Nate Burleson to join Lions preseason broadcasts

Nate Burleson is making a comeback with the Detroit Lions. On TV, that is.

Burleson, who played for the Lions in 2010-13, will join the team's broadcast booth for three exhibition games this fall.

Matt Shepard and former Lions tight end Rob Rubick also are on the broadcast team.

Burleson was one the Lions' most charismatic players during his four seasons with the team and spent last year, his first season of retirement, working for the NFL Network.

Burleson caught 194 passes in four seasons with the Lions but missed large chunks of his last two seasons with leg and arm injuries. He caught a career-high 73 passes for the team in 2011, and helped the Lions reach the playoffs.

WJBK-TV (Fox 2) will broadcast three of the Lions' preseason games this year: Aug. 13 against the New York Jets, Aug. 20 at Washington and Sept. 3 against the Buffalo Bills.

The Lions' Aug. 28 preseason game at the Jacksonville Jaguars is a nationally televised game on CBS.

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

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