The Lions attempted to bring back their former Pro Bowl safety this season, but he told them no

A reunion everyone wanted to see almost happened.

Mike Payton — Detroit Lions Beat Writer
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When the Detroit Lions lost both Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch near the end of the season, they were looking for some veteran safety help to assist them in trying to make the playoffs. According to a former Lions Pro Bowler, they tried to poach him off a practice squad, but he shut it down.

Lions attempted to poach Quandre Diggs off the Seahawks’ practice squad, but he shut it down

Talking with Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press at Super Bowl media night on Monday, Birkett asked Diggs if there was ever a chance he would come back to the Lions.

“I had a chance this year, just didn’t work out that way,” Diggs said. “I mean, I was here (Seattle). It was just an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up to be back here and enjoy these moments.”

So there you go. A team can attempt to poach a player off a practice squad much as the Lions did, but since practice squad players are not under typical contracts, they can say no to the poaching team. That’s what Diggs did. It paid off: now he has a chance to play in a Super Bowl, in what could be the final year of his career.

Don’t worry, though, Diggs says he has no bitterness or bad blood towards the Lions or Lions fans. Even after the bad breakup that Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn had with him before trading him to Seattle. Diggs even said that once he retires, Lions fans can expect to see him at Lions games as a fan.

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