It would be an understatement to say the Detroit Lions have put their fans through the wringer. For decades, the Lions were a laughingstock, one of the NFL’s true bottom feeders who acted as their own consistent supply of lowlights. But then Dan Campbell came in and ushered in a professional football Renaissance Detroit never saw coming.
Sunday’s NFC title game against the San Francisco 49ers might have just been a culmination for a fanbase waiting for a moment of joy.
If, for some reason, you don’t believe me, just take a look at this raucous watch party at Ford Field for the game. It looked like such a big party that if they never showed the actual field, then you’d think the Lions were hosting the battle for NFC supremacy, not the 49ers.
And everyone there paid a lot of money to watch on the JumboTron together:
The scene at Ford Field 🤯 pic.twitter.com/zTgjOYthqF
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 29, 2024
TALK TO 'EM @FORDFIELD#AllGrit pic.twitter.com/TcK4ZieJBT
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 28, 2024
The city of Detroit has clearly been waiting years for a Lions team like this. And at a certain point, the people of the city almost certainly stopped believing. But Campbell and Co. finally delivered a hard-hitting, championship-caliber team worth being proud of.
NFL fans were in awe of the Lions' watch party at Ford Field
This is a WATCH PARTY… Not a game… A WATCH PARTY. Give these people a ring. https://t.co/Sqar0u6JmK
— Kadidy (@LordKadidy) January 29, 2024
i’m so happy for lions fans man, yall deserve this https://t.co/aj288xJmi9
— ᑕᗩᒪEᗷ🧸 (@iamcbxii2) January 29, 2024
Good God if they win this place is about to explode https://t.co/oIMJtMJpJR
— Jack McMurtree (@jmcmurtree2005) January 29, 2024
Ford Field is watch party is lit 🤯 https://t.co/6zD4dWY7y6
— Paul B. Livengood II (@IamLivengood) January 29, 2024
It's a shame this game is not there. https://t.co/v8ZdEN1KHa
— Eman (@NYC_ClayMan) January 29, 2024
Ok. This is the place to be. https://t.co/Ce8rzQTyMq
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 29, 2024
Some of these folks reportedly paid $1,000 to get in there and watch this. #DETROIT https://t.co/jnlnqZKB9i
— Scott Hanson (@ScottHanson) January 29, 2024
Seeing Jared Goff embraced by Lions fans might be my favorite thing this NFL season.
Seeing those fans pack their stadium for an away game might be the second. 🩵 https://t.co/70esiTMefB
— Heather Lloyd (@ByHeatherLloyd) January 29, 2024
This is a completely sold out crowd where everyone is watching the game on the jumbotron. There is no place like Detroit. https://t.co/audeXSLjSF
— Marc Antinossi (@Antin0s) January 29, 2024