Amon-Ra St. Brown shares why Lions go for fourth downs

By now, everyone knows how aggressive the Detroit Lions and head coach Dan Campbell are during games. Look no further than their fourth-down decisions during the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers back in January.

But we didn’t always have a true understanding of why they are so aggressive. At least until now thanks to wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. The Lions’ star playmaker recently spoke with Mina Kimes of ESPN and discussed the reason for the team’s aggressiveness.

“We understand going into games that if it’s fourth and short and we’re in plus territory (opponent’s side of the field), we’re probably going to go for it,” St. Brown said. “That’s our identity. That’s all I’ve really known since I’ve been here.”

The Lions converted 21 fourth downs in 2023. Only the Carolina Panthers (23) had more for the season. The Lions also had the second-most fourth-down attempts, with 40. The Panthers had 48.

The Lions are who they are at this point with their aggressiveness, for better or for worse. It’s also what makes them one of the more exciting teams to watch in the league.