How Dan Skipper reported eligible and became a beloved Lion - ESPN

DETROIT — JUMBO 13! After three plays spent standing on the sideline to start the Lions' first drive, Dan Skipper's number is called. He runs onto the field with one white-gloved hand raised. «It's calm until it's not,» he says of his job as the Lions sixth offensive lineman. «It's just the burst. You have to stay locked in. You can't have the mental lull.»

The first thing he must do during this burst, and within the 40-second play clock, is find the white hat, or the referee, which isn't as simple as it sounds. «Sometimes they're hiding,» he says, so he keeps one eye on the white hat at all times, another on the offense and, somehow, a third eye on offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who he is careful to allow a 5-yard bubble on the sideline. «He's incredibly intense,» Skipper says. «Don't get in his way.»

This time, Skipper spots referee Brad Rogers pretty easily. «He's got great operational presence,» Skipper says, but because not all referees are equal, he chatted up an official on Rogers' crew during pregame warmups to make sure they knew to expect him tonight.

«Brad! Brad! Brad!» he shouts, because using first names is the quickest way to get anyone's attention. Skipper moves his hands up and down his chest and tells Rogers: «Reporting!»

He catches Rogers' attention again for good measure, and this time the white hat points back at him. Message received. Now he needs to join the Lions huddle to hear his exact assignment and get lined up, all of this ideally before Rogers can officially announce his presence to the ...

«No. 70 is reporting eligible,» Rogers says over his microphone to the Vikings' defense, but also to the 64,000 fans at Ford Field. «No. 70»

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