For as long as he's been playing football, Christian Izien has been told what he's not. He's not big enough. He's not fast enough. He's not good enough to go DI. He's not good enough to go to the combine. He's not good enough to get drafted. He's not good enough to play in the NFL. He's just refused to ever listen.
"I've been told no a lot of times and I've worked through it," Izien said. "Just having the ability to believe in myself, that's the most important attribute."
Well, he's good enough for Detroit. The Lions signed Izien to a one-year deal to add his versatility and physicality to their secondary, where questions abound. He was a safety and a nickel and at times even a cornerback over three seasons with the Buccaneers. He helped them win three division titles (in the weak NFC South). He picked off Jared Goff in the Bucs' upset of the Lions early in the 2024 season and confirmed, with a smile, that he still has the ball.
"I told a lot of my peers after that game that was probably the most intense game that I've played in my career, and it still stands to this day," Izien said Friday. "Going against the Lions is always that environment, but just being in Ford Field and having those fans behind them -- and behind me now -- it's always just a crazy environment."
That game was a good illustration of Izien's value: he lined up in the deep part of the field, which is where he snagged the pick, in the box and in the slot. Every team he talked spoke in free agency this month placed an emphasis on his versatility. Izien said his talk with Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard stood out: "Probably the realest conversation with a coach since I've been in the league, even interviews prior to the league."
"We had some really good talks about how they plan on using me and things like that," Izien said. "Just his transparency, that was something I was looking for in the free agency market, coaches to be transparent. He's just a real guy."
Izien's role in Detroit's defense is yet to be defined. That's by design. When he was asked to name his favorite spot on the football field, he replied: "The football field. Being on it. That's honestly my favorite spot. Teams do a lot of things schematically to find ways to move me around a lot." And the Lions could have openings across their secondary entering this season.
Star safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch are both rehabbing injuries, with Joseph in particular facing an uncertain future after missing most of last season with a chronic knee issue. Starting cornerback Terrion Arnold is under investigation in connection to a kidnapping and robbery plot at an Airbnb rental under his name in Florida; he has not been charged with a crime.
The Lions let corner/nickel Amik Robertson depart in free agency and his most natural replacement on the roster, former second-round pick Ennis Rakestraw, has missed most of his first two NFL seasons due to various injuries. If Sheppard and the Lions deploy more sub-packages this season after operating primarily out of base last season, nickel could be the best spot for Izien.
"Having the ability to play multiple positions, I'm pretty sure I'll find a role," he said.
Izien played mostly in the slot as a rookie, the best of his three seasons in Tampa. He logged almost two-thirds of the defensive snaps for a team that made the second round of the playoffs -- before losing in Detroit -- and was especially strong against the run. His build (5'10, 200 pounds) and play-style feels suited to playing nickel.
"Anytime I think I'm close to the football, or close to the line of scrimmage, I can have an impact, whether that's blitzing, covering, playing zone, playing man," Izien said. "Being close to the football is always a plus. Somebody like me, I'm not the biggest guy on the field, I know that, so I've got to find ways to be effective using my speed, using my athleticism to be able to affect the game."
There is a clear chip on Izien's shoulder, formed by all the times he's been passed over. Coming out of high school in 2018, Izien was one of the last players in his class to sign. He didn't get an offer from Rutgers until December of his senior year, then became a four-year starter. He didn't get drafted, then immediately earned a major role on a winning team. He played a ton for Tampa in his first two seasons, then lost his job in the slot last year to a rookie third-round pick. Izien wound up logging more snaps on special teams than on defense.
"Last year, things didn't go the way I thought it would or the way I wanted it to," he said. "Kind of put that in the past, use it as fuel, motivation for this year coming up. I can see myself as a starter in this league. I said that last year, and I'll say it again."
Izien, 25, was considering "a handful" of teams in free agency. He left most of the talks to his agent, but was seeking a good opportunity on a good team: "I don't do all this hard work to go places not to win." Having played against the Lions four times in the last three seasons, Izien knows "what type of outfit" he's joining.
"I was looking for, one, a home, somewhere I felt comfortable coming in every day and playing football. A coaching staff that believed in me. A city that loves football. I believe I found all of that in Detroit," he said.
Over his football journey, Izien has heard "just about everything that a player can be told that he couldn't do." He'll have a chance with the Lions to remind everyone what he can do.