The U.S. National Football League’s Detroit Lions dedicated their first victory in nearly a year — a dramatic, come from behind victory as time expired — to the victims of last week’s deadly Oxford High School shooting.
At a postgame news conference Sunday, an emotional Lions Coach Dan Campbell said the victory and the game ball was dedicated to the entire Oxford community, a township about 66 kilometers north of Ford Field, the Lions’ home stadium, and all those affected. He read the names of those killed and wounded in the incident.
Four students were killed, and seven others were injured, including a teacher, in the Nov. 30 shooting at Oxford High School. The suspect, a 15-year-old student at the school, was arrested the day of the shooting and faces multiple charges. The suspect's parents were arrested Saturday and charged with involuntary manslaughter.
In Campbell’s first season as coach, the Detroit Lions had lost 10 games and managed only a tie before Sunday’s winning game against division rival Minnesota Vikings. Trailing 27-23 with just four seconds remaining in the game, Lion’s quarterback Jared Goff through a touchdown to 11-yard touchdown pass to rookie receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
It was St. Brown’s first career professional touchdown. It was the Lions first victory in 364 days going back to last season.
The Lion’s players had played the game with a gold “O’ on the backs of their helmets in honor of Oxford High School. Players in the locker room following the game wore Oxford High School shirts to honor the victims.
Some information for this report was provided by the Associated Press.
