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Eric Woodyard, ESPN
DETROIT — The way the Lions ended the 2023 season doesn’t sit well with Penei Sewell.
So much so, that this offseason the Lions All-Pro offensive tackle estimates he replayed Detroit’s heartbreaking loss to the San Francisco 49ers — a game in which the Lions blew a 17-point halftime lead to fall a game shy of the franchise’s first Super Bowl — at least 10 times.
Taken seventh in the 2021 NFL draft out of Oregon, Sewell, 24, has blossomed into a foundational player for a 15-2 Lions team that set a franchise mark for victories in a regular season — a byproduct, he says, of last season’s playoff shortcoming — and earned its first 1-seed.
Sewell has established himself as one of the team’s leaders on and off the field and was named a team captain, thanks in part to his impassioned pregame speeches and ferocious style of play.
Sewell has played 1,115 offensive snaps this season, which ties him with Cleveland Browns guard Joel Bitonio for the most among all offensive linemen. Despite the number of plays, his five sacks allowed is tied with guard Kevin Zeitler for the second fewest among Lions offensive linemen.
Amid heightened expectations in 2024, Sewell says he and his teammates are locked in on helping the organization to the ultimate goal — a Super Bowl title.
In an exclusive interview, Sewell opened up about last season’s heartbreak, how it affected the team and how the Lions are approaching this year’s quest for redemption in the playoffs, which begins Saturday night against the Washington Commanders in the NFC divisional round at Ford Field (8 p.m. ET, Fox).
What was your mindset after losing the 2023 NFC title game to San Francisco?
It’s on. Simple as that.
Honestly, I’ve rewatched that 2023 NFC Championship Game a lot. I let it burn. Just because of how close we were.
It was constantly on my mind. It was one of those things that I just couldn’t shake. Every time [my] kids went down for a nap, I was just like, “I’ve got to watch it to see what happened.” And then every time I just had free time; I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
In the offseason, I’ve got so much more time. So once I’m with my kids, Malakai and Mila, I’m invested in them, but it’s hard to be invested once they go to bed or are taking their nap, so just constantly thinking about it and how I felt, how we felt as a team, how the vibe was in the locker room.
I was fortunate to have the iPad throughout the offseason and I would just watch that or the TV copy, too. Sometimes, I like to watch the TV version because you can kind of feel the emotions through the fans’ perspective and how they see the game, so I was sitting there as a fan and as a player, going through it of how close we were.
I felt all the emotions going through my body after that loss to San Francisco, but at the end of the day, I just channeled it into motivation.
What was your mindset entering the 2024 season?
When I said those words “it’s on,” I just knew what it looked like coming back and then doing it all over again, but this time going to the top with it. So, throughout the whole offseason, I was extra motivated, and I just wanted to come out this year and prove that I know what we’re capable of as a team and I know what I’m capable of as an individual.
As a team, during the 49ers’ loss, it was more mental than physical to be honest. In a game of that magnitude, there’s a lot of emotions, waves and momentum. You can’t fall into that trap. You’ve just got to be the same guy, the same heartbeat and just keep your head. Don’t fall into those emotions that happen in the game and just keep going. Whatever’s happening, it’s just the next play.
Entering this season, I had conversations with O-linemen, as well as guys on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball to pick their brains of how they felt about it, what they were doing in the offseason and just more so for the rookies and new guys that were coming in. … Understanding that the moment we strap up our chin straps and we’re about to take the field, it’s ours now. Whatever happened in the past, it is what it is, we’ve got to make a statement now.
When did you realize this team could be special?
To be honest, really from the first week of camp, you could tell that offensively we were all more comfortable with the playbook. We weren’t thinking too much out there and then we were all closer. Our relationships got stronger with guys that were new last year like David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta and all the rookies and newcomers that came in. Now, we’re truly a brotherhood and on the defensive side of the ball, they were all turned up.
Why was getting the top seed so important?
We set a goal at the beginning of the season to become the No. 1 seed and we looked back into last year is what we did. You always want to take that next step and that next level, so the next one was to win the NFC North division again and get the No. 1 seed.
Coach Dan Campbell preached it throughout camp about how important that was for us and at the end of the day, whatever that man says, we’re going to do it. So, we just knew that throughout this season we had to win to set us up for success as much as possible and it was getting that top seed.
Why was it important to support Coach Campbell after the 2023 NFC title game amid criticism for his fourth-down calls?
At the end of the day, coaches and players, we’re all in the same boat. No one’s higher than the other. No one’s on different levels. We’re all on the same page with the same responsibilities, so when Coach Campbell makes some of those fourth-down calls, at the end of the day, he’s not out there with us. Us players, we’ve got to make things happen. That’s why we’re here. So, for him to keep doing that is just one of the things that we have to take accountability for across the board.
After being named All-Pro for a second time, have you given yourself time to reflect on the success?
Even with all the success, to be honest, I haven’t done a lot of reflecting on the season that we’ve had. I’m locked in. We’re trying to go all the way. Once that happens, I’ll sit back. Going into the season, I wasn’t really focused on accolades at all such as All-Pro. I want that Super Bowl bad. So, it’s definitely an honor and I’m truly blessed, but I’ve got my mind focused on one thing.
Can you see the Lions winning a Super Bowl?
I can definitely see a Super Bowl. I saw it from the moment in camp. And it’s just envisioning what it looks like now and seeing it come into fruition in how we execute things and how the game plan is throughout the week. It starts from the beginning of the week, we know that as a team, in coming in and putting in the work and go do what we do on game days. At the end of the day, when Coach Campbell starts to lay out that picture, I’m right with him.
How did you balance having time off with the first-round bye and still being ready for action?
I’m not going to lie, after earning the No. 1 seed and getting the first-round bye, in those first two days, I just gave it all to my family. I was just chilling at home and then it switched like, “All right, now we’re just getting a little too comfortable. We’ve got to go do something.”
After that, we went outside, came back with the kids to go sledding or something, then came back to the facility to get a workout in or two and then go home and watch some more film. It was weird to have that time off at this point of the year, but it was good, though. It was something that we’re all new to. It was funny because my teammate Christian Mahogany was like, “So what does the bye week look like? We got the whole week off or something?” and I was like, “Bro, I don’t know. I’m in the same boat with you. This is my first time.”
We needed that rest. Especially with us having an early bye this year. Having that first week off for the playoffs definitely helped. We had a lot of injuries, so it just gave us some time for those guys to come back fresh, not only physically but mentally.
With the Lions having home-field advantage, anything you would like to say to the fans in Detroit?
Lastly, for the fans in Detroit who will be at the playoff games at Ford Field, just be yourself. Be Detroit. If you talk, talk. If you’re just rowdy, be rowdy. At the end of the day, that’s all I want. I want everyone to come out and have fun. Be themselves. Don’t be shy. Go crazy. It’s going to be a good one. We’re going to put the city of Detroit on our shoulders!
There’s a lot of pride in this city. Even back when we were losing and now that we’re winning, you’re deserving of it. We just try to embody what you’re about and go in each and every game with Detroit on our shoulders.
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