It'd be hard to blame Eminem for being angry. The Lions had just blown a 17-point halftime lead, one of the biggest ever for a NFC Championship game, and had their season ended, more or less, by the 49ers in a four-minute span. And what's more is that even during the game, he wasn't exactly cozying up to the San Francisco crowd:
.@Eminem at the game today. Full on mood! pic.twitter.com/LXV2BcGWRr
— Kenny King Jr (@KennyKing_Jr) January 29, 2024
So in the immediate aftermath of the Lions' 34-31 loss on Sunday night, it'd make sense that he'd be pretty angry. It's not like he's known for having a particularly warm public demeanor, either. So as everyone waited with bated breath (maybe that's a little dramatic) for what Eminem's reaction would be, the Detroit native threw fans a curveball with his postgame tweet:
So proud of the @Lions Thanks 4 an amazing season!!!! We'll b back!!!
— Marshall Mathers (@Eminem) January 29, 2024
That's ... incredibly reasonable? Inspiring? Optimistic? Whatever it is, it's a little bit surprising, all things considered. He's not exactly wrong, either: the Lions have one of the youngest teams in the NFL, and even with NFL windows being what they are (nonexistent, basically), it wouldn't be a shock to see the Lions playing on Championship weekend again a few times over the next several seasons. So here's to hoping that the Lions find their way back to a title game, and that Eminem finds his way back to an open-air suite where he can flip off opposing fans. That's the NFL we all deserve.