"Tom Lewand did his usual drive-by at the Super Bowl this year.

He showed his face at a few league functions, made small talk over a couple of meals, and by the time the Giants and Patriots kicked off Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday night, the Lions' president was back home, far from the spectacle of the game.

"For me, it's always a reminder that we're one of the 30 teams that isn't here, and that's not what we aspire to," Lewand explained of his annual pilgrimage home before kickoff. "I used to come down to Super Bowls with Roger Penske before we hosted because Roger was our chair of the host committee and Roger would always wonder why I left on Saturday night or Sunday morning, 'What are you doing?'"