ALLEN PARK — John Cominsky took the podium on Wednesday at the Lions facility wearing a black T-shirt with the words: “One year of focus and hustle can change your life forever.” His agent gave him the T-shirt one year ago. Its message was loud and clear.
The defensive lineman, who had a career season with the Lions in 2022, was rewarded with a two-year contract worth $8.5 million including a $2.4 million signing bonus and with $4 million guaranteed.
He took a short break from his family vacation in Naples, Fla., to fly to Detroit to sign the deal.
“It’s a dream come true,’’ Cominsky said at a press conference on Wednesday.
He thanked everyone in the Lions organization for believing and supporting him.
“Until you’re in this building you don’t understand the family dynamic,’’ Cominsky said.
After a solid season last year — and signs that the Lions are on the right track — Cominsky wanted to return to Detroit. He had interest from a few other teams.
He said he was already 99.9 percent leaning toward a return to the Lions when he got a text from Coach Dan Campbell that said: “I’m dying to have you here.”
That text was the clincher, he told his wife that Detroit was it. He said his family is on Cloud Nine.
The Lions claimed the 27-year-old Cominsky off waivers last May after he had asked the Atlanta Falcons to be released. Last season he had career-highs in sacks (4), tackles (30) and quarterback hits (12) while playing with an injured thumb. It’s all healed now and he said he’s looking forward to playing with two hands.
He spent the first three seasons of his career (2019-21) with the Atlanta Falcons after they selected him in the fourth round (135th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Charleston University.
Lions Lowdown 