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(Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
As has always been the case, the Detroit Lions weren’t able to retain every player from last season, and they’ve now lost a veteran tight end who had spent the last five years with the organization.
Shane Zylstra has signed with the Buffalo Bills on a one-year contract after having spent the last five years in the Motor City, and he won’t have to wait long to get a crack at his former teammates. In fact, Zylstra and the Bills are going to make history by facing the Lions as their first ever opponent in their brand new venue in Week 2 of the upcoming 2026 NFL season.
Former Detroit Lions Tight End Shane Zylstra Has Signed With The Buffalo Bills
After having spent the last five years with the Lions, tight end Shane Zylstra has joined the Buffalo Bills, who are officially going to host the Lions at New Highmark Stadium in Week 2 of the NFL season in front of a nationally televised audience.
A native of Minnesota, Zylstra played five years at Minnesota State, where he would be named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2017 and would later be named a First-team All-American in 2019.
He wasn’t drafted into the NFL, but signed with the Minnesota Vikings as a free agent. But after he was cut from the Vikings, he signed with the Lions.
Michael Whitaker Michael Whitaker is a sports journalist based in metro Detroit with nearly a full decade of experience with publications like Clutch Points and The Hockey News. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from Eastern Michigan University. More about Michael Whitaker