Now into his 13th season, and 188 regular season games to be exact, Detroit Lions guard Kevin Zeitler has never played an NFL game at Lambeau Field. Spending 10 of his previous 12 seasons with teams in the AFC North will do that, with the NFC North on a rotating cross-conference schedule and with rotating home/road games against those teams.
Why is never having played at Lambeau kind of a big deal for Zeitler? He's a Waukesha, Wisconsin native, he went to the University of Wisconsin and as he told Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network this week he spends his summer break back home in the northern part of the state.
"From the moment OTAs end to the start of training camp, I live in northern Wisconsin all summer,” Zeitler said.
As Rogers conveyed, "just like owning a cabin" Zeitler predictably grew up a Packers fan, with his first memory as a fan losing to the Dallas Cowboys in the 1996 NFC Championship Game. The Packers won the Super Bowl the following year, which locked in Zeitler's fan allegiance until the Cincinnati Bengals took him in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
Kevin Zeitler hoping for a better Lambeau Field experience this time around
Zeitler told Rogers he has been to Lambeau Field once before, for a banquet honoring the high school all-state team.
"I got food poisoning,” Zeitler said. “That was a miserable night and that's the only time I've been. Great memories.”
Zeitler has fit in very well during his first season with the Lions, after signing a one-year deal in March. He's playing very well, as a piece of arguably the best offensive line in the league (PFF's No. 9 overall-graded guard entering Week 9). He has lived up his reputation as a steady blocker who rarely makes a mistake (zero penalties so far this season).
The idea of an in-season contract extension to extend his stay in Detroit has been put out there a bit. But the 34-year old Zeitler told Rogers there haven't been any extension talks yet, and he understands the business when it comes to a player his age.
"I would love that, but it's just one of those things,” Zeitler said. “As nice as it would be to take care of it, sign now because I don't want to move again, I understand. It's hard to make that commitment when it's an old guy.”
Zeitler told Rogers he is expecting a lot of family and friends to be in the stands on Sunday, but "how many and how they’re getting there, that’s on them" as he focuses on his task at-hand.
Zeitler had a parting thought for Rogers when asked if he could imagine what the young version of himself would think about this weekend.
"I would have thought it would be pretty sweet,” Zeitler said. “It's going to be pretty cool, but wouldn't have imagined it being a Lion though, I can guarantee you that.”