Lions Lose Veteran Linebacker Just After His Return From Injury
The Detroit Lions finally got veteran linebacker Zach Cunningham back after a three-week recovery from a hamstring injury — only to lose him again, possibly for the rest of the season.
Cunningham re-injured his hamstring during last week’s 24-9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, forcing the Lions to place him on injured reserve. The setback means he’ll miss at least a month, with his season now in jeopardy.
Lions Lose Valuable Depth
Cunningham left last week’s game in the first half and was quickly ruled out. As USA Today’s Lions Wire reporter Jeff Risdon pointed out, his absence removes an important depth piece from Detroit’s defense and special teams.
“There’s no indication yet if Cunningham — who’s been a special teams regular and situational defender in short-yardage and red zone packages — will be able to return this season,” Risdon noted. “The Lions facility is closed until next week. For the season, the 30-year-old has seven tackles and one tackle for loss.”
Signed as a free agent this offseason, Cunningham brought veteran leadership to Detroit’s linebacking unit. Over his eight-year career, he’s played in 106 games (86 starts) and totaled 716 tackles. He appeared in four games for the Lions this year, recording seven tackles.
Backup Defenders Step Up
Detroit’s defense has been tested by numerous injuries, particularly in the secondary. The team has lost multiple cornerbacks and recently had safety Brian Branch serve a one-game suspension for his role in a postgame altercation against Kansas City.
Despite the setbacks, the Lions’ so-called “Who?” secondary — as head coach Dan Campbell dubbed it — delivered an impressive performance against Tampa Bay, limiting the Buccaneers to just nine points.
“We knew we were going to challenge them more than last week,” Campbell told The Associated Press. “That’s a good offense and a good quarterback. I had confidence — but nine points?”
Detroit relied heavily on reserves Rock Ya-Sin, Nick Whiteside, Arthur Maulet, Erick Hallett, and Thomas Harper, who played with an aggressive, energetic style that rattled quarterback Baker Mayfield, according to NFL.com’s Kevin Patra.
Campbell praised the group’s resilience and competitiveness:
“That’s what’s expected here,” Campbell said. “You don’t have to be perfect — just compete. The guys around you will help. I love that the moment wasn’t too big for them, especially for Harper and Hallett in their first starts. They battled, and that’s a great sign.”
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