Amon-Ra St. Brown Ready to 'Let It Loose' This Season
Amon-Ra St. Brown was a rookie phenom for the Detroit Lions in 2021.
As a fourth-round pick, out of USC, in last year’s draft, the 6-foot, 197-pound slot wideout easily exceeded expectations.
He finished the ’21 campaign with 90 catches, 912 yards and five touchdowns. He also added 61 yards and a score on the ground.
His 912 receiving yards were fourth most among first-year receivers, while his 90 catches were the second-highest total among all rookie wideouts. The Miami Dolphins’ Jaylen Waddle amassed a rookie-best 104 catches a season ago. These two totals (receiving yards and catches) were also franchise-best marks for a Lions receiver during his debut NFL campaign.
St. Brown’s record-breaking campaign wasn’t done there, either. He also went on to haul in at least eight passes in six consecutive games to end the season, something that no other Detroit receiver or rookie pass-catcher had ever done in NFL history.
It was a season to remember for St. Brown. And now, going into year No. 2 of his pro career, the California native feels like he is more mentally prepared to take on the challenges of playing in an NFL season opener.
Junfu Han, USA TODAY NETWORK
“Things haven’t changed. It’s still football. I got to go out there and play,” St. Brown told reporters Monday. “But, for me, mentally-wise, I know what to expect. I know what it’s going to be like. Week 1, you don’t really know what they’re going to do. They don’t know what we’re going to do yet. There might be some adjustments on the sideline and whatnot. But, I’m excited to go out there and finally let it loose and go play ball.”
Dan Campbell and the entire Lions organization were pleased with St. Brown’s level of production to conclude the 2021 campaign. And, St. Brown came in to training camp this summer motivated to prove that last year wasn’t a fluke. According to Campbell, the go-to slot option for Jared Goff picked up exactly where he left off upon arriving to camp, and has become a player known for doing things the “right” way.
“I mean, what I would say is from this point, like I take this -- Okay, relative to this time last year, but also all right, we’re as -- from the time the season, in and out, he is consistent. And, he became consistent at the end of the year, but that’s kind of what you’re looking for,” Campbell expressed during his media session on Labor Day. “That’s the biggest step he’s taken is, man, he’s kind of one of those guys even at this point, he’s a second-year player, and we’re getting in camp, and if he makes a mistake, we’re kind of, ‘Wait, Saint did that? What was --.’ It’s rare, and that’s a credit to him, because he prides himself on being right and doing things right and his football knowledge, his finish, everything.
“And so, that’s -- man, when you’ve got a player in Year 2 that came out of a pretty productive year, you just want to verify that’s for real, and everything would be trending that way like, ‘Okay, this kid’s all business.’ And, he picked up right where he left off.”
Consistency is the name of the game for the second-year receiver, which should only aid him in making a jump in production from year No. 1 to year No. 2.
“For me, it’s doing everything right, making plays and doing it over again,” St. Brown commented, when describing what the word “consistency” means to him. “Blocking in the run game, catching the ball, scoring touchdowns. Whatever you’re doing, being consistent at it and doing it week in and week out.”
