Who are the Lions' biggest celebrity fans? Eminem, Taylor Lautner, Ninja and more cheering on Detroit

Dan Treacy

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Who are the Lions' biggest celebrity fans? Eminem, Taylor Lautner, Ninja and more cheering on Detroit image

The Lions have the entire city of Detroit behind them as they try to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. The only problem? Most of those fans won't be in attendance for the NFC championship, as the Lions are going on the road for the first time in these playoffs. 

Still, Dan Campbell's group knows it has vast support from both everyday fans and celebrities who have been waiting a long time for this moment to finally come.

The Lions have their share of famous fans, including a few who were spotted attending playoff games against the Rams and Buccaneers. If Detroit pulls off the upset and reaches Super Bowl 58, some of the franchise's most well-known fans will surely soak in every bit of the two-week buildup to the big game.

MORE: Revisiting the Lions' NFC title game history

Here's a rundown of the Lions' celebrity fans, from Eminem to Flavor Flav. 

Lions celebrity fans

Eminem

Eminem
(Getty Images)

Eminem is undoubtedly the Lions' biggest celebrity fan, and he's wasted no opportunity to cheer on his team in the playoffs. The rapper fired up the Ford Field crowd during Detroit's divisional-round win over the Buccaneers, and he was pictured with both Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson before the team's wild-card game against the Rams.

Eminem was born in Missouri, but he and his mother moved to a Detroit suburb when he was 12. Since then, he's been a fan of Detroit-area sports through-and-through. 

Taylor Lautner

"Twilight" actor Taylor Lautner is among the Lions' most notable fans. Born in Grand Rapids, Mich., Lautner attended Detroit's playoff win over the Buccaneers wearing a custom jacket emblazoned with Aidan Hutchinson's name and number. 

Lautner's fandom goes back several years, as he was featured in a 2015 video posted to the NFL's YouTube channel explaining that he has rooted for the team as far back as the end of Barry Sanders' career.

Keegan-Michael Key 

Comedian and actor Keegan-Michael Key has been vocal about his Lions support over the years. He praised the franchise during a "ManningCast" appearance in 2022, telling Peyton and Eli Manning that he believed the Lions can finish the season on an unbeaten run and make the playoffs.

While Detroit came up a mere tiebreaker short, Key is undoubtedly thrilled that the Lions have taken the next step in 2023. 

Key was born in Southfield, Mich., just 15 miles outside of Detroit.

MORE: Why the Lions signed Zach Ertz

Big Sean

Rapper Big Sean has also been a longtime Lions fan, and he was pictured at Detroit's playoff win over the Rams alongside Eminem and others. The Lions had Big Sean perform the Thanksgiving halftime show in 2021 when the team was still winless in Dan Campbell's first season.

Big Sean's family moved to Detroit when he was just three months old, so his roots are firmly in the city. 

Ninja

Video game streamer Ninja, born Tyler Blevins, is one of the most recognizable Lions fans for younger generations. He was supportive of the team during some of the leanest years, serving as an honorary captain for a 2019 game under Matt Patricia and telling ESPN in '18 that his brothers were raised as Lions fans. 

Unlike many other notable Lions fans, Ninja does not live in Detroit. He was born in Detroit but has lived in Chicago since he was an infant, and his father is a Bears fan. That makes for an interesting dynamic, though it's been quite a while since both the Lions and Bears were contenders in the same season. 

Kid Rock

Kid Rock hasn't been around during the Lions' playoff run, but Jared Goff would like that to change.

"I think the only guy, I don't know if I've seen him at a game yet, would be Kid Rock," Goff told a Detroit radio station before the Lions' divisional-round game against the Buccaneers. "That would be pretty fun. I think the crowd would enjoy that."

The musician is a longtime Lions fan and has performed at Ford Field in the past, putting on the halftime show during Detroit's Thanksgiving game in 2010. Ford Field isn't hosting any more games this season, but a trip to the Super Bowl might be appealing for Kid Rock.

Tim Allen

Actor Tim Allen was born in Colorado, but he and his family moved to a Detroit suburb when he was 13. It wasn't too late for Allen to become a Lions fan, and he's been supportive of the team ever since.

Allen attended the Lions' Thanksgiving game this season and praised coach Dan Campbell, telling WXYZ Detroit, "There's nothing more infections than his energy and enthusiasm." 

Jeff Daniels

"Dumb and Dumber" actor Jeff Daniels was born in Georgia, but like many other famous Lions fans, he grew up in Michigan. Daniels' family moved from Georgia just six weeks after he was born, returning to his parents' home state, and he attended both Central Michigan University and Eastern Michigan University for brief periods.

Daniels was in attendance for the Lions' divisional round win over the Buccaneers, and he appeared on an episode of "Peyton's Places" from Ford Field in 2022, trying to lift the curse that he believes hangs over the Lions. Knowing how well the Lions finished in '22 and have played in '23, it just might have worked.

MORE: What's the meaning behind Dan Campbell's 'MCDC' nickname?

Chad Smith

Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer and Will Ferrell lookalike Chad Smith is also a Lions fan, having moved from Minnesota to a Detroit suburb when he was young. Smith was in attendance for the Lions' divisional-round matchup with Tampa. 

Gretchen Whitmer

Well, this one is obvious. Gretchen Whitmer is the governor of Michigan, so she has little choice but to cheer on the Lions. Gov. Whitmer was at the Lions' divisional-round win over the Buccaneers, and there's no doubt she will be even more vocal in her support ahead of the NFC championship.

Flavor Flav

Rapper Flavor Flav is from New York, but he's been vocal about his support for the Lions throughout the team's playoff run. He posted an Instagram video of himself wearing a custom Lions jersey with his name on it during the Lions' divisional round win and was a guest at Ford Field.

Flavor Flav has also shared his support for the Pistons, though their season is going much differently than the Lions' 2023 campaign.

Dan Treacy

Dan Treacy Photo

Dan Treacy is a content producer for Sporting News, joining in 2022 after graduating from Boston University. He founded @allsportsnews on Instagram in 2012 and has written for Lineups and Yardbarker.