As the NFL season gets underway, we thought we’d take a look at some of the more well-known Detroit Lions fans who have made their allegiances known.
Some of these are a bit more obvious, but perhaps we'll surprise you with one or two of these celebs on our list. And you can take solace in the fact that next time you're cursing at your TV, angry about the latest holding penalty, maybe Jeff Daniels is right there with you -- in spirit, at least.
1. Kid Rock
Kid Rock is definitely one of the better-known Detroit fans. He attends the games, he’s often spotted in Detroit gear and he even released an NFL-style anthem called “In Detroit” back in 2012. He might even know the words to that “Gridiron Heroes” song they play at Ford Field.
2. Eminem
Eminem has said publicly on several occasions that he's a huge football fan, and that he loves the Lions. "I never say the Lions are going to do good or bad ... because I never wanna jinx that," he said in an interview on his SiriusXM channel, Shade 45. "The Lions overall are my favorite team -- (my) absolute favorite team, you know?"
3. Aretha Franklin
Even though the Queen of Soul died in 2018, we couldn’t justify taking her off this list.
And although it’s not known if she tuned in each Sunday to watch the Lions play, Franklin definitely appeared to have a soft spot for her home team. The team asked her to sing the national anthem for the Thanksgiving 2016 game, a matchup between the Lions and the Minnesota Vikings, and officials were elated when Franklin agreed. She even responded with enthusiasm, ESPN reported, which is notable considering Franklin hadn’t performed much publicly at the time. (In fact, less than a year later, she announced her retirement from the music business). But for that Thanksgiving Day, Franklin donned a winter Lions hat, sat behind the piano and knocked the socks off the audience at Ford Field with a nearly 5-minute-long rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner.” Many players were visibly moved by her iconic, show-stopping performance. Rest in peace, Aretha.
4.) Bob Seger
Seger, a classic Detroit talent, has tweeted his support for the team, like he did once before a Monday Night Football game. “Go Lions!” the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer said, along with a slew of hashtags.
5. Tim Allen
The voice of Pure Michigan himself, Allen is another one of those “of course he is” fans.
He wore a Lions shirts on “Home Improvement” back in the day. More recently, he dressed as a Lion on what appeared to be Halloween, according to a TMZ photo. Allen is a self-professed lifelong Detroit fan, and he’s even spoken out critically of his team, which any true Lions fan can probably understand. When Jim Caldwell was brought on board as head coach in 2014, Allen questioned the hire, saying something like, “How well did Baltimore’s offense do last season?” referencing the Ravens’ dismal previous year with Caldwell as offensive coordinator. “Kind of sloppy, right?” (We get it, Tim).
6. Big Sean
Big Sean, a 2006 Cass Tech High School grad, has said that he loves all four Detroit sports teams, but follows the Lions and the Tigers most closely. He has also performed at halftime on Thanksgiving Day.
7. Jeff Daniels
Daniels, who grew up in Chelsea and is another Detroit sports fan, has spoken to ESPN about what it’s like to cheer for the Lions. (“Cursed,” is a word he used, in case you’re curious).
8. Smokey Robinson
Robinson, a Detroit native, has called himself a "huge sports fan." When asked about his love for the Motor City, he said, "I'm very happy the teams there have been successful. For a while, the Pistons were doing great, too. Anything to bring some positivity to the city is good."
9. Keegan-Michael Key
Key, of "Key and Peele" fame, grew up in the Detroit area, went to college in the city and never lost his fandom, he told a reporter in an in-depth Lions interview published in December 2015.
10. Jana Kramer
Did you know? The country singer and actress, who, at one point, was self-described on her Twitter bio as “just a Michigander, living my dreams,” hails from Rochester. In January 2016, Kramer confirmed her status as a Lions fan on social media -- while at the same time admitting that she also roots for the Denver Broncos. And for the record? “I don’t like (Tom) Brady,” she said in the same tweet. (Brady, for what it’s worth, played college ball at the University of Michigan).
11. Ryan Riess
Riess, another "lifelong Lions fan," won the World Series of Poker -- poker's own version of the Super Bowl, if you will -- back in 2013. He wore a white No. 81 jersey (Calvin Johnson's) at the final table, hoping the Lions would bring him luck. And they certainly did, considering he won nearly $8.4 million. Riess went to high school in Waterford and graduated from Michigan State.
All photos, unless otherwise noted: Getty Images. This story was first published in 2018. It has since been updated.