By Blessing 
Amon-Ra St. Brown has his sights set on the Philadelphia Eagles for a bold Week 1 statement, but as the saying goes, “To be the man, you gotta beat the man.” While I can’t claim credit for that iconic phrase, I’ve always felt it packed a punch. I first heard it from Ric Flair, the 16-time world champion, but honestly, I would’ve preferred Buddy Ryan saying it. I always hoped one of his Eagles teams would’ve brought home a Super Bowl, but hey, that didn’t happen. Still, that phrase carries weight, and let’s be real—it just doesn’t have the same zing without Flair’s signature “styling and profiling.”
Now, you might be wondering what this all has to do with the Eagles. Well, here’s where it connects: Amon-Ra St. Brown, one of the Detroit Lions’ standout players, is calling them out. It seems like he’s ready to face the champs head-on.
Detroit’s recent seasons haven’t exactly ended on a high note, but one thing is clear: St. Brown is eager to prove himself. He was recently a guest on Kevin Hart’s show, where Hart challenges guests to jump into a cold tub and talk about life. It’s there that St. Brown made it clear—he wants to be the man, and to do that, he has to take down the reigning champions. The Eagles are on the Lions’ radar for the 2025 season, and Amon-Ra wants his shot at them in the NFL’s Week 1 opener.
We can’t blame him for wanting this challenge. As cliché as these preseason call-outs may seem, it’s the reality of the NFL now—Philly is at the top, and every team will bring their best to dethrone them. St. Brown and the Lions see an opportunity to make a statement right off the bat.
Of course, there’s a bigger picture here for Detroit. We’ll soon see just how far this team has come under head coach Dan Campbell. How much of last year’s success was due to him? What about offensive coordinator Ben Johnson? The Lions’ playoff run may have ended sooner than they wanted, but this season could offer a chance to prove they’re ready to make waves right from Week 1. Only time will tell.