Lions News: Owner Sheila Hamp offers optimistic message to Detroit

After the Detroit Lions playoff loss, owner Sheila Hamp offered an optimistic message for the future.

After the team’s devastating loss in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, Detroit Lions owner Sheila Hamp sent out a message to season ticket holders on Tuesday. Here’s the full message:

Dear Lions Loyal Member,

This is not the letter I was hoping to write you this year. It’s not the ending we wanted or were expecting. The fact of the matter is this: we had a great year, a record-setting season but fell short of our ultimate goal.

“What never falls short is your support. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the support we have received from all of you, the city of Detroit and the entire state of Michigan. Ford Field is legitimate home field advantage and that is because of you. It also felt like you gave us home field advantage in most of the away stadiums we played in this year. We appreciate you more than you will ever know. Your support continues to fuel us toward bigger things.

I am proud of the year we had. I am proud of our players, our coaches, our personnel department and our entire staff, because at the Lions we live the One Pride concept and truly win and lose together.

I know this weekend was difficult and the next few weeks will be hard to watch as other teams walk the path we envisioned, but please know that we have never been more motivated. I know the future will look different and the team that brought us so much success this year will never be together again. Pieces will change, but we are confident in where we are going and more aligned than ever as to how we get there.

One of the goals I set for our franchise was to create sustained success. The last two years have started that process. Back-to-back NFC North Division Championships and home playoff appearances are the type of successes that we envisioned, and we are on the path to continuing that.

Thank you for your continued support, thank you for donning your Honolulu Blue and thank you for continuing to be the driving force behind One Pride.

Go Lions!

Sheila Hamp

• The Lions enter the offseason in a pretty good spot: keeping around their key players with enough cap space to add new ones:

• Justin Rogers did a film breakdown of the Divisional Round game, breaking down the Lions’ turnovers, examining Jahmyr Gibbs’ usage, and identifying everything that went wrong on defense.

• A Year 3 recap from Aidan Hutchinson:

• The Pro Football Writers of America came out with their All-NFL, All-NFC, and All-AFC teams this week. The Lions were tied with the Chiefs and Steelers with three All-NFL players, only trailing the Denver Broncos (four). Eight Lions made the All-NFC team.

• Former Lions tight end James Mitchell has a new home. After the Lions opted not to sign him to a futures deal, the Panthers scooped him up this week:

• After an up-and-down rookie season, Terrion Arnold believes he’ll be the best cornerback in football… and soon.