Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, a former USC Trojans standout, revealed he underwent offseason knee surgery but expects to be ready for training camp. The news was shared by Eric Woodyard, Detroit Lions Reporter for ESPN.
St. Brown is a First-Team All-Pro in 2024 and has been sidelined during the Lions’ offseason practices as he rehabs from the procedure. The 25-year-old star is coming off a career year in Detroit and remains one of the NFL’s most productive receivers heading into the 2025 season.
St. Brown spoke to reporters following a practice on Thursday and confirmed he had surgery shortly after the 2024 season ended. The procedure was not major, he said, but rather a clean-up to address lingering issues.
“I had a surgery on my knee after the season just to clean some stuff up, so I’ve been rehabbing that, but I should be good to go for training camp,” St. Brown told Woodyard.
The dynamic star has emerged as the face of Detroit’s offense since entering the league as a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Last season, he started all 17 games and led the Lions in every major receiving category, finishing with 115 receptions for 1,263 yards and 12 touchdowns. It marked his third straight 1,000-yard season and earned him his third Pro Bowl nod.
His production helped fuel Detroit’s most successful season in decades. The Lions won 15 games in 2024, claimed their second consecutive NFC North title, and reached the NFC Championship Game. Expectations for 2025 are even higher.
“At this point, we want to win a Super Bowl; that’s it,” St. Brown said. “Obviously, we’ve got to make the playoffs to win the Super Bowl, but that’s understood by everyone, so we want to win the Super Bowl. Plain and simple.”
While St. Brown’s injury doesn’t appear to be a long-term concern, the Lions are dealing with other changes on offense. Earlier this week, longtime starting center Frank Ragnow announced his retirement after seven seasons in the NFL. Ragnow, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, anchored the offensive line during the team’s rebuild and recent rise to prominence.
His departure creates a major hole in the trenches. Detroit is expected to rely on a combination of veteran Graham Glasgow, rookie Tate Ratledge, and free-agent signing Trystan Colon to fill the void at center. The team will also need to replace starting right guard Kevin Zeitler, who signed with the Tennessee Titans.
Despite the roster turnover, optimism remains high. Coach Dan Campbell has embraced the challenge of a 2025 schedule that includes five primetime games and tough matchups late in the season, including a Christmas Day game at Minnesota and the annual Thanksgiving showdown, this year against the Green Bay Packers.
