Getty Amani Oruwariye slaps a high-five with Alex Anzalone during the Lions 2021 win over Minnesota.
The Detroit Lions hadn’t won a game in almost exactly one calendar year, so when the victory did come, it came with an outpouring of emotion as was to be expected.
Given how the Lions won, there was even more emotion on the table following the game, and it spilled over from the field celebration to what became a very jubilant locker room party for the team and their well-deserving players after the battle was finished.
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Following the game, the locker room was a wild place, with team owner Sheila Ford-Hamp getting in on the fun and giving a big hug to Dan Campbell while proclaiming the game to be “un-fricking-believable.” From there, players celebrated and danced, and there was a speech by Campbell that was from the heart.
“To say I’m proud of you would be a major understatement gentlemen. That’s the way to just fight one more time, and it pays dividends. You know what we did? We found a way to win the day when we had to do it. We found a way,” Campbell says in the locker room. “We’ll talk about the game and all that later, but let me tell you something, defense we put you in some hard spots and you responded. Offense, man, we were doing some things and we kind of hit a lull nd whn we needed it, we came back. We came out early, and you don’t do what you have to do at the end of the game throwing it that much without your offensive linemen protecting you. This has been a long time coming. This is what makes it great, man. It’s what makes it hard as s*** too by the way, but it’s also what makes it great. It’s hard to win in this league, man. It’s hard. But that’s what makes it that much more special. I’m so f****** proud of you guys.”
After the speech, the players led by defensive lineman Michael Brockers, presented a game ball to Campbell and then spilled water all over the coach in a mob scene. It was a special moment for the Lions and their players that was indeed a long time coming this season.
Watch Lions Walk-Off Touchdown Over Vikings
Why all the excitement after the fact? The Lions have been snakebitten most of the season, but in a stunning turn of events, they managed to turn the table on Minnesota. Detroit, after making an inexplicable error on fourth down a series before and giving up a touchdown, managed to work down the field methodically and then get into the end zone with an improbable throw from Jared Goff with no time remaining on the clock.
Here’s the play:
OMG LIONSSSSS
Their last win was Dec. 6, 2020!!!!
t.co/9qXjg5Lyk3
(via @NFL)
Following the catch, the genuine outpouring of emotion on the field was palpable, and it was easy to see how much the victory meant to the Lions players as well as the fans and the coaches. It was the kind of feel-good moment the team has had far too few of this season, which only served to make the party bigger and better in the locker room following the game.
Win Special for Lions Given Circumstances
So why was the win so special for the Lions? For starters, the team won’t be going winless this season when it seemed they could be on track to do so. Additionally, it was exactly one year ago that the Lions won their last game, which is far too long for teams to go in between victories.
When an NFL team goes nearly a full calendar year without a win, there is plenty of emotion that is released when they finally do score a victory. Adding in the tragedy in Oxford, Michigan last week and it was the perfect storm for the team. In this case, that emotional release was just as exciting for the Lions after the game.
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