There’s a lot to celebrate in the Motor City following the Detroit Lions' win over the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football. Detroit's defense played out of its mind (7 sacks, 30 pressures), and the running game was firing on all cylinders.
At the same time, there was one disappointing element from Monday’s win, and that was second-year running back Sione Vaki. The 24-year-old RB, who was expected to have a notable role on special teams this season, has struggled to stay on the field, which was a trend that continued in his 2025 debut on Monday.
According to Lions writer Tim Twentyman, the former Utah Ute was seen limping off the field and throwing his helmet in disgust after getting hurt on punt coverage. He was ultimately ruled out with a groin injury, leaving his immediate outlook in the air.
This was the last thing the Lions wanted to see from Vaki. Now, Detroit has to wonder if they should go in a different direction at kick returner and special teams going forward.
Lions Can't Trust RB Sione Vaki Suffers After Another Injury
Before going down with the groin injury in Week 3, Vaki missed the first two weeks of the regular season with a hamstring injury. That's without mentioning how he also missed some time at the beginning of training camp with a leg injury.
It's safe to say that it's been a rough start for the young playmaker, who clearly wants to be on the field. Vaki was doubtful for Week 2 after being a limited participant, but was a full participant ahead of Monday night’s game, leaving fans hopeful that his woes were in the rearview. Clearly, that isn't the case.
We don’t know how long Vaki will be sidelined with this injury, but the Lions will need to consider life without him on special teams. Luckily, Detroit has a few options on the kick return game with Jacob Saylors, Craig Reynolds, and Kalif Raymond.
Reynolds was among the inactive players for Week 3, but with Vaki sidelined, that should likely change for Week 4. Reynolds, who usually serves as Detroit’s RB3, has spent most of his time on special teams coverage this season (30 snaps).
Meanwhile, Saylors has been sharing kick return duties with Raymond. The former UFL running back averaged 26.7 yards per kick return on Monday night (three attempts). Overall, Saylors is averaging 24.6 yards per kick return this season and has carved out a role for himself.
It's terrible to see Vaki go down again because Detroit fans know how talented he is when he gets on the field, but it's also clear that they can't trust him anymore. The Lions will be fine without him, and no one should be surprised if the front office is already prepared to turn the page.