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The city of Detroit didn’t take kindly to comments from the New Orleans Saints’ Equanimeous St. Brown about its broad lack of appeal to NFL players.
On the St. Brown Podcast, the wide receiver asserted that “no one’s going there” in reference to Detroit:
That sparked a back-and-forth between he and the City of Detroit’s official X account, with the latter landing some harsh blows:
City of Detroit @CityofDetroit
Man, we know it’s hard when baby bro is outshining you. But you don’t have to take that out on us, Equanimeous. 😂<br><br>Our population has actually grown for the first time in more than six decades, per the <a href=”https://twitter.com/uscensusbureau?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@uscensusbureau</a>. Detroit now ranks as the 26th most populous city in America. <a href=”https://t.co/0hPo3GCJHc”>https://t.co/0hPo3GCJHc</a>
Citing population figures isn’t really a winning argument against the idea your city isn’t all that attractive. It’s doubtful NFL players pore over census data before choosing where they continue their careers.
In addition, the Detroit Lions’ on-field success is ultimately what determines whether they’re a magnet for talent. Green Bay, Wisconsin, has a population of just over 100,000 people, yet that hasn’t stopped stars from either joining the Green Bay Packers or re-signing with the team.
The Lions reached the NFC title game in 2023 and are off to a 3-1 start this season. In the event they need to make a major upgrade or two in the offseason, general manager Brad Holmes shouldn’t have a lot of trouble.
The outlook for St. Brown isn’t quite so rosy. The 28-year-old hasn’t suited up for the Saints yet this year. New Orleans released him in August and quickly signed him to its practice squad, where he remains.
All things considered, St. Brown probably wouldn’t mind living in Detroit if it meant having a regular playing role on the Lions.
