Lions head coach ignoring ‘Donkey Kong Suh’ comments

The Detroit Lions seem to be losing players to injury this week. Tackle Corey Hilliard is now on injured reserve with a Lisfranc injury that will require surgery.

Hilliard played through the injury during Monday night’s win over the New York Giants after fellow tackle LaAdrian Waddle left the game in the first quarter with a calf injury. Waddle has still not returned to practice, either.

Detroit has added some depth by signing offensive lineman Garrett Reynolds, who played with the Atlanta Falcons for the last four seasons.

On a Detroit-area radio show today, Lions head coach Jim Caldwell said he would not listen to a news conference in which Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton referred to Detroit defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh as Donkey Kong Suh five different times.

“My main focus right now is focusing on the Detroit Lions,” Newton said during Wednesday’s news conference. “I think I’ve got my hands full trying to find ways to stay protected by Donkey Kong Suh and my fellow Auburn teammate, Nick Fairley.”

Caldwell said he wasn’t interested in listening to Newton’s comments, saying statements made by others simply aren’t anything that motivates his team.

The Lions visit Carolina this Sunday. The Panthers won their season opener over Tampa Bay, 20-14, without Newton, who was nursing a rib injury that he suffered in the preseason.