All Lions

All Lions: Whitmer, Tapper, Traina Take Aim at Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving

Read more on the struggles of the Detroit Lions being mentioned by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and CNN anchor Jake Tapper

John Maakaron

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. For football fans, it means a full slate of NFL games to watch while enjoying food, family and friends. 

The Detroit Lions have been a staple on Thanksgiving since the 1930s.

Unfortunately, since everyone in the country is aware of Detroit's historic struggles, the franchise has become an easy target for those critical of the team. 

On Thursday, multiple people discussed the struggles of the Lions while referencing Thanksgiving.

  • Michigan's Governor, Gretchen Whitmer, discussed her concerns regarding family gatherings during the holidays and referenced the Lions. “The more people we have in our homes talking and eating, drinking, hugging, yelling at the Lions, the higher the risk of catching or spreading this virus," Whitmer said.
  • CNN anchor Jake Tapper used his time on the air to explain why the holidays might not be as enjoyable as people want. “Coming up, a warning from a top medical expert that this Thanksgiving is, quote, 'going to suck' and not just for Lions fans,” Tapper said.
  • Sports Illustrated writer Jimmy Traina explained in his recent column that the NFL should move on from having Detroit play on Thanksgiving. "Nothing against Detroit, but it's time for the NFL to move on from forcing us to start out Thanksgiving afternoons by watching the Lions. It's not just because the Lions are always bad, but also because, unlike the Cowboys, they have such few rivalries that their Thanksgiving games lack excitement. This year is the perfect example. Texans at Lions? Talk about a giant shoulder shrug. Now, don't get me wrong. I will watch. I will watch every play. And I will enjoy it. But, I'd enjoy an attractive matchup, much more than Houston at Detroit."

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John Maakaron
JOHN MAAKARON

John Maakaron has covered Detroit Sports since 2013. Brings a vast array of experience covering the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans, Detroit Mercy Titans, and Oakland University Golden Grizzlies. John brings a wealth of sports broadcast experience. In 2013, John had the vision to establish the Detroit Sports Podcast Network. Has recorded over 3000 podcasts analyzing Detroit Sports. In 2019, Sports Illustrated Media Group, a historical sports media outlet, partnered with Detroit Sports Podcast to provide daily Lions content for their growing and expanding digital media outlet. Our Lions content can also be read in the newspaper at The Oakland  Passionate about Detroit Sports and it is reflected in his coverage of the local teams!

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