Detroit Lions announce 6 captains for 2022 season

On Tuesday morning the Detroit Lions announced their six captains for the 2022 season. Quarterback Jared Goff, center Frank Ragnow, defensive tackle Michael Brockers, linebacker Alex Anzalone, safety Tracy Walker and linebacker/special teamer Josh Woods were the six players honored with the title.

Unsurprisingly, many of these players are the few veteran presences the Lions have around. Michael Brockers is the only player over 30 years, while only a handful of players have been in the league longer than Goff, Walker, Anzalone, and Ragnow.

Goff, Ragnow, and Anzalone are all returning captains from last year, while the three others are first-timers with the Lions. However, to highlight just how much this team has changed in a short period of time, none of these players were captains for the Lions back in 2020.

Walker’s addition is not particularly surprising considering the leadership role that was bestowed upon him after re-signing with Detroit last year. Coach Dan Campbell called it his team going forward, and Walker is the veteran presence in the defensive backs room, one of the youngest units on the roster.

“Now that Dan has given me that opportunity, I still take on that role and still run with it,” Walker said. “But I’ve always been a leader since I’ve been here for my rookie year, you know? So with that being said, being a leader to me, that shit comes easy.”

Perhaps the most surprising of the bunch is Josh Woods—a roster bubble player that many did not even have on their final 53-man roster projections. However, Woods has been a key special teams player throughout training camp and has been a vocal leader that you may have subtly noticed in the front row of those team meetings on “Hard Knocks.”