While the Detroit Lions came into their Monday Night Football matchup with the San Francisco 49ers without having much to play for, defensive end Za’Darius Smith wanted to make sure his teammates didn’t enter the game playing scared.
He said as much as he and teammate Christian Mahogany walked through the Levi’s Stadium tunnels towards the field.
“Don’t be scared now motherf***ers,” he shouted as he approached an ESPN camera.
Realizing all too late that the camera was pointed right at him, Smith asked “That ain’t on TV, is it?”
Alas, it was.
Za’Darius Smith: “Don’t get scared now motherf***ersssss… That ain’t on TV, is it?” 😂💀 pic.twitter.com/RJx25OAOq2
— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) December 31, 2024
Mahogany seemed to realize the situation a second before Smith, smiling and shaking his head as he walked out of frame.
Perhaps the Lions could have used that advice after all. They went into the locker room at halftime down 21-13, though they quickly closed that gap in the second half and ended up garnering a 40-34 win.
The Lions will now play the Minnesota Vikings next week in the final game of the regular season, with the winner claiming the NFC North crown and a coveted first-round bye in the playoffs.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.