Getty Image / Gregory Shamus
Detroit has been starved for a championship for a long time. The last major pro sports championship for the city was the Detroit Red Wings in 2008, and the Pistons won four years before that in 2004.
But, they’ve got a great chance this year to win another, in the form of the Detroit Lions, the best team in the NFC. They just made a big move for edge Za’Darius Smith at the trade deadline, and Za’Darius Smith thrilled Detroit fans with his pre-game wardrobe choice.
Smith, acquired from the Cleveland Browns just prior to the trade deadline two weeks ago, was set to make his Detroit Lions debut on Sunday at home against the Jaguars. Here’s how the veteran showed up to the game.
.@zadariussmith pulled up to his first game in Detroit with the Sheed jersey 🔥@Lions | @DetroitPistons
📺: #JAXvsDET – 1pm ET on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/eWVuPFyLWV— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2024
You’re probably wondering what’s so special about wearing a Rasheed Wallace jersey. Plenty of players rep throwbacks for pregame attire.
Rewind back to that 2004 season. The Pistons had lost in the playoffs the year before, and were one piece away from a title. They traded for Rasheed Wallace during the season, and won the NBA title over the Lakers a few months later.
Za’Darius Smith wants to have that same impact for an absolutely loaded Lions team. He’s proven to be an efficient pass-rusher in both Green Bay and Cleveland, totaling 65 career sacks. Despite the Browns being behind for most of every game they’ve played this year, he’s managed five sacks in limited opportunities. With superstar defensive end Aidan Hutchinson sidelined with a major knee injury that will likely keep him out the rest of the year, Smith could prove to be a solid replacement.