Allen Park — If you’re wondering why he’s here, just look over there.
Long after the final whistle in practice — after the receivers have finished their final reps on the JUGS machine, after the coaches have left to prepare for meetings, after the equipment staff has taken their chores indoors — two Lions players remain on the practice field.
One is a rookie — defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand — but the other is a 10th-year pro. And it’s no coincidence that when you ask Ricky Jean Francois why he’s still playing in the NFL, this is where he starts.