From his early years of playing football on the beach in American Samoa with a plastic water bottle filled with sand and water in place of the football, Penei Sewell has come a long way.

Standing behind the Allen Park podium, addressing media only a few days after becoming the highest-paid offensive tackle in the NFL with an agreement that will keep him a Detroit Lion until the 2029 season, Sewell couldn’t help but look back to those simpler days on Monday morning.

Sewell said, “No, to be honest,” when asked if he had ever imagined the incident as a child. “I simply had an idea that I wanted to be an NFL player. I’ve always wanted to do it. But I find it strange to be in this situation right now. Not that I think it’s a hit. When I learned, I started crying like it was draft day.”

Three of Sewell’s kids currently play in the NFL. Sewell’s father, Gabriel, was a football coach in American Somoa and recognized his boys’ ability. 2012 saw him relocate the family to Utah, and the rest is history.

“If I was still on the island, I’d probably be a farmer somewhere,” Sewell stated. “Just going about my day, putting roots in the ground, and consuming what I plant. The world is an easy place to live. Although it’s lovely, I’ve always known that I want more.

“Thinking about all those times playing on the beach with my brothers and cousins and how far I’ve truly come.”

At the age of 23, Sewell has emerged as probably the best tackle in football in just three seasons since Holmes made him the first player he ever drafted in his capacity as general manager of the Lions. Last season, he was selected to the Pro Bowl for the second time in a row, and he became just the second offensive lineman from the Lions to be voted First-Team Associated Press All-Pro since the AFL/NFL merger in 1970.

Sewell possesses incredible tenacity, athleticism, and technique. He is undoubtedly a major factor in Detroit’s 13,172 yards, 112 touchdowns tied for second place, and 914 points, which is the third-highest total in the NFL since 2022.

The past three years have been somewhat of a blur for Sewell. Considering how much he has matured since arriving in Detroit as a wide-eyed rookie in 2000, it is quite astounding.

“Man, it was like three years ago you were here with your parents,” I said to Penei as we were wrapping up his contract signing. He was here with his parents, and we had just drafted him,” Holmes remarked. “And now he’s got two kids running around and he just signed and he’s the highest paid tackle.”

The deal is proof of the countless hours Sewell has put in over the past three years to establish himself as not just a formidable player but also a voice and one of this football team’s undeniable leaders. Both on and off the field, he and players like wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown—who also inked a huge contract extension last week—represent the character of the Lions franchise. The contracts were theirs to keep.

Sewell also stated on Monday that he still views himself as a player on the ascendancy and that Detroit’s next goal is to complete the feat that they were unable to do in their previous season, which included a trip to the NFC Championship game.

Sewell said, “To win,” in reference to the following item on his goal list. “Everything is necessary. We recently learned that we will be receiving contracts and signing them, so that’s our objective. I spoke with St. Brown about this. At the end of the day, it’s all about winning and raising that trophy.

“Those individual honors are not insignificant at all. I want the big guy now, please.”