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Eric WoodyardDec 5, 2025, 02:48 AM ET
- Eric Woodyard covers the Detroit Lions for ESPN. He joined ESPN in September 2019 as an NBA reporter dedicated to the Midwest region before switching to his current role in April 2021. The Flint, Mich. native is a graduate of Western Michigan University and has authored/co-authored three books: «Wasted,» «Ethan’s Talent Search» and «All In: The Kelvin Torbert Story». He is a proud parent of one son, Ethan.
DETROIT — Unable to walk just last week because of an ankle injury, Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said he was willing to do «whatever it takes to be out there» against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night.
St. Brown, who was officially ruled active in the hours leading up to kickoff, finished with six receptions for 92 yards, including a crucial fourth-quarter catch that helped seal the Lions’ 44-30 win against the Cowboys while keeping their playoff chances alive.
Until Wednesday, he said he didn’t know for sure whether he was going to play through his ankle sprain.
«No matter what our record was, whether we were undefeated right now or didn’t have a win, I was gonna do everything to be out there,» St. Brown said. «Just to be out there for my guys.
«I feel like availability is your best ability at the end of the day, so my job is to go out there and make plays and be on that field. It’s what they pay me to do, so I was gonna do whatever it takes to be out there.»
St. Brown didn’t practice all week leading up to Thursday night’s pivotal game, which matched two teams battling for playoff contention with five games left in the season.
«I just rested it honestly. Those types of injuries, you can’t really do much,» St. Brown said. «You’ve got to rest it. I was in the training room a lot. The training did a great job doing all different types of modalities and things like that, but, yeah, [last] Friday after the game, I couldn’t move.»
St. Brown hurt his ankle during the opening quarter of Detroit’s 31-24 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving Day and didn’t return. Initially, Lions coach Dan Campbell said he thought St. Brown could be out for a week or two, but he progressed quicker than expected with the help of the team’s training staff.
«He’s rare, man. His mindset is just he refuses to fail,» Campbell said of St. Brown. «Nothing is gonna dictate where he goes, what he does, how it’s gonna be. He will dictate to himself what he’s gonna do.»
After Thursday night’s win, St. Brown exited the locker room with a commemorative game ball after establishing a new record for the most receptions (511) through five seasons in NFL history, a mark that previously belonged to Michael Thomas (510).
«I’m happy for this. I’m thankful,» St. Brown said. «Thankful to all the guys … Jared [Goff], coaches, O-line, just everyone. I couldn’t do it without them.»
Detroit’s odds to make the playoffs improved from 43% before the game to 56% with the win, according to ESPN Analytics. They remain in eighth place in the NFC.
The Lions have won 15 consecutive games following a loss, which is tied for the longest streak in NFL history, also done by 1984-88 Broncos and 2009-12 Ravens. They haven’t lost consecutive games since a five-game losing streak in 2022.
«Yeah, I think it is a kind of culmination of who we are. I don’t think that happens on accident,» said Goff, who went 25-34 with 309 passing yards and a touchdown. «It’s who we are, it’s what we believe in.
«I think when those losses happen, they suck, but we do as good a job as any team of learning from that and coming back the next week and putting our head down.»
