Getty Penei Sewell runs on the field before his debut with the Lions.
Penei Sewell was drafted by the Detroit Lions last year, but he has wasted no time getting himself acclimated to his new surroundings.
This year, Sewell was asked to join the Detroit Grand Prix as the grand marshal for the event. It’s an honor that usually gets bestowed upon a member of the franchise as Dan Campbell proved last year, and this time around Sewell was up for the challenge of heading to Belle Isle and being a part of the event during the day.
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The Lions posted a recap of the event on Twitter in which they showed what Sewell was able to do during the day of fun. He not only got to mix it up with fans, but go behind the ropes with drivers as well. Here’s a look:
.@peneisewell58 had a day at the @detroitgp‼️
Perhaps the best part of the video involves Sewell going for a spin in a car. The cameras follow him as he goes through the turns, and he nearly loses his glasses. Additionally, Sewell got to try on a racing helmet, which had to be a thrill for the tackle as well.
“Yeah, we lived,” Sewell says in the video as he whips around in the car. Indeed he did experiencing a moment like that.
For Sewell, it had to be a thrill to get to understand what puts the “motor” in the Motor City.
Sewell Was ‘Excited’ for Grand Prix Experience
Going into the weekend, Sewell was clearly fired up, as he showed with a tweet prior to the weekend. Obviously, going into the event, Sewell was ready to go and live it up on the island. Not just a usual event, Sewell looked thrilled to be representing the team during the day.
“I’m excited to be the grand marshal in the Detroit Grand Prix this Sunday. And I’m excited to see y’all there. Let’s get it!,” Sewell said in his interview before the race.
Clearly, based on the photos and videos from his experience, he did “get it” indeed. Fans came out, saw Sewell and he managed to do a great job with his race day responsibilities.
Sewell Enjoyed Solid 2021 Rookie Season
As the video shows, Sewell has gotten adjusted to life in the Motor City off the field, which is great news. To say that the 2021-22 season was a strong start for Sewell on the field is more than a bit of an understatement. The offensive tackle excelled no matter where he was playing, and managed to catch the eye of sites like Pro Football Focus multiple times. Sewell was one of the top-graded tackles in the league as a rookie, and routinely opened eyes for his ability to keep whomever was playing quarterback for the Lions upright as well as helping the running game succeed. Sewell did not crack the Pro Bowl for his rookie work last year, but the fact he was stable on the field should be enough of a plus for the Lions moving forward. As a whole, Sewell started 16 total games for the Lions and was a mainstay up front for the team. Perhaps the signature moment for Sewell is when he refused to back down from Aaron Donald in a game:
Sewell is looking forward to more big moments with the Lions in the next few years, and with his selection as grand marshal behind him, it’s clear that folks consider him a big piece of the puzzle for the team and the community.
That is awesome news for Sewell and the Lions, indeed.
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