On Sunday morning, the NFL tweeted out this banger:
The return.
— NFL (@NFL) January 14, 2024
📺: #LARvsDET — 8pm ET on NBC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/mU4iXZDkz4
Even if we ignore Stafford's size 18 feet, it's a weird photo. Why is that fan on the left addressing him so formally? And obviously his return to the Detroit is exactly the type of thing that NFL Twitter account exists to tweet about, but still – it felt weird to see them frame Sunday night's game as some sort of fun homecoming celebration. Lions fans weren't crazy about it either:
Let me be very clear: tonight is about Detroit. Nobody else. It’s about us. https://t.co/24sQUWy7p4
— Zach Harig (@zach_harig) January 14, 2024
The Lions are NFC North Champions for the first time ever and you disrespect like this? Really? https://t.co/Z5F77fLI5O
— Rachel (@richardson2210) January 14, 2024
The NFL must not truly know Detroit based on this graphic. It’s going to be a legit hell zone for the Rams #9 https://t.co/UZ4negr0O2
— Julius P. Scott (@TheFifthTop) January 14, 2024
And from the looks of things around Ford Field pregame, there aren't going to be too many weirdly formal signs welcoming Stafford out of the tunnel:
Getting a sense Lions fans aren’t giving Stafford a warm welcome tonight pic.twitter.com/dQlgGndi3N
— Sam Robinson (@samueljrob) January 14, 2024
Been strolling through the concourse for almost 30 minutes and not a single Stafford Lions jersey!
— Jeff Riger (@riger1984) January 14, 2024
So proud of these fans! pic.twitter.com/bqnuBjLcsk
Good for those fans, who hopefully went and immediately got some waters after this interview. It's their first home playoff game in over 30 years, so you'll understand Lions fans having other things to be more excited, and then probably a little nervous, about. Ford Field is already packed and getting rowdy, and with the game set to kickoff in under an hour, both the Lions and the Rams have already released their inactives list.