Calls Mount Against Dan Campbell’s Lions for Inviting $150M Star as Barry Sanders Returns to Ford Field in Latest Collab

Michigan-born rapper Kid Rock’s reputation is as subtle as a sledgehammer. From allegedly punching Tommy Lee at the 2007 MTV Music Video Awards to rocking those politically charged shirts at his concerts, the rapper has never been one to fade into the background. The 54-year-old has built his career on being loud, brash, and unapologetically himself. Naturally, his infamous reputation has made him a lightning rod for controversy.

Now, the Lions might be stepping into that storm. The team’s official page dropped a video on Instagram teasing something involving Dan Campbell, Barry Sanders, Detroit’s own Big Sean… and yes, Kid Rock. The video features the four men walking at Ford Field, then sitting on chairs. The camera pans to their faces before cutting out. They captioned the post, “🏠🦁🎶,” revealing no other details. 

Now, it might be a podcast, or it might be an interview, but the Detroit Lions have kept the details pretty hush-hush. You might not have forgotten the backlash Jared Goff faced when he extended an informal invite to Kid Rock for their divisional game against the Bucs. “I think the only guy, I don’t know if I’ve seen him at a game yet, would be Kid Rock. That would be pretty fun. I think the crowd would enjoy that,” said Goff. Truth be told, he offended more than half the Lions’ fan base with that statement.

And there are plenty of reasons for fans to feel that way. The latest being when the “Only God Knows Why” singer marched off the stage at Bon Jovi’s Nashville Bar. The reason was that the crowd wasn’t meeting Kid Rock’s expectations. Asking the audience to clap, the Cowboy singer said, “F— them. F— them. Hey, hey, stop. If you ain’t gonna clap, we ain’t gonna sing. That’s how it’s gonna go.” Then, after a minute, he stopped singing, said, “You know what, f— y’all. You ain’t gonna clap, I’m gone,” and just left the stage.

So, we’re going to leave the part about why the Lions might not want him around right there. Let’s see what fans had to say about the latest drop.

Detroit Lions fans go off on Kid Rock

Well, you could say the Lions’ teaser video didn’t quite pass the vibe check, at least not for Kid Rock. The $150 million net worth star is getting bluntly snubbed by Detroit fans, who are making it clear they don’t want the Redneck Paradise singer anywhere near the team. “The people of Detroit don’t wanna hear a damn word Kid Rock has to say,” one user commented.

Back in 2020, when the pandemic swept the globe, Kid Rock refused to shut down his bar, Kid Rock’s Big Honky Tonk & Rock ‘n’ Roll Steakhouse, in Nashville. That move earned him plenty of heat, with fans ripping him apart for his defiance. “I was excited till I seen Kid Rock… I think I speak for a lot of us—he’s not Detroit culture and we don’t accept him,” one user wrote. Some fans even called out the team for snubbing Eminem, a die-hard Detroit supporter since day one. “No one likes Kid Rock. Omg, please do better next time, NFL and Detroit Lions. Don’t have that man around. Where the hell is Eminem?” another user fired off.

Another user chimed in, “Love everyone here except Kid Rock. Please get Eminem instead.” The 54-year-old was once also bashed for his comments on singer Taylor Swift, claiming that she is politically outspoken just to snag film roles. “Taylor Swift wants to be a Democrat because she wants to be in movies … period. And it looks like she will suck the doorknob off Hollywood to get there. Oldest move in the book. Good luck, girl.” 

A user in the comment section called the singer out, saying his energy doesn’t match Detroit. “This was all good until I seen Kid Rock. Get him out of there. His energy is not the culture for Detroit.” Well, you see, the Lions haven’t even announced what this is all about yet, and fans are already groaning against their collaboration with the singer-rapper. Well, your move, Detroit.