It was the kind of moment that makes you lean forward and squint at your TV because your brain can’t quite process what it's seeing. In the middle of a Week 6 blowout against the Dallas Cowboys in late 2024, the Detroit Lions decided that a 30-point lead wasn't enough. They wanted to send a message.
They ran the lions hook and ladder play. But not just any version of it.
Most teams save trick plays for desperate fourth quarters. Not Dan Campbell. And certainly not Ben Johnson. They dialed up a play that saw Jared Goff fire a quick strike to Amon-Ra St. Brown, who immediately flipped the ball to... a 335-pound offensive tackle. Penei Sewell.
Why the Sewell Lateral Broke the Internet
Honestly, seeing a man that size moving with the grace of a gazelle is terrifying. Sewell didn't just catch the lateral; he turned upfield like he'd been a tight end his whole life. He rumbled toward the end zone, and for a split second, the entire NFL world collectively lost its mind.
Then came the yellow flag.
An ineligible man downfield penalty wiped the whole thing off the books. It was a buzzkill, sure, but the reality is that the play accomplished exactly what the Lions wanted. It put every future defensive coordinator on notice. If you're playing Detroit, you can't just watch the "skill" players. You have to watch the guys who weigh as much as a small refrigerator, too.
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The Mechanics of the Madness
A "hook and ladder" (or hook and lateral, if you're a stickler for terminology) is basically a relay race disguised as a football play.
- The Hook: The receiver runs a deep "hitch" or "curl" route, stopping suddenly to face the quarterback.
- The Catch: The QB hits him right in the chest.
- The Ladder: A second player—usually a lightning-fast running back—trails the receiver. As the defender closes in to make the tackle on the receiver, the ball is tossed backward to the trailer who has a full head of steam.
The Lions flipped the script by using Sewell. Usually, tackles are just there to block. But Sewell is a freak of nature. By the time the Cowboys realized he had the ball, he was already ten yards downfield.
The Strategy Behind the "Disrespect"
A lot of people called this play "disrespectful" or "stat-padding." Those people are wrong.
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NFL games are won in the film room weeks before kickoff. By running the lions hook and ladder play in a blowout, Ben Johnson forced every future opponent to spend extra practice time preparing for it. Every minute a defensive coach spends worried about Penei Sewell catching a lateral is a minute they aren't spent figuring out how to stop Jahmyr Gibbs on a simple inside zone.
It’s psychological warfare.
The Lions have a "deep well," as Ben Johnson put it. They’ve run hook and ladders to Gibbs for actual touchdowns (like the one against the Arizona Cardinals earlier that same season). They’ve had Amon-Ra St. Brown throw touchdowns to Jared Goff. They’ve had offensive linemen reporting as eligible as a recurring theme just to mess with the refs and the defense's heads.
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Why It Keeps Working
You’d think defenses would catch on. But the Lions build these trick plays on top of their "meat and potatoes" looks.
They’ll run a standard screen five times. On the sixth time, the tackle doesn't block—he leaks out for the lateral. It’s about "design and intent," not just looking cool for social media. If you don't respect the basic play, they'll gash you for 10 yards. If you overcommit to the basic play, they run the hook and ladder and embarrass you.
The Legacy of the 2024-2025 Lions Offense
Looking back from 2026, we can see how this era defined Detroit football. Even after Ben Johnson eventually took a head coaching job elsewhere, the DNA of "pedal to the metal" remained. Dan Campbell didn't just want to win; he wanted to reinvent how much fun an offense could actually have.
The lions hook and ladder play wasn't a fluke. It was a symptom of a culture that rewards creativity over conservative "play-it-safe" coaching.
Most teams are afraid to look stupid. The Lions are only afraid of being boring. That's why they lead the league in heart-attack-inducing play calls and why their fans are the loudest in the building.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Tailgate Debate:
- Know the Rule: The Sewell play was called back because an offensive lineman was too far downfield before the pass was thrown. To make it legal next time, the linemen have to stay behind the line of scrimmage until the ball leaves the QB's hand.
- Identify the Trailer: Next time you see a Lions receiver stop short on a 10-yard hitch, look for the trailer. If it's a running back, it's a scoring threat. If it's a tackle, it's a highlight reel.
- Watch the Pre-Snap: The Lions often use "unbalanced" lines or strange personnel packages (like 6 offensive linemen) to mask who is actually eligible to touch the ball.