Ahead of the Detroit Lions’ home game Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, Detroit cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson put out quite an interesting challenge. He asked Lions’ fans to bring blue ski masks to the game:
If you gone have a ski mask Sunday quote this ?
— C.J. Gardner-Johnson (@CGJXXIII) September 12, 2023
That led to those masks selling out at Amazon. And it led to lots of masks in the crowd. And it even led to NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero wearing one on a quick pregame report on NFL GameDay Morning Sunday:
"Omar, no more paper bags for Lions' fans." NFLN's Tom Pelissero donned a blue ski mask for a pregame report Sunday, similar to the masks worn by many in the stands. pic.twitter.com/EyzKqy4nlo
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 17, 2023
“Omar, no more paper bags for Lions’ fans. There are thousands of these blue ski masks on people here at Ford Field at the urging of safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who said ‘We’re taking what’s ours.’ These fans are loud. they’ve waited a long time for this, and they’re probably a little itchy.”
That is quite the unusual visual on a NFL pregame show. But Pelissero was far from alone in donning a blue mask. Here are some of the fans in the crowd who did similarly:
Couple hours before kickoff and multiple @Lions fans with blue ski masks already spotted ? ? New tradition in Detroit?? pic.twitter.com/MncIb31fiA
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 17, 2023
Receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown also supported the idea this week, and suggested the addition of a turnover ski mask:
Amon Ra St Brown is all in on the ski mask agenda ? he also wants the #Lions to start the “turnover ski mask” #OnePride pic.twitter.com/1APfi6qfZM
— Eric Vincent (@IAmEricVincent) September 13, 2023
So this may wind up becoming quite a notable thing. And Pelissero certainly contributed to that by donning a ski mask for this pre-game segment from Detroit Sunday.
[The Sporting News, image from Awful Announcing on Twitter]
