*Disclaimer - I’m a 24 year old Englishman who’s been watching the Lions for 10 years but never really knew anything about the NFL before 2013/14
After finally watching Billy Sims highlights, he might be the most exciting Lions player I’ve ever seen but am looking for suggestions for other players!
Everyone has some good takes in this thread. Obviously, based on the era, the right answer is Barry or Calvin. Current would be like St. Brown, Hutch, Jamo, Gibbs, or Goff.
But im here to throw a curveball, and I think my era of fans (started watching right after 0-16) would agree that after Megatron, the most exciting players to watch was the QB position. Yes I said that right. Stafford and Hill. Touted as the best 1&2 QB in the league for a few years. I remember people talking about how Hill was the best backup QB in the league. So the few times he played, I was all eyes. He was mid of course, but that was something that always sticks with me. Ol’ Shaun Hill.
Honorable mentions: Javid Best, Bush and Bell tandem, Durham, Tate, Big Play Slay, Glover Quinn. Stafford Fake spike.
Mel Gray was an electric kick returner but Barry Sanders was just different. No other RB had or has moved like him. That dude would take a hand off to the house on a 4th&Goal from the 25 yd line for Christs sake.
Tie between Calvin Johnson and Barry Sanders.
I know this is an unpopular opinion but despite growing up with Barry, Calvin will always be my favorite watch. It was like watching a grown ass man playing against toddlers.
Go back and watch highlights of that game vs Dallas where he went for well over 200 receiving yards, he was just abusing them lol.
Barry is the man
Barry is the popular answer.
For me, it’s hands down Megatron.
Only reason I’d say Barry wins this is because Calvin was dependent upon a QB to get him the ball.
Otherwise they’re both lighting in a bottle.
Repeating everyone else. Barry. Barry. Barry.
I just have to know, but how did a 14 year old kid in the UK come to being a Lions fan?
It’s Barry Sanders, and to me, it’s not even close. With the exception of blackout games where they wouldn’t let local stations carry the Lions unless it was a sellout, I watched every single game Barry ever played, and there was no one like him.
Even when we had losing seasons, he was a must watch because you never knew when he was going to break one. Megatron was great to watch as well, but because Barry got more touches and started his plays from the line of scrimmage - where he had to scrape for every yard - he is HIM… I also watched every Billy Sims game as well, and he was phenomenal, until Barry eclipsed him.
Either Calvin Johnson, Barry Sanders or Mathew Stafford
Barry would run through and passed people like they were non existent. Barry was the greatest ever. By far.
Barry
Watching Calvin take a 5 yard slant to the house scraping defenders off him the whole way was insane. Probably Barry though
Here were some of my favorites watching growing up :)
Jahvid Best, Joique Bell, Glover Quin, Deandre Levy, Stefan Logan, Cliff Avril, Ezekial Ansah, Mikel Leshoure, Stephen Tulloch, Luis Delmas, Chris Houston :D
(obviously stafford and calvin)