Lions' St. Brown embracing 'crazy' hype ahead of season

Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has a lot of respect for Detroit Lions fans, and he seems ready to give those supporters what they deserve in 2023.

"My rookie year, we went 3-13-1, (Lions fans) were still there for us," St. Brown recently said, according to Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated. "And now the hype is crazy. When I go back for OTAs and whatnot, you go to the grocery store, you go to the restaurant, whatever you're doing that day. If a fan sees you, they're super excited."

The Lions went 9-8 last season, up from 3-13-1 in 2021. It was their first winning campaign since 2017. Detroit, which hasn't made the playoffs since 2016, finished 2022 with the NFL's fifth-ranked scoring offense but struggled defensively, allowing the fifth-most points.

With the Lions bolstering both sides of the ball this offseason, many around the NFL now see Detroit as the favorite to win a wide-open NFC North.

"(The fans) have big expectations, but I feel like no matter what, they're always going to be there for us," St. Brown said. "That's something, as a player, I really appreciate because there's definitely those bandwagon fans that you see with the big teams that win a lot."

He added, "With the Lions, they haven't really won anything in years. To be a player on a team with a little bit of hype, fans are excited, it's fun."

St. Brown was quarterback Jared Goff's main target in 2022 and led the team with 106 receptions, 1,161 yards, and six touchdowns en route to a first career Pro Bowl nod. The 2021 fourth-round pick leads a solid Detroit offense that welcomed multiple playmakers this offseason, including first-round running back Jahmyr Gibbs, second-round tight end Sam LaPorta, and veteran running back David Montgomery.

The Lions also used a first-round selection on linebacker Jack Campbell this year and signed safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and cornerback Cameron Sutton, among others.