington's high-octane offense. As Dozier notes, once the playoffs start, the regular season goes out the window.

"It didn't matter what they did in the regular season. Once the playoffs start, it's a whole new season, which we saw."

The Lions will run back a championship-caliber roster in 2025, but with an overhauled coaching staff and more valuable experience picked up by top rivals, such as Jayden Daniels' Commanders or the talent-rich Eagles, there's no telling where exactly Detroit stands in the NFC hierarchy. These opportunities can vanish in an instant, as Dozier knows all too well.