The Detroit Lions are going to the NFC playoffs for the first time since 2016 and will enter the postseason as a division champion for the first time since 1993. But defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs will not be with them.

The Lions waived the former Alabama defensive lineman on Tuesday, adding another chapter to an odd season for Buggs.

This is the second time during his career that Buggs has been waived by a playoff-bound team in the week before its regular-season finale.

The Pittsburgh Steelers released Buggs the day before its finale for the 2021 campaign.

A sixth-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, Buggs had played 433 defensive snaps in 29 games in three seasons with the Steelers.

Signed by the Lions just before training camp in 2022, Buggs played in all 17 games, with 13 starts, for Detroit last season. He recorded 46 tackles, one sack, 10 quarterback hits, two pass breakups and one forced fumble while on the field for 755 defensive snaps.

Rather than become an unrestricted free agent, Buggs signed a two-year, $4.5 million contract extension with the Lions that included a $1 million signing bonus and $2.1 million in guaranteed money.

But when the season started, Bugg was designated as a game-day inactive for the first two contests. After playing off the bench in the next five games, Buggs missed four of the next five games. For two of those games, he appeared on the injury report with the explanation “illness.”

But Buggs came back to start the next three games before playing 23 defensive snaps as a reserve in Saturday’s 20-19 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

In 10 games, Buggs played 254 defensive snaps, made 12 tackles and recorded one sack in 2023.

On social media on Tuesday, Buggs wrote: “Thank you, Detroit, for everything. The past year has been amazing from meeting new people, playing with great people. But the time has come for me to say goodbye, Detroit. 96 out.”

The Lions waived Buggs after Detroit coach Dan Campbell said on Monday he thinks “there’s a shot” defensive tackle Alim McNeill will return to the active roster from injured reserve this week. McNeill started the first 12 games of the season before a knee injury sidelined him for the past four games.

While Buggs lost his NFL roster spot on Tuesday, another player with Alabama football roots returned to the league. The Jacksonville Jaguars waived offensive lineman Chandler Brewer on Saturday when they activated former Alabama All-American Cam Robinson from injured reserve. On Tuesday, the Jaguars got the former Florence High School standout back on the team by signing him for their practice squad.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.