After enduring a trying first three NFL seasons, Detroit Lions offensive lineman Penei Sewell let the world know just how eager his team is to make a statement following Sunday’s landmark playoff win.
Detroit’s emotional 24–23 wild card victory over Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams marked the club’s first postseason triumph in 32 years, and a turning point for the Lions and Sewell, the seventh overall pick in 2021.
When asked how good it felt to celebrate a historic night, Sewell reflected on the Lions’ rise from pretender to contender before issuing an epic statement about his team’s approach going forward.
“When I first got here, I knew that was the goal, just to get our foot in the door. But, now that we’re in, it’s time to kick that b—h down,” Sewell told reporters.
Penei Sewell said getting in the playoffs was the opening of the door.
— Nolan Bianchi (@nolanbianchi) January 15, 2024
Now?
“It’s time to kick that bitch down.” pic.twitter.com/CFfiqqaCR6
With Detroit now advancing to the divisional round, the opportunity for the team to back up Sewell’s warning will continue as they look to build on a magical 12–5 campaign in coach Dan Campbell’s third year after going 12–21–1 in his previous two seasons.
As for Sewell, helping to hold Aaron Donald without a sack in a hard-fought battle throughout Sunday’s contest will go down as another statement in its own right during a year where the 23-year-old earned a first-team All-Pro selection for the first time in his career and back-to-back Pro Bowl nods.
