Cardinals fans compare team to Lions after stunning NFL champion Chiefs on opening night

The Detroit Lions escaped with a 21-20 victory at the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs after the team's title banner-raising ceremony on Thursday.

After that upset win, many Arizona Cardinals fans on social media began comparing the team's rebuilding process to Detroit as a model for potential future success.

Detroit is led by its third-year coach Dan Campbell and veteran quarterback Jared Goff. Last season, Detroit finished 9-8 after winning eight of its last 10 games, has the league's third-longest playoff drought of six years, and hasn't won a postseason game since 1991. After decades of futility, Detroit's roster construction via the draft, trades, and free agency is starting to see the light.

After the Cardinals' 4-13 record last year, the team is expected to be one of the league's worst again this season under its first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon and new general manager Monti Ossenfort.

The PUP-listed Kyler Murray is expected to miss at least the first four weeks.

During the Cardinals media session on Friday, Gannon still refused to reveal who the team's starter will be, either Josh Dobbs or Clayton Tune, for the season debut at the Washington Commanders this Sunday. Gannon wouldn't budge amid the speculation from NFL Network's Ian Rapaport on Tuesday that Dobbs is the expected starter.

The Arizona Republic's Bob McManaman asked Gannon another question about the growing comparison to Detroit regarding the rebuilding process. But just like the QB1 question for Sunday, Gannon deflected it.

“Honestly, no. I don’t compare teams. I don’t compare players. All I’m concerned about is giving our guys a chance to win," Gannon said.

Here's what some other Cardinals fans and media members said on X about that comparison after Thursday's game.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cardinal fans compare team to Lions after stunning NFL champion Chiefs