The City Of Detroit Is Hitting Their Golden Age
Credit: Junfu Han via Imagn Images
Detroit Lions fans are still licking their wounds, preparing to watch a Super Bowl that they believe they should be in. That’s depressing, but let’s take a step back and really think about what we are about to experience over the next couple of years. Not just with the Lions, but the entire landscape of Detroit sports.
It’s felt like the Motor City’s sports teams have been the laughingstock of their leagues forever. There’s the infamous 0-16 season for the Lions. Meanwhile, the Pistons last finished at a .500 record in the 2018-19 season, and the last time they got out of the first round of the playoffs was the 2007-08 season. The story was the same for the Detroit Tigers. Before making the playoffs this season, the last time they had played more than 162 games was back in 2014. For a while, it felt like the Tigers were just trying to make the playoffs by spending as little money as possible, and to the shock of no one, that plan didn’t work out.
But this isn’t 2015 anymore; this is 2025, and Detroit is manufacturing hope the same way they pump out cars.
While the Pistons might not be ready to compete for a championship yet, they are finally starting to show some signs of life, something that had been absent for so long. The Pistons finally have a mix of young talent and some veteran guys who have filled their roles to make this team competitive. The over-under for the Pistons was set at 25.5 wins, and with a couple of months left in the season, they only need one more win to hit the over.
Cade Cunningham still isn’t getting the attention he deserves, but he’s quickly becoming a superstar, averaging 25.6 points per game. It’s not just him, though; veterans like Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. have stepped up to become leaders on the squad. With the way Cunningham has played, there are going to be more free-agent veterans who will want to pair up alongside him. In the next couple of years, this is a team that, at minimum, can reach the Eastern Conference Final.
Speaking of veterans wanting to play for a team, that’s exactly what is happening with the Tigers. Much like the Pistons this season, no one expected much from the Tigers in 2024, but they knocked off the Houston Astros in the Wild Card and took the Cleveland Guardians to a fifth game in the ALDS.
The Tigers have built an incredible rotation led by Tarik Skubal and, hopefully, soon, Jackson Jobe, who many believe is the best pitching prospect in baseball. And that’s not the only young talent that makes this season easy to get hyped for. Riley Greene blasted 24 home runs and Kerry Carpenter is looking to build on the 18 dingers he hit. With the rest of the American League Central being down, this team has the talent to make a run.
Last, but least no longer, is the Lions. Yes, the last couple of years’ finishes have been disappointing no doubt, but it doesn’t take away from what they’ve done to rejuvenate the city. Dan Campbell is one of the most likable coaches in the NFL, Jared Goff is the right guy to lead the team at quarterback, and he has more weapons around him than he knows what to do with. The defense dealt with so many injuries in 2024, but Aidan Hutchinson is one of the best players in the NFL on that side of the ball.
Can disappointment still happen? Of course, after all, this is still the city of Detroit, and it’s something that has become all too common. But let’s not let the last 20 years or the Divisional Round outcome dictate the joy we have been building up in this city for the past two years. Instead of worrying about what might go wrong, let’s enjoy it, because the Pistons, Lions, and Tigers all have legitimate shots to win a title within the next five years. Not only do they have those windows opening, but they all have young players who are fun to root for. Welcome to the Golden Age of Detroit Sports.
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