Barry Sanders inspiring Lions RBs Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery - ESPN

DETROIT — With Eminem's «Lose Yourself» blasting through the Ford Field sound system, 64,201 fans go wild as the legendary rapper is displayed on the massive video boards behind each end zone late in the second quarter of the Detroit Lions' Sept. 14 home opener.

Seated in a suite and wearing a grey Lions playoff hat, the 15-time Grammy winner briefly applauds the crowd before quickly pointing to his left. When the cameras pan out, the cheers grow into a frenzy as the screens reveal another Detroit legend — Lions Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders — seated beside him.

Eminem warmly wraps his left arm around Sanders, his childhood hero. The two men look into the camera, clap and repeatedly yell «let's go» to pump up the rapturous crowd.

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When the game resumes, Lions running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, taking note of Sanders' presence at the stadium, get back to work in the Week 2 demolition of the Chicago Bears, combining for 151 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 52-21 victory.

«Every time he's at the game, I just want to show out,» Gibbs, who rushed for 94 yards against Chicago, told ESPN. «Like, s---, that's Barry Sanders. So, every time he's at the game, I try to make sure I'm on point.»

At 57 years old, Sanders' NFL playing days are behind him, but Gibbs and Montgomery continue to look to Sanders' Hall of Fame career as an example.  Sanders, who survived a heart attack in the summer of 2024, developed relationships with each shortly after they joined the Lions in the spring of 2023. And