Forgotten Sports Heroes

penei sewell catch goff lions video

Watch: Former Oregon Duck, Lions Tackle Penei Sewell Makes Dynamic, Game Saving Catch Against Minnesota Vikings

 

Penei Sewell was taken number seven overall out of Oregon in 2021, and has not disappointed during his short time with the Detroit Lions.

Sewell, a 6-foot-5, 335 pound offensive tackle, has impressed Lions fans ever since he set foot in the Motor City with his impressive combination of nimble feet, athleticism, commitment to winning and the organization, and strength at the point of attack.

On Sunday, December 11 with the game on the line and the Lions leading by eight points late against the 10-2 Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field, Sewell stunned onlookers both at Ford Field and in the press box by going in motion.

He moved from the left side of the formation to the right flat with surprising grace, as quarterback Jared Goff called for the snap.

Goff added to the surprise of the play as he surveyed the field, and threw a pass to the behemoth offensive tackle in space.

Sewell managed to haul it in and found himself past the sticks for the first down, much to the delight of Detroit Lions fans everywhere.

“There’s no reason why they should be afraid of any opponent they go up against,” the FOX NFL announcer and former University of Miami linebacker Jonathan Vilma stated in the broadcast booth with play-by-play man Kenny Albert about the Lions’ playoff chances going forward.

Albert called the surprising catch the biggest offensive play of the day for the Lions.

Thus far Sewell, who hails from America Samoa and played his college ball at Oregon, has become one of the most promising young tackles in the game, going up against former #2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson each day in practice.

The win was the Lions’ fifth in sixth games, as the team improved to 6-7 on the season, firmly in the thick of the playoff hunt in the NFC North.

Here’s another view of the play, the brainchild of Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.