The last time the Detroit Lions played in the NFC title game, the Soviet Union had only just recently fallen. Jay Leno wasn’t yet the full-time host of The Tonight Show. And Quentin Tarantino was still a relatively unknown director. So forgive Detroit sports fans if they want to revel in history as the Lions square off against the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday with a trip to Super Bowl 58 on the line.
General Motors is doing its part.
According to The Detroit Free Press, the famed automotive production company is letting its third-shift workers at its Flint, Michigan facility come in an hour later on Sunday night so they can watch the Lions. They are usually scheduled to start their shifts at 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time, but the Lions play the 49ers at 6:30, which wouldn’t have left much breathing room for anyone sitting down to watch the game. Flint is the only Michigan GM plant that runs a third shift on Sundays, and delaying production is considered very abnormal.
Here’s an alert workers received from GM on Wednesday, per The Detroit Free Press:
“We recognize the Detroit Lions playing in an NFC championship game as a rare, unique opportunity that warrants this temporary schedule adjustment to allow employees to enjoy the game and to make it to work on time.”
That is so, so cool. GM is one of the major American institutions in automotive production. For the company to do anything to accommodate its Lions fan workers in light of the biggest game for the franchise in decades is just an awesome gesture.
NFL fans loved GM's plan to let some of its workers comfortably watch the Lions in the NFC title game
This is pretty awesome. Nothing usually allows for adjustment of shifts so this is pretty cool! #AllGrit https://t.co/KH6MTkxZ4R
— Jobi Linn Schaeffer, MBA ☮️ 🟦 (@Jobilinn) January 24, 2024
Nice. The Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship game is Haley's Comet as far I'm concerned https://t.co/JUztmsBgko
— Obsidian Blue (@obsidianblue) January 25, 2024
Great move by @GM, which someone else here on X dubbed “Generous Motors.”#AllGrit https://t.co/GzwroyDwLh
— Matthew Hutchison (@mhutchison) January 25, 2024
This is incredible! https://t.co/hxk4asgkdg
— MJA (@MJADetBos) January 25, 2024
🚘 🏈 🦁 https://t.co/UDWvxaQYpN
— Jen Taub (@jentaub) January 24, 2024
This is awesome!!! https://t.co/R9FqaJ7NnT
— Caitlin McLaughlin (@caitemclaughlin) January 24, 2024
Love this. Good move @GM https://t.co/WADv3hAU23
— Stacy Parker Le Melle (@StacyLeMelle) January 24, 2024
Priorities!! 🏈🏈🏈🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/ETB6udB9WT
— Leah ליאה (@gusnlea) January 24, 2024
They done the right thing. https://t.co/XLp3uOkS5K
— Han (@hanchicago) January 25, 2024