Skip to main content

Lions WR Golden Tate says fans ‘turned their back on us’

After his Detroit Lions suffered another disappointing loss Sunday, wide receiver Golden Tate had stern words for the fans that exited the stadium in mass well before the game was over.
  • Author:
  • Publish date:

After his Detroit Lions suffered another disappointing loss Sunday, wide receiver Golden Tate had stern words for the fans that exited the stadium en masse well before the game was over.

According toThe Detroit News, more than 60,000 fans showed up to watch the Lions take on the Arizona Cardinals. However, that number reportedly dwindled to around 1,000 fans remained by the time the fourth started in the 42–17 blowout defeat. 

“Before the game started, I looked up, there were a lot of empty seats. Early on in the game, our team is getting booed,” Tate said after the game. “Later in the game, it sounded like the loudest they got was when (quarterback Matthew) Stafford was leaving the game and Dan (Orlovsky) was coming in. And that's not the support that we want.”

Tate said he felt abandoned by his fan base. 

“When we win, we all win together—the city, as an organization, as a state. When we lose, we all lose together. And today, I felt like, at times, our fan base kind of turned their back on us.”

The Lions have opened the season 0–5, their worst start since 2008, when the team finished 0–16. Stafford has struggled, and the former No. 1 pick was benched for Dan Orlovsky during Sunday’s loss. Stafford has thrown more interceptions (8) than touchdowns (6) this season. 

Giants finally find fourth-quarter redemption in thrilling win over 49ers