4 Things That Must Happen for Detroit Lions to Win Super Bowl

Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes has constructed a roster capable of making a postseason run in 2026. However, if the Lions are finally going to get over the hump and make their first Super Bowl in franchise history, several things need to fall into place.

Here are four things that must happen in order for Dan Campbell's squad to reach the mountaintop this season.

Cade Mays stabilizes offensive line

Mays was the biggest acquisition of the Lions’ offseason, filling a major void for the team at center. He should be a major upgrade over Graham Glashow, who was a subpar performer at the position in 2025.

It's far from optimal that Mays will start the season on injured reserve with a wrist injury. However, once he returns, expect the former Panthers lineman to stabilize the line and provide Detroit with a Frank Ragnow-lite anchor in the middle of it.

And with Mays’ presence, the Lions should return to a balanced offensive attack that performs at an elite level.

Alim McNeill records bounce-back season

The Lions badly need McNeill to return to his 2024 form. Before he tore his ACL, he was a Pro Bowl-caliber interior defensive lineman capable of impacting the game both as a run defender and pass-rusher. However, upon returning from the ailment in 2025, he was a shell of his old self and made a minimal impact.

The N.C. State product needs to bounce back in a big way in 2026. And if he does, the interior of the Lions’ defensive line will be much more productive than it was a season ago.

Brian Branch doesn't miss a beat in return from injury

Branch, just like his starting safety counterpart, is set to start the 2026 campaign on the PUP list. The Pro Bowler is still in the process of recovering from an Achilles injury that caused him to miss the final four games of the 2025 season.

Branch is an integral member of the Lions’ secondary and needs to be healthy in order for defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard's unit to perform at its highest level.

Subsequently, upon his return from injury, Branch needs to be flying all over the field once again and impacting the game both in coverage and as a run defender. And if he can get back to being an impact defender, it will go a long way toward Detroit being able to make a Super Bowl run in 2026.

Sam LaPorta returns to Pro Bowl form

Just like with Branch, the Lions need LaPorta to get healthy and return to his Pro Bowl form. LaPorta missed the final eight games of the 2025 campaign with a fully herniated disk and then injured his hip in training camp in August.

Hopefully the hip ailment doesn't linger for the fourth-year pro who could use a return to his pre-2025 form. The Iowa product emerged onto the scene in a big way as a rookie in 2023, securing 86 receptions for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns and earning Pro Bowl honors along the way. He then followed that up with a respectable stat line of 60 catches, 726 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024.

If LaPorta can find a way to replicate that production from just a couple seasons ago, it would go a long way toward ensuring Detroit's offense remains a high-octane attack.

Add us as a preferred source on Google