The Lions beat out the Packers last season for the NFC North title
Rep. John James, R-Mich., bragged about his hometown football team in enemy territory at the Republican National Convention Monday night.
James took the stage at the RNC in Milwaukee and wasted no time bringing up the Detroit Lions’ playoff run last season in a room likely filled with Green Bay Packers fans.
Rep. John James, R-Mich., during the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee Monday, July 15, 2024. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
"Good evening Wisconsin, warmest regards from Detroit – home of the NFC North champion Detroit Lions," James said.
Rep. John James begins his RNC speech by goading the crowd into booing the Detroit Lions pic.twitter.com/yVHdAF4Fwh
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 16, 2024
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James’ praise was not surprisingly met with loud boos from the crowd of Republicans as he quickly shifted back to politics.
The Lions won the division title for the first time in three decades last season and won two playoff games in a single postseason for the first time since 1957. Their 12-5 record marked the franchise’s first 10-win season in nearly a decade and their best winning percentage since 1991.
Jared Goff (16) of the Detroit Lions waits to lead the Detroit Lions onto the field before a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field Jan. 7, 2024, in Detroit. (Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
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They reached the NFC championship game, where they built a 17-point lead over the San Francisco 49ers by halftime but lost the conference title game 34-31.
While the expectations were high for the Lions heading into the season, the opposite was true of the Packers. Led by Jordan Love, the young team surprised fans with a second-place finish in the NFC North, which included a dominant 48-32 win over the Dallas Cowboys in the wild-card round.
Green Bay Packers safety Darnell Savage (26) reacts with teammates after scoring on an interception return on a pass by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during the first half of a game Jan. 14, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Hopes for a long run in the playoffs came to an abrupt end with a narrow loss to the Niners in the divisional round.
The Packers and Lions won’t face off until Week 9 in Green Bay.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Paulina Dedaj is a Sports Reporter for Fox News Digital.
