Cory Schlesinger isn’t coming out of retirement to step back into his old role in the Detroit Lions’ offense.
But it’s another matter for the position Schlesinger played for a dozen seasons with a punishing, throwback style that endeared him to fans and earned him the nickname “Sledge” from his teammates.
The fullback is coming back to the Lions’ offense after a one-year absence. That was made clear when the Lions drafted fullback Nick Bawden of San Diego State in the seventh round.
That was welcome news to Schlesinger, who left behind a trail of big hits and broken facemasks -- upwards of 20 from his battering-ram blocks – in a career that gave him a place on the franchise’s 75-year anniversary team.