Detroit Lions star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown ruffled some Green Bay Packers fans’ feathers after arriving at Lambeau Field wearing a “Green Bay Sucks” sweatshirt before the rivalry matchup.
St. Brown brought fuel to this NFC North rivalry that was already potent, and one Packers legend had nothing but respect for it.
“I love it, I love it,” Clay Matthews told Fox News Digital. “I wish I would’ve done more of it.”
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Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, with a “Green Bay Sucks” hoodie, walks off the bus as the team arrives at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., on Nov. 3, 2024. (IMAGN)
Matthews, who was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame this year, spent 10 of his 11 NFL seasons leading Green Bay on defense. And when it came to the Lions’ rivalry, the Packers were usually the ones taking care of business in those bouts.
But seeing as the Lions are the team to beat at the moment in the division, Matthews can’t help but tip his cap to someone like St. Brown, who is already not in the best relationship with Packers fans.
In a rivalry, though, that’s just the way it’s supposed to be. Matthews even likened what St. Brown did, and will likely continue to do, to the WWE.
“You’re not trying to go against the grain. You’re not trying to get any media headlines, but if there’s one thing you can learn from the WWE or the UFC, it’s that this is the type of stuff that makes rivalries. This is what fans want to see,” Matthews said. “They want to see Amon-Ra have a ‘Green Bay Sucks’ shirt and how Green Bay’s going to respond, and the fans take that reaction of, ‘They don’t respect us,’ but Detroit playing the ‘Detroit vs. Everybody.’
“I think it makes great storylines, and it makes it more engaging for us fans now that I’ve transitioned to being a fan. I love to see it.”
Last season, St. Brown even tried to do a “Lambeau Leap” touchdown celebration, and one Packers fan decided to pour their beer down his jersey. Since then, St. Brown has been relentless about sticking it to the Packers and its fan base, whenever they’re on the schedule.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown catches a pass in front of Green Bay Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon to score a touchdown during the second quarter at Lambeau Field. (Jeff Hanisch – USA TODAY)
It will be at Ford Field in Detroit the next time these two square off, a “Thursday Night Football” game on Dec. 5.
Would Matthews try something like St. Brown if he was still playing for Green Bay?
“Hey, I’m not trying to get pelted with beer or anything like that,” Matthews said, laughing. “It takes a brave soul to wear something like that to Detroit or Philly or anywhere else for that matter.”
But Matthews admits the Lions are certainly the team to beat in the conference, and when that matchup does come around, perhaps his former squad can lean into the rivalry just like St. Brown has to get the juices flowing more than normal.
“Right now, the Lions are rolling. They look great,” Matthews admitted. “Obviously, it’s still a little early in the season, but they look like the team to beat, in the NFC, that is. I know the Packers dropped one, but they have another one coming up against them. It’s going to be a tight race, and it’s going to be a fun playoffs to watch.”
Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews, left, points to Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers after giving him a championship belt after the win against the Pittsburgh Steelers during Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Feb. 6, 2011. (IMAGN)
GIVING BACK WITH CROWN ROYAL
While Matthews is a Jets fan when it comes to supporting Rodgers, he will always be a Packer, which is why he teamed up with Crown Royal, the official whiskey sponsor of the NFL, in its fourth year of the Kick Off with Crown program.
This year, Crown Royal launched its one-of-a-kind tailgate on wheels with the Crown Royal Rig, a purple 18-wheeler touring NFL stadiums to not just wow NFL fans with players like Matthews but to also support the military.
Matthews talked about his excitement about not only being able to return to Lambeau to mingle with Packers fans on Thanksgiving night before his former team’s game against the Miami Dolphins, but also why this tailgate is so important. Fans will be putting together care packages for military members with Crown Royal’s longtime partner, Packages From Home.
“I think what’s even more important is how Crown Royal is giving back to the military community, specifically with their Purple Bag Project,” Matthews said. “Giving away morale-boosting items to our military by giving them the packages from home.
The 18-wheeler Crown Royal Rig is traveling the country to different NFL stadiums to help the military. (Crown Royal)
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“The Packers get a primetime game on Thanksgiving. We get to celebrate great football and giving back to our military community. It just represents everything that’s great.”
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