The Detroit Lions secured a commanding 31-9 victory over the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field on Sunday night, earning themselves a well-deserved second bye week of the season. The win was significant not only for the team’s performance but also for the return of Alex Anzalone, a former Florida Gators star and an emerging force for the Lions. Anzalone, who had been sidelined with a broken left forearm, played through the pain with a carbon fiber cast, putting up a solid effort in defending Vikings star tight end TJ Hockenson.
Amid the excitement, Anzalone made waves on social media after his appearance on the St. Brown Podcast, hosted by his teammate Amon-Ra St. Brown and his brother, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown. During the episode, Equanimeous brought up an intriguing comment from Justin Fields, the former Chicago Bears quarterback now with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had called Anzalone a “dirty player” during a previous podcast appearance. “We had Justin Fields on the podcast last year, and he said you’re a dirty player,” Equanimeous noted, referencing the accusation. “I’ve seen in the media, the Lions are dirty, and you’re usually at the forefront.”
In response, Anzalone remained composed but fired back with a message of his own. “Put it this way…AG (Aaron Glenn) says it this way: The way you show respect for another player is how hard you play against them,” he said, offering a thoughtful defense. When asked if “hard” and “dirty” were synonymous, Anzalone clarified his stance, stating, “I didn’t get fined or penalized,” indirectly addressing Fields’ remark without going into further detail. Fields, now with the Steelers, has yet to face off against the Lions since his trade from the Bears this past offseason.
