A Letter from Disillusioned Detroit Lions Supporters to the Gridiron Gods
Dear Gridiron Gods,
We, the loyal and long-suffering fans of the Detroit Lions, come to you today not as casual observers but as those who have weathered the storms, endured the disappointments, and continued to show up—year after year, week after week—despite it all. With each season, we rise to face the same hope, the same belief, that this will be the year. Yet, time and time again, our hopes are dashed, and our faith is tested. We write to you now, not in anger, but in a mixture of disillusionment, frustration, and longing for something we have been denied for far too long: success, glory, and a championship.
We were born into this. For many of us, being a Lions fan was never a choice; it was a birthright, passed down from father to son, from mother to daughter. We grew up with the sacred knowledge that football is not just a game but a way of life. It is a shared experience, a Sunday ritual, a constant that binds families, communities, and generations. But what happens when that ritual is forever tinged with disappointment? What happens when that passion is met with heartbreak?
We remember the good times—the moments when the Lions dared to dream, when they gave us brief glimpses of what could be. The days of Barry Sanders, the greatest running back to ever grace the field. We remember his electrifying runs, his agility, his ability to make defenders look foolish. We were proud of him, and though he was often surrounded by mediocrity, we knew that he was something special. Yet, despite his greatness, the Lions failed to build around him. They failed to give him a team worthy of his talents. And with each passing season, we watched as the promise of victory slipped further from our grasp.
But it wasn’t just Barry. There were other brief moments of hope. The 1991 team, which came so close, only to be undone by officiating, bad luck, or simple misfortune. The Lions, that season, had the makings of a true contender, but the football gods seemed to look away at the most inopportune times. We thought that perhaps, just perhaps, this was our year. But once again, it was not to be.
As the years dragged on, we began to ask ourselves: Why? Why do we always seem to be on the edge of something great, only to fall back into mediocrity? Why do we watch as other franchises, year after year, find success while we remain stuck in an endless loop of failure? What is it about the Detroit Lions that keeps us tethered to this eternal cycle of hope and despair?
The truth, dear Gridiron Gods, is that we are starting to lose our patience. We are tired. We are tired of being the butt of jokes, tired of hearing about how our team is the laughingstock of the NFL. We are tired of seeing other franchises draft better, build smarter, and ultimately win championships while we remain stuck in the past, mired in bad decisions, bad coaching, and a culture that seems to breed failure.
We know that you are powerful, that you shape the outcomes of games, that you hold the fates of players and teams in your hands. We know that sometimes, no matter how hard a team tries, no matter how much effort they put in, they are simply not meant to win. But we ask you now, with all the humility we can muster, to show mercy on us. Give us something to believe in. Give us a team that fights for every yard, a team that refuses to give up, a team that can rise above the challenges and finally bring home a championship. For so long, we have watched as other cities celebrate their triumphs, basking in the glory of victories that we can only dream of. We deserve better than this. We deserve more than just another season of mediocrity, more than just another season of false hope.
We understand that building a winning team takes time. We know that success doesn’t happen overnight. But when you’ve been waiting for a championship since 1957, it’s hard to remain patient. It’s hard to keep telling ourselves that next year will be the year, especially when next year always seems to bring the same results: a few flashes of brilliance followed by crushing defeats, missed opportunities, and ultimately, another season without a playoff victory.
We have watched as the Lions have cycled through coaches, general managers, and quarterbacks, hoping that the next change will be the one that brings success. We’ve seen the highs—Matthew Stafford’s cannon arm, Calvin Johnson’s jaw-dropping catches, the occasional moments when it felt like the Lions were finally ready to take that next step—and we’ve seen the lows—the coaching changes, the draft busts, the injuries, the internal struggles that have plagued this franchise for decades. And with each passing year, the cycle continues.
But, Gridiron Gods, we are not asking for a miracle. We are not asking for a championship to be handed to us on a silver platter. What we are asking for is respect—for the team, for the fans, and for the history of this proud franchise. We want to see a team that is more than just a collection of talented individuals. We want to see a team that plays with passion, with pride, with heart. A team that represents the city of Detroit, a city that has long been a symbol of hard work, perseverance, and resilience. We want to see a team that reflects the spirit of the people who have supported them through thick and thin, no matter how many times they have let us down.
We ask you, Gridiron Gods, to show mercy on the Detroit Lions. Give us the strength to rise above our disappointments, to push through the heartbreak, and to finally claim the glory that has long eluded us. Give us the wisdom to make better decisions, the vision to build a team that can compete, and the courage to face the challenges ahead. And most of all, give us the faith to believe that, someday, our time will come—that we will be able to watch our team hoist the Lombardi Trophy, to see the city of Detroit erupt in celebration, and to know that we were there, standing by our team through it all.
We are not asking for the impossible. We are asking for a chance. A chance to believe, a chance to hope, and a chance to finally see the Detroit Lions rise to the heights that they—and we—deserve.
With hope, loyalty, and an unwavering belief that someday, somehow, it will all come together,
