"The voice at the other end of the line paused for a count and then barked with mock force, "Son of a … "

Scott Mitchell had just been told he no longer owns the most productive season for a quarterback in Lions history.

"Eventually, those things happen," Mitchell said. "I wish I had more records, but it really says a lot about that player. Those were some high marks that we set."

In 1995, Mitchell threw for 4,338 yards and 32 touchdowns. "That player," also known as Matthew Stafford, trumped those and most of the other significant season passing marks this year — yards (5,038), touchdowns (41), completions (421), 300-yard games (eight), games with a rating of at least 100 (10) and completion percentage (63.5)."