For some, being a Detroit Lions fan was something they were born into. It’s a life sentence as a result of being born into a Lions family or growing up in Michigan. For others, something brought them into Lions fandom, be it a player, an era, or something something as simple as the team’s logo or colors. We welcome all Lions fans, regardless of their origin story.
Regardless of whether you’re a lifer or a newcomer, there are likely one or two Lions players in history that kept you coming back. A player that was
so good, so charismatic, or so easy to root for that even if you wanted to leave Lions fandom, you couldn’t.
So today’s Question of the Day is:
Which Lions player is most responsible for your fandom?
My answer: As a person growing up in the 1990s, the answer is going to be pretty obvious. It is Barry Sanders without question.
Not only was Barry easily the best player on the Lions roster. Not only was he arguably the most exciting player to watch in the entire NFL. But I also related to him in a lot of ways.
He was short. I was short. He was quiet. I was quiet. He reportedly fell asleep while on the bench in games. I love naps.
Like many people my age, all I wanted to do growing up was be Barry Sanders. I practiced my shimmying in the mirror. I tried to reverse the entire field during backyard football games. I got his jersey, and one of those old mini-lockers with his name on it.
Without a doubt, I wouldn’t be the Lions fan I am today if it weren’t for Barry Sanders.
Who was the player that influenced your Lions fandom the most? Share your story in the comment section below.
