Lions LB Alex Anzalone posts historic stat line in season-opener

The focus heading into the new season for the Detroit Lions’ defense was the new additions to the secondary but don’t forget about the returning starters.

Sunday night, Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone posted a historic stat line, racking up 10 tackles and 3 for loss (TFLs) just one play into the fourth quarter. He finished with 13 total tackles.

According to the Lions, that makes Anzalone the only Lion to ever have at least 10 tackles and 3 TFLs in a season-opener and only the eighth NFL player to do so since TFLs became an officially tracked statistic in 1994.

For reference, Anzalone’s TFL total is the same as the entire Los Angeles Rams team through three quarters.

The 29-year-old has developed into such a key leader for Detroit’s defense. He’s improved every single year in the Motor City and, now in his fourth season with the Lions, clearly continues to be a force.

In the second year of a three-year, $18.3 million deal, a price that ranks just 26th among NFL linebackers, Anzalone continues to be a bargain for the Lions and looks ready to have another career season.

In the offseason, we examined whether Anzalone could duplicate his huge 2023 season . He's well on his way to answering that already.