Matthew Stafford may be excited to play a playoff game back in Detroit this weekend, but it's fair to say a segment of Lions' fans doe not feel the same about facing their former signal caller. There has been a movement to ban Stafford Lions' jerseys from being in Ford Field on Sunday night, as if that's even enforceable by stadium security.
We are calling for a Lions Stafford Jersey ban on Sunday. It's time to put SOL in the ground. 💀 pic.twitter.com/FHn6rF7uoc
— TheDLine™ (@TheDetroitLine) January 9, 2024
Stafford's wife Kelly responded to the "jersey ban" on Twitter.
"Well, this is sad, because it’s the completely opposite of how we feel about this city. But, Matthew has always been the bigger person, and will continue to be that. Praying for an incredible game with zero injuries."
A Detroit bar is going all-in to ban Matthew Stafford jerseys on Sunday night
While Ford Field can't enforce a ban on Stafford Lions' jerseys to deny entry on Sunday night, individual establishments around the city could try to do so.
According to Tony Paul of the Detroit News, Thomas Magee's, a popular whisky bar in Detroit's Eastern Market, will turn away any customer who tries to enter wearing a Stafford Lions jersey.
"PSA: please refrain from trying to enter Thomas Magee's on game day with Lions Stafford jerseys. You'll be turned away at the door," the Facebook post read. "It's our first home (playoff) game in 30 years, use some common sense. Regards, Ownership."
It's perfectly within any bar, restaurant etc. rights to refuse service to anyone as they see fit, for any reason. Per Paul, Thomas Magee's owner Erik Olson often sees Lions' throwback jerseys in the bar, including Stafford jerseys. But...
'No, not Sunday," said Olson, a longtime Lions fan, who was at the last Lions' home playoff game in January 1994 against the Green Bay Packers, and will be at Sunday's game, too — with the same three people, his brother and two cousins. "(The post) was kind of fun, it's kind of a fun thing to do. At the same time, why would you wear that?"
Thomas Magee's made a little news as a Detroit bar that will ban Matthew Stafford jerseys on Sunday. They probably aren't actually the first to do so, just the first to be out there with it publicly enough to be part of a newspaper story, and they probably won't be the last to do it between now and game day.