Notes: T.J. Lang joins Detroit Lions radio team as sideline reporter

Fan favorite T.J. Lang is joining the Detroit Lions Radio Network this season, as well as 97.1 The Ticket.

The former Lions offensive linemen is joining my awesome FOX 2 colleague and play-by-play master Dan Miller and color analyst Lomas Brown. Lang will serve as the sideline reporter during games.

On top of that, Lang will appear on 97.1 The Ticket (WXYT-FM) on Mondays and Fridays, joining “The Morning Show with Stoney and Jansen” and “The Mike Valenti Show with Rico” during the 2021 season.

“As Detroit’s No. 1 sports talk station, we are excited to add T.J. to our incredible team,” said Debbie Kenyon, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy Detroit on the 97.1 website. “As a native Detroiter who played for Eastern Michigan University, T.J has great passion and a strong connection to our great state. His pro football experience will bring incredible insight to the station, especially on game days.”

Lang has strong Michigan ties, playing at Birmingham Brother Rice and Eastern Michigan University before he was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2009. After eight seasons and a Super Bowl ring, he spent his final two years in Detroit and retired in 2018.

And onto the rest of your notes.

• Emory Hunt over on CBS Sports explains what makes the Lions unique this year and a storyline he’s watching — now they’re a team full of players’ coaches.

• Just a few days away from his Hall of Fame induction speech, Calvin Johnson most likely won’t thank the Lions. Bob Wojnowski offers his thoughts on the issue for The Detroit News. (Subscription required.)

• “One of the smartest NFL rookies I’ve met.” A great profile on Drake Johnson and his chances on making the 53-man roster over at the Detroit Free Press.

• Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders offers some interesting thoughts in this compare.bet article on the Lions’ probable success in 2021. He’s predicting they do better than expected.

• I don’t know about you but I’m loving this cam they set up to ask all sorts of questions. What a fun idea. Here some Lions weigh in on a very important topic — steak.