Bama in the NFL: Detroit Lions Turned to Alabama To Key Turnaround

Crimson Tide players haven't had much success with the Lions, but the team didn't use any high draft pick on anyone from Alabama until recently.

Truth be told, no one may have been more shocked that Jahmyr Gibbs was the 12th-overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions than the former Alabama Crimson Tide running back himself. 

Actually scratch that. Gibbs wasn't surprised he ended up with the Lions, especially after he had a strong interview with team officials at the NFL combine. It's when he was selected that caught him off guard.  

"Yeah, I felt great," Gibbs told Lions reporters after his selection. "Didn't know I was gonna get picked as high as I did, because running backs don't really get picked this high in this new age, new era of the NFL draft. Yeah, it was pretty shocking to me, but I'm grateful for the city of Detroit."

Gibbs later admitted he thought he would be selected somewhere in the 20s, still solidly in the first round after teams zeroed in on other positions. However, the Lions didn't think he'd fall to their other pick at No. 18, so they grabbed him while they could.  

With Detroit also nabbing safety Brian Branch in the second round, three of its top picks over the last two years have been former Alabama standouts. In 2022, wide receiver Jameson Williams was the top selection even though he was coming off a torn ACL that limited him to six games his rookie season. 

While Alabama has a long history with the Lions — it's one of the oldest NFL franchises, and pre-dates the league as it was originally the Portsmouth Spartans (based in Ohio) before moving — team officials are hoping that their latest additions can alter the lack of success former Crimson Tide players have had in Detroit. 

Of the 34 Alabama players who have played in a game for the Lions, no one has lasted more than six seasons with the franchise. Not one has been named All-Pro, or even been named to a Pro Bowl. 

On the flip side to that, the first Alabama player to be a first-round pick in the organization was Williams, with Gibbs the second. The only other second-round pick in franchise history was defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson in 2016. 

Consequently, more than half of the Alabama players, 19 heading in 2023 (although that includes defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs and offensive lineman Ross Pierschbacher currently trying to make the roster for a second season), have been one-and-done with the Lions so far. This is also a franchise that hasn't won a division since 1993, a 28-year drought and longest among NFC teams, and has yet to play in a Super Bowl. 

"We're going to get the guys that fit us, the guys we love, and the guys that fit our culture and can help our football team because ultimately, we are acquiring these players to win football games," general manager Brad Holmes said during one of his draft press conferences. "That's the bottom line and so we feel these guys can help us and that's why we took them."

So far, the Lions like what they see from their Crimson Tide contingency, although Williams will miss the first six games of this season due to a gambling-related suspension. Head coach Dan Campbell recently called Branch "a football-playing dude. He’s got a feel for it. He’s got a knack. In the heat of the moment, he doesn’t panic." While the rookie is just getting adjusted to NFL practices he's in the mix to potentially start at strong safety. 

"He's one of those guys, you kind of see the light bulb," Campbell said. "What showed up on his tape in college is beginning to show up – quickly. He's an instinctive guy. He's got some ball-hawk ability."

Meanwhile, the Lions are looking at different ways to use Gibbs as a weapon, including lining him wide occasionally. It wasn't lost on anyone during a recent practice when Williams made the downfield block to spring Gibbs for a big gain. 

"Speed kills," Gibbs said. "With me and (Williams) both on the field, it's kind of pick your poison, like what do you want to do? Because we can both make explosive plays in the pass game and run game." 

Bama in the NFL: Detroit Lions

The Franchise

National Football Conference 

North Division

Team Colors: Honolulu Blue and Silver

Founded: 1929 (The franchise was founded in Portsmouth, Ohio, as the Portsmouth Spartans, and joined the NFL in 1930. It relocated to Detroit in 1934).

Stadium: Ford Field (64,500)

Playing Surface: FieldTurf

Training Camp: Allen Park, Mich.

All-Time Alabama Players

Includes Portsmouth Spartans

1. Jim Bowdoin, G, 1933
2. Thomas Boyd, LB, 1987
3. Anthony Bryant, DT, 2006
4. Fernando Bryant, DB, 2004 - 2007
5. Isaiah Buggs, DE, 2022
6. Jim Cain, DE/OE, 1950, 1953 - 1955
7. Jackie Cline, DE, 1990
8. Ted Cook, OE/DB, 1947
9. Chuck DeShane, OG/RB, 1945 - 1949
10. Leon Fichman, OT, 1946 - 1947
11. Brad Ford, DB, 1996
12. Wallace Gilberry, DE, 2016
13. Harry Gilmer, QB/RB, 1955 - 1956
14. Shaun Dion Hamilton, LB, 2021
15. Da'Shawn Hand, DE, 2018 - 2021
16. Tony Holm, RB/LB, 1931
17. Scott Hunter, QB, 1979
18. Tom Hupke, OG/OT, 1934 - 1937
19. Ralph Jones, OE/DE, 1946
20. Larry Knorr, E, 1942, 1945
21. Antonio London, LB, 1993 - 1997
22. Anthony Madison, DB, 2011
23. Joel McCoy, RB, 1946
24. Steve Mott, C, 1983 - 1988
25. Mitch Olenski, OT, 1947
26. Ross Pierschbacher, C, 2022
27. Reggie Ragland, LB, 2020
28. Ken Reese, RB/QB, 1947
29. A'Shawn Robinson, DT, 2016 - 2019
30. Ramzee Robinson, DB, 2007 - 2008
31. Bo Scarbrough, RB, 2019 - 2020
32. Saivion Smith, DB, 2021 - 2022
33. Bull Wesley, OL/FB, 1930
34. Michael Williams, TE, 2013 - 2014

Crimson Tide Players Drafted

Year	Player	Pos.	Round	Pick	Overall
1936	Kananaugh Francis	C	5	8	44
1945	Jim McWhorter	B	18	6	181
1947	Bill Capenhead	B	24	1	216
1948	Ramzee Robinson	E	23	2	207
1958	Jim Loftin	B	9	6	103
1964	Benny Nelson	HB	5	5	61
1983	Steve Mott	C	5	9	121
1993	Antonio London	LB	3	6	62
1996	Brad Ford	CB	4	34	129
2007	Ramzee Robinson	CB	7	45	255
2013	Michael Williams	TE	7	5	211
2016	A'Shawn Robinson	DT	2	14	46
2018	Da'Shawn Hand	DE	4	14	114
2022	Jameson Williams	WR	1	12	12
2023	Jahmyr Gibbs	RB	1	12	12
2023	Brian Branch	S	2	14	45

Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today Sports

Super Bowl Appearances

None. The Lions are one of four NFL teams that have never appeared in a Super Bowl, along with the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans. However, before the Super Bowl was created the Lions won four NFL Championship Games between 1935 and 1957. 

Major Awards/Honors

All-Pro

None

Pro Bowl

None

In conjunction with our revamped Bama in the NFL Database, this is the 11th story in a series examining the team-by-team history of Alabama's former players in the NFL.

AFC

• Baltimore Ravens
• Buffalo Bills
• Cincinnati Bengals
• Cleveland Browns
• Denver Broncos

NFC

• Arizona Cardinals
• Atlanta Falcons
• Carolina Panthers
• Chicago Bears
• Dallas Cowboys

See Also

Bama in the NFL: The Ultimate Crimson Tide Database
Bama in the NFL: Active Alabama Crimson Tide Players by Team