Detroit Lions players react to wild 2024 Super Bowl

According to Alex Anzalone, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell urged the entire team to watch this year’s Super Bowl. Though the pain of losing to the San Francisco 49ers is still obviously fresh for Lions players, Campbell believed watching the entire game could provide motivation for next season.

“No, you gotta watch it, man,” Campbell said, per Anzalone. “Use every second of it as motivation. I’ll sure as hell be watching.”

So did the players listen? It’s hard to know for sure, but a few of them were live tweeting while the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the 49ers 25-22 in overtime. Here’s a few of their reactions, starting with Anzalone himself—who clearly took Campbell’s advice and struggled through it.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson was live tweeting through the entire game, and as both teams struggled out of the gates, he was clearly feeling the lost opportunity.

But like everyone watching the game, Gardner-Johnson was in awe of Patrick Mahomes taking over the game late.

With the red and yellow confetti falling, it was a bittersweet feeling for Lions fans. On one hand, the 49ers—the team that got away with murder in the NFC Championship Game—fell. On the other hand, the Lions beat the Super Bowl Champs back in Week 1 and it certainly seems like they would’ve had a chance to do so again on Super Bowl Sunday.

Kerby Joseph wrapped the night up perfectly, as he typically does: with an apt meme: