After years, decades really, of it not being the case, the Detroit Lions are now a team that players want to play for. A lot of that is rooted in how head coach Dan Campbell conducts his business, but the overall situation is good now and set to be sustainably good for years to come.
If all other things are equal, and such as they have multiple options, players do naturally consider geographical location when deciding which team to sign with when free agency comes. Winters in Michigan can be harsh, but natives of the state will vigorously defend the beauty of it and visitors usually come to appreciate it.
The brotherly banter between Amon-Ra St. Brown and Equanimeous St. Brown is the root of the appeal of the podcast they do. On last week's episode of the "St. Brown Podcast", Equanimeous went in on the city of Detroit as a place that's not desirable to live.
Amon-Ra St. Brown rips brother for his take about Detroit
"Detroit, no one's going there. I promise you," Equanimeous St. Brown said. "I think a lot of people outside of Detroit would agree with me, like, if they could choose to live anywhere in the world or the country they would not choose Detroit. Hate to say it."
It was such a "controversial" thing to say that the podcast's Twitter page shared it on Monday.
"If (people) could choose to live anywhere in the world or the country, they would not choose Detroit."
— St. Brown Podcast (@StBrownPodcast) October 7, 2024
Equanimeous SOUNDS OFF on the city of Detroit 😳 pic.twitter.com/cMN5H3wjZu
Amon-Ra St. Brown of course had a response to his brother's rant (which is a strong word to describe it) that ultimately dismissed Detroit as a "layover destination."
"I think a lot of Detroit fans would have something to say to that. A lot of Detroit fans have something to say about that, they love it up here."
The Midwest is regularly dismissed as "flyover country" by people who don't really know, so Equanimeous tapped into that cliche. His dismissal of Detroit as a place to live also comes off as a bit of possible sour grapes that the Lions didn't sign him last offseason, after he had expressed interest in joining his brother and they had a theoretical (if not actual) need at wide receiver.