He has to be on the shortlist of all-time favorite Ohio State players, and it’s clear that he’s also one of the Detroit Lions’ most iconic personalities as well.
We are, of course, talking about former Buckeye All-American Chris Spielman, and now it’ll be official up in the Motor City with him being enshrined as the 19th member of the Lions’ Ring of Honor.
It just so happens too, that the news was expertly broken to Spielman in a unique and genius way. Spielman was asked to do a promo spot about honoring a Lions’ legend, and while reading through the teleprompter, it became evident that he was the subject of the event.
It’s easy to gloss over these things, but do yourself a favor and watch one of the all-time OSU greats get emotional when he realizes the magnitude of the situation.
A well-deserved honor. #OnePride pic.twitter.com/NB4ajnjcKK
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) October 21, 2021
I often thought Spielman’s time in Detroit and the NFL, in general, was severely understated. He led the Lions team in tackles every year he played there (1988-1995), and was named to four Pro Bowls during his career. Much like what he did at Ohio State, he had a nose for the ball and just racked up tackles.
“The Detroit Lions could not be prouder of Chris Spielman’s accomplishments on the field and in the community. He was pivotal to the success the team enjoyed during his time as a player and his induction into the Pride of the Lions cements his place in our history,” team president Rod Wood said in a statement. “We are thrilled Chris has rejoined the organization as a key member to build the future and we are proud to present him with the highest individual honor we can give to a Lions Legend.”
Spielman will be enshrined during a halftime ceremony of Detroit’s homecoming game against the Philadelphia Eagles on October 31.
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