The Lions were trying out Grant Stuard at kick returner as an experiment, and a big return against the Texans may have earned him the job.
Grant Stuard was this close to returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown Saturday, Aug. 23.
He took the opening kick from the Detroit Lions' 1-yard line, immediately hit a gap up the middle and raced through the Houston Texans' defense, only to be grabbed from the side at the legs by Houston cornerback Jalen Mills. The return put the Lions on their own 45-yard line, but it easily could have put them six points ahead just seconds into the Saturday's preseason finale at Ford Field.
"Man, I feel like I haven't been that clean through the gap yet," Stuard said about the return after the Lions' 26-7 loss to the Texans. "I tried to split everybody, and I just gotta know in that situation that they're going at my legs."
It was the only way the Texans could've stopped Stuard, who is turning a wild preseason experiment into highlight after highlight. But why so experimental?
If you didn't know already, Stuard is a linebacker. And there aren't many linebackers who return kicks at any level of football – especially the pros.
That didn't stop special teams coordinator Dave Fipp from giving him a shot.
"Anytime you bring a player in, you kind of watch everything they’ve done in the history that we have on film," Fipp told the Free Press earlier in the offseason. "And there was some film from him (in college) at Houston where he was running the ball, and I was like, ‘Wait a minute ... this looks pretty good right here.’ So that’s what really started the idea.”
Grant Stuard starts it off with a 44-yard return!#HOUvsDET | 📺 Lions TV Network pic.twitter.com/SnF014nDrz
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 23, 2025
It hasn't been the easiest transition for Stuard. The first play of this preseason featured him fielding a kickoff, fumbling and losing possession during the Lions Hall of Fame Game loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on July 31.
But Stuard and the Lions kept at it. He returned four other kicks this preseason before Saturday, all before the biggest return of his professional career.
Stuard's secret? Visualization.
"I watch our practice reps, I watch our walk-through reps and try to anticipate as a kickoff guy what I would do if I was running the ball," he said. "And I think the more reps I get, the slower that'll feel."
Stuard starred on defense against the Texans, as well, recording five tackles in the first half. But it was the opening kickoff, arguably the most electric play of the game for the Lions, that will stick in many peoples' heads — including Stuard's.
"It unfolded the way that I wanted it to unfold," he said.
For now, Stuard is keeping his kickoff goals within reach, focusing on ball security and putting the Lions' offense in good field position, rather than trying to break the big run. The Lions' may ask him to return kicks once the season starts, giving a big responsibility to a big-bodied linebacker who has never returned kickoffs in the regular season.
That shouldn't be too much to handle for Stuart, who seems excited to return kicks in games that count.
"I think I'm ready now. And hopefully that's the plan."
You can reach Christian at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions' linebacker Grant Stuard aces preseason kick returner audition
Category: Football