The media landscape in Michigan shifted back in July 2024. If you’ve spent any time scouring the internet for Detroit Lions film reviews or deep dives into the salary cap, you know the name Justin Rogers. For seven years, he was the backbone of the Justin Rogers Detroit News coverage, serving as the lead beat writer for a team that transitioned from the doldrums of the Matt Patricia era to the kneecap-biting heights of Dan Campbell.
Then, he vanished.
Well, not exactly. But he did leave the legacy world.
He moved. He went independent. He basically bet the farm on himself. In an era where corporate newsrooms are shrinking and "the algorithm" dictates what you read, Rogers decided to cut out the middleman. He officially resigned from The Detroit News in mid-2024 to launch the Detroit Football Network. It wasn't a sudden fallout or a dramatic firing; it was a journalist realizing that the way we consume football news has changed forever.
The Justin Rogers Detroit News Era (2017–2024)
Rogers didn't just stumble into the Lions beat. He ground his way there. Before his stint at the News, he spent over a decade at MLive, starting out in 2005 doing data entry for a restaurant database. Talk about humble beginnings. He eventually worked his way up to the Pistons beat before sliding over to cover the Lions full-time in 2011, right when the team was actually showing some life.
When he joined the Detroit News in 2017, he filled a massive hole left by industry legends.
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His style was different. It wasn't just "here is what happened at practice." He brought a level of technicality that most casual fans didn't realize they wanted. He looked at the tape. He broke down why a specific blocking scheme failed or why a certain contract extension made sense for the long-term cap health. He was even-keeled. While other talking heads were screaming about "Same Old Lions," Rogers was usually the one pointing out the incremental progress (or lack thereof) with actual evidence.
"I’ve constantly devised ways to reach the audience through multimedia, interaction and going deeper on topics other local reporters weren't touching," Rogers once noted regarding his approach.
The 2023 season was his last full campaign with the paper. Ironically, it was the Lions' most successful season in generations. But behind the scenes, Rogers was feeling a creative itch. He had ideas for growth that didn't quite mesh with the traditional corporate structure. By the time training camp 2024 rolled around, the byline that Lions fans relied on was appearing on a Substack rather than the morning paper.
Why the Move to Independence Matters
Most people think being a beat writer is all about free food and sideline access.
It’s not. It’s a grind.
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Writing 700 to 800 stories a year is exhausting. When Rogers left the News, he cited the desire to "let readers behind the curtain." He wanted to explain the why behind his questions and the how behind the stories. In the old-school newspaper world, there’s a wall between the reporter and the reader. Rogers wanted to tear that wall down.
The Detroit Football Network, which is where you’ll find him now, is a direct-to-consumer model. It’s risky. You're asking fans to pay you personally instead of paying a subscription to a massive media conglomerate. But for Rogers, the risk paid off. Within the first week of his launch in July 2024, thousands of readers signed up. It turns out that Detroit fans aren't just loyal to the team—they’re loyal to the people who tell the team’s story accurately.
What happened to the Detroit News Lions beat?
The paper didn't just stop covering the team, obviously. Nolan Bianchi and others stepped into those roles, maintaining the legacy of the publication. But the "Justin Rogers Detroit News" era left a specific blueprint for how to cover the modern NFL:
- Salary Cap Literacy: Don't just report the numbers; explain how they impact the next three years of free agency.
- Film over Feeling: Use All-22 footage to back up your opinions on player performance.
- Direct Engagement: Use social media (and now newsletters) to answer the specific, often weirdly technical, questions fans have.
Navigating the Lions 2025 and 2026 Season
Now that we are deep into 2026, Rogers is still at the forefront of the conversation. His recent work on the Detroit Football Network has focused heavily on the fallout of the 2025 season. As we saw, the Lions took a bit of a step back last year, missing the playoffs after a steady rise. Rogers has been the voice of reason during this "re-tooling" phase.
He’s currently deep into "exit interviews"—not with the players, but a position-by-position breakdown of the roster. If you're looking for insights on the David Montgomery situation or whether the Lions will actually pivot to a new offensive coordinator after the search in early January, that's where the most nuanced takes are living.
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He’s also been tracking the "Pro Bowl cost" for the 2026 cap. As the Lions' core gets more expensive, his expertise in salary cap gymnastics has become more vital than ever for fans trying to play armchair GM.
The Practical Takeaway for Fans
If you're still searching for Justin Rogers on the Detroit News website, you're going to find an archive, but not the latest scoops. Here is how to stay updated on his work and the team:
- Check the Detroit Football Network: This is his primary hub now. It’s where the long-form film reviews and cap breakdowns live.
- Follow the Weekly Newsletter: He uses this to explain the "process" of reporting, which is great if you're interested in the journalism side of things.
- Twitter/X Interactions: Rogers is still highly active on social media. It’s usually the first place he posts injury updates or practice observations.
The shift from corporate to independent media is the new reality in sports. While the Justin Rogers Detroit News partnership was a great run, his move to go solo reflects a broader trend of experts building their own "networks." It gives fans more depth, even if it means managing one more subscription.
If you want to understand the Detroit Lions' strategy for the 2026 NFL Draft or how they plan to navigate a crowded NFC North this coming fall, looking at the technical breakdowns Rogers provides is the smartest move you can make as a fan. He’s moved past the simple "what happened" and into the "why it matters," which is exactly what a modern fan base needs.
To stay ahead of the curve, start by reviewing the Lions' current salary cap space for the 2026 season and compare it to the list of pending free agents that Rogers has recently highlighted. This will give you a clear picture of which veterans might be on the chopping block and where the team is likely to target in the upcoming draft.