Rod Wood compares last year’s injury-plagued season to a plane crash, and he believes lightning will not strike twice. The 2024 Detroit Lions were a force, but no amount of grit, culture, or a 15-win season could keep them from succumbing to injury. The Lions’ injury report, which included Aidan Hutchinson, crucial secondary players, and depth players throughout, read more like a roster list at times.
Team president Rod Wood has not forgotten. But what about his mind? That run of terrible luck is behind them.
“We Had Plane Crash”
Wood, speaking to media at the NFL Annual League Meetings this week, did not shy away from discussing his injuries. In fact, he compared it to something from a film.
“I was talking to Dan Campbell about this the other day,” Wood told me. “And I’m not sure if you saw The World According to Garp…” Robin Williams and Glenn Close are seen shopping for a property. I went through that. They’re on the sidewalk, looking at it, when a jet crashes into the home. And Robin Williams replies, ‘We’ll take it. “That will not happen again.”
That anecdote was Wood’s way of summarizing last season’s injury horror and expressing his hope that it will not be repeated in 2025.
“I hope that’s what our injury year was,” stated the coach. “We had the plane crash, and we’re not gonna have that problem again.”
Looking ahead.
Despite having the most players placed on injured reserve in the NFL, the Lions won the NFC North, advanced to the NFC Championship Game, and maintained their status as one of the league’s most complete rosters.
