Nathaniel Eugene Burleson is a Canadian-born American television host, football commentator, and former football player. He played professionally as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Playing college football for the Nevada Wolf Pack, he earned first-team All-American honors in 2002. Burleson was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He was also a member of the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions.
Matthew George Millen is an American former professional football player and executive in the National Football League (NFL). Millen played as a linebacker for 12 years for the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, and Washington Redskins, playing on four Super Bowl-winning teams and winning a Super Bowl ring for each of the three franchises for which he played.
Desmond Kevin Howard is an American former football wide receiver and return specialist who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, where he was a two-time All-American, including a unanimous All-American selection in 1991, winning the Heisman Trophy. He was selected fourth overall in the 1992 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins. Howard spent most of his career on special teams as a return specialist and holds the NFL single season record for punt return yardage. With the Green Bay Packers, Howard was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXXI after setting an NFL record for punt return yards and returning a kickoff for a 99-yard touchdown, the longest return in Super Bowl history at the time. To date, he is the only special teams player to receive the award. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
Gary Dennis Danielson is an American college football commentator and former professional football player. Danielson was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Detroit Lions from 1976 to 1984 and for the Cleveland Browns in 1985, 1987, and 1988. Since 2006, he has worked for CBS Sports as a commentator for its college football coverage and previously held the same position for ABC Sports from 1997 through 2005 and ESPN from 1990 through 1996.
Ronald John Kramer was an American professional football player who was an end in the National Football League (NFL), primarily for the Green Bay Packers. A member of two NFL champion teams with the Packers, he was named to the NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time Team and Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.
Charles D'Donte Batch is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Eastern Michigan Eagles. He was selected by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 1998 NFL draft and played 15 seasons in the NFL, most of it as a backup with his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers, with whom he earned two Super Bowl rings.
Wayne Howard Joseph Fontes is a former American football coach and college and professional football player who was the head coach of the National Football League (NFL)'s Detroit Lions from 1988 to 1996. His 67 wins and 71 losses are each the most for a head coach in team history.
William Swancutt is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons. He played college football for Oregon State University, and was recognized as the conference player of the year. He was chosen by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft.
Wayne Harrison Walker was an American professional football player and sports broadcaster. He played 15 seasons with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL), as a linebacker and placekicker. Walker played in 200 regular season games, the second most for a defensive player at the time. He played in three Pro Bowls and was once selected as a first-team All-NFL player. After the 1972 season, he retired as a player and was a sports broadcaster for CBS and the sports director for KPIX-TV in San Francisco from 1974 to 1994. Walker was a weekend sportscaster during the off-season during his later years as a Detroit Lion.
Charles Christopher Spielman is an American former professional football player who is a special assistant to the owner and CEO for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played linebacker for the Ohio State Buckeyes, twice earning All-American honors. He played professional football for the Detroit Lions in the NFL, where he was a three-time All-Pro. He also played for the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns, and coached for the Arena Football League (AFL)'s Columbus Destroyers. He was a broadcaster for Fox Sports and ESPN from 1999 to 2020.
Lomas Brown Jr. is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. Brown played college football for the Florida Gators, receiving consensus All-American honors. A first-round pick in the 1985 NFL Draft, he played professionally for the Detroit Lions and four other NFL teams. He is currently a color analyst for Lions radio broadcasts on WXYT 97.1 The Ticket, as well as a commentator and analyst for ESPN and other television and radio networks.
Bally Sports Detroit (BSD) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group that operates as a Bally Sports affiliate. It provides coverage of local sports teams in the state of Michigan, primarily focusing on those in Metro Detroit. The network airs exclusive broadcasts of games involving the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Pistons, and Detroit Red Wings; repeats of Detroit Lions preseason games; and some high school sports.
Luther John Elliss is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Utah Utes, and was recognized as a consensus All-American. Selected in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft, Elliss played professionally for the Detroit Lions and Denver Broncos of the NFL and was a two-time Pro Bowler. He worked as the defensive line coach at Idaho from 2017 until being named defensive tackles coach at Utah in 2022. He has four sons that also play football: Kaden, Christian, Noah, and Jonah.
Kevin Craig Brooks is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines. He was selected by the Cowboys in the first round of the 1985 NFL draft.
Vincent Joseph Banonis was an American football player. He played college football at the University of Detroit Mercy where he was selected as a first-team All-American in 1940. He also played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Cardinals from 1942 to 1950, and for the Detroit Lions from 1951 to 1953. He was a first-team All-NFL player three times and played on three NFL championship teams. He was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1975 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
Stanley J. Edwards is an American former professional football player who was a running back for six years in the National Football League (NFL). A native of Detroit, Edwards played college football for the Michigan Wolverines from 1977 to 1981 and was selected in the third round of the 1982 NFL draft. Edwards played in the and NFL for the Houston Oilers (1982–1986) and Detroit Lions (1987). His son, Braylon Edwards, also played football at Michigan and in the NFL.
Thomas John Lang is an American former professional football player who was a guard in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Eastern Michigan Eagles and was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL draft. Lang was a member of the Packers' Super Bowl XLV win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, and also played for the Detroit Lions.
Juan Armando Roque is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils, and earned consensus All-American honors. A second-round pick in the 1997 NFL draft, he played professionally for the NFL's Detroit Lions and then the CFL's Toronto Argonauts. Roque was a color analyst for Fox Sports Arizona's broadcasts of Arizona State football games.
Robert N. M. "Blade" Thornbladh is a former American football player, coach and radio color commentator. He played for the Michigan Wolverines football team from 1971 to 1973 and was an assistant coach at Michigan from 1980 to 1986. He later served as the color commentator for Michigan football broadcasts on WJR radio.
Gerald J. Diorio is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1983 as an offensive guard. He later played professional football in Italy and appeared in two games for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) as a replacement player and tight end during the 1987 NFL strike.
