(CBS-DETROIT) — The Detroit Lions have never made it to the Super Bowl, but could they do it this season?

Sports Illustrated believes they have the potential to be in the Super Bowl, as evidenced by the football preview issue, which includes an article titled “Drive to Revive: The Resurgent Lions: Right Team, Right Town, Right Time.” The coverage focuses on Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jared Goff and Penn Sewell.

Sports Illustrated writers Greg Bishop and Connor Orr examined the success of the Detroit Lions’ historic season and their potential to make it to the Super Bowl this year.

“They are ready to take the helm from Campbell and lead this franchise straight to New Orleans in February for the Lions’ first Super Bowl,” Bishop and Orr said in the article. “This offseason, Goff, Sewell and St. Brown all signed substantial contract extensions, establishing themselves as pillars of the franchise for years to come.”

This comes after the Lions had their best season in decadesand won two playoff games in one postseason for the first time since winning the title in 1957.

The Lions experienced a 34:31 defeat against the 49ers in the NFC championship gameand ended their successful season one game before what would have been the team’s first Super Bowl.

The team is one of four NFL teams that have never played in the Super Bowl, while the Lions have been in every season of the Super Bowl era.

“We know we can win a Super Bowl,” St. Brown said after the season. “We have the team. We have the coaches. We have everything we need in this building to win a Super Bowl. That’s our goal. That’s our focus.”

If a Detroit Lions player had said that years ago, people probably would have laughed and dismissed it, but they are not the “same old Lions” anymore.

“Detroit drafted Decker 16th overall in 2016 and made the playoffs in his rookie season. The following year, after a 9-7 season, officials fired coach Jim Caldwell and life as a Lions fan got a whole lot worse. The franchise’s descent into obscurity began. 2017: last place in the NFC North. Same thing in 2018… and 2019… and Patricia, Caldwell’s successor, didn’t even last until 2020, when the team allowed 142 more points than it scored,” explained the Sports Illustrated writers. “Of course, Detroit fans were familiar with a grim football history. In 2008 and 2009, the Lions won twice overall, posting two of the worst statistical seasons in history. Fans needed time capsules to find the franchise’s last postseason victory (1991), which prior to last season was the league’s longest active drought.”

Head Coach Dan Campbell and General Manager Brad Holmes joined the team in 2021 and led the program to success.

“We are very pleased to have Brad and Dan under contract for the next four seasons,” said Sheila Hamp, principal owner and chairman of the Detroit Lions, when the team extended Cambell and Holmes’ contracts through the 2027 season. “They have been the driving force behind the rebuilding of our football team and the success we have enjoyed. The continuity they provide to our football program will continue to be key to our future success on the field.”

The duo are credited with identifying key talent for the team and rewarding their work, which is underlined by the massive contract. Extensions Goff, St. Brown and Sewell received.

Campbell accomplished his goal and put the team on the path to a Super Bowl appearance.

“There was so much trouble in the beginning. So much failure. Now everything he promised is in sight,” the article said.

Sports Illustrated writers pointed to Detroit’s resurgence in recent years. When Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan was elected in 2014, he asked voters to judge his performance in office by whether or not the population grew.

Last year Detroit’s population grew for the first time since 1957, according to data from the US Census Bureau. Officials worked to resolve the problem of vacant buildings in the cityeither by demolition or renovation. This year, the Michigan Central train station reopened on June 6 after being closed for 36 years. Ford bought the building in 2018 to restore it. It is no longer a functioning train station, but there is a multi-use area for employees, business owners and students.

“In 2013, I started every speech by saying that I was born in Detroit in 1958, and the population of this city has gone down every year of my life,” Duggan said after announcing the city’s population growth. “And so it’s taken longer than I hoped. Not only has it gone up, we’ve jumped from 29th to 26th nationally… and it’s exciting to see Detroit moving up the list of most populous cities rather than slipping further down.”

Duggan also said that pride in local sports is one of the reasons for this growth in the city.

“All four professional sports teams are located downtown, we have rebuilt beautiful parks and there is a spirit in the city that people just want to be a part of,” Duggan said.

Detroit Host of the 2024 NFL Draftthe establishment of a new Record attendance with over 700,000 fans make their way into the city center to take part in the event.

Fans have the opportunity to see the Lions in Detroit this weekend for their final Preseason gameThe Lions will face the Los Angeles Rams on September 8th for their regular seasonand the people of Detroit and fans across the country will see if the team earns a chance at a Super Bowl appearance.

The full article can be viewed on the Sports Illustrated website.