It takes a lot of dedication to be a Lions fan, but it's the year of Michigan football, apparently, with a collegiate national championship and a playoff appearance for the pro team, which is enough to satisfy many Lions fans.
A good regular season wasn't enough for Eminem, though. The 15-time Grammy winner was desperate for a playoff win, going so far as to publicly tell Matthew Stafford on his Instagram that he owes Detroit a favor. Apparently, the now-Rams quarterback listened. The Lions got a wild-card victory and ended their 32-year playoff victory drought.
Eminem was there in Ford Field for the city's emotional moment. Don't think he's a bandwagon fan, though. He's about as dedicated to the team as it can get.
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Does Eminem own the Lions?
Eminem does not own the Lions, but he openly wishes he was part of the team.
After Detroit beat Los Angeles, the rapper let Dan Campbell know he'd be there again to help against the Buccaneers. In the stands? Of course not. He'll take over on-field in the third quarter.
Marshall Mathers, Eminem's real name, is no stranger to the Lions' losing struggles. He may have been born in Missouri, but he grew up in Warren, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. His family moved north when he was 11.
Despite that, some may say he's a Legacy of the city. The rapper released a track titled just that in 2013. It references the '08 Lions, who were the first NFL team to go 0-16:
"Me against the world, so what? I'm Brian Dawkins/Versus the whole 0-16 Lions offense/So bring on the Giants, Falcons, and Miami Dolphins."
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In return, the Lions have embraced their hometown hero. Eminem was featured in the team's training camp episode of Hard Knocks, which was released in August 2022 as Campbell entered his second season at the helm.
