Somewhere Joe Schmidt must be smiling.
The oldest living Pro Football Hall of Fame player, Schmidt turns 92 on Friday — just two days before his Detroit Lions look to continue a season for the history books.
With a victory on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Lions would win two postseason games for the first time since 1957. It was in 1957 that Schmidt and the Lions won the franchise’s last NFL Championship.
Schmidt won two NFL titles with Detroit, playing the duration of his 13-season career with the Lions and earning 10 Pro Bowl selections and eight first-time All-Pro nods.
This season, the Lions’ roster is decorated with five Pro Bowlers — tight end Sam LaPorta, offensive tackle Penei Sewell, center Frank Ragnow, defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and special teamer Jalen Reeves-Maybin.
Detroit’s 2023 pride will make history as soon as it kicks off Sunday at Ford Field, marking the first year in club chronicle in which the Lions have had two home playoff games.