Detroit has heard every take on its drought, but this one came from outside football. A WWE star just offered a different kind of boost to the Lions.

While speaking with Sports Illustrated, WWE star Danhausen called out the Detroit Lions' critics. He did not draw the line there, as he criticized all the enemies of all Motown sports teams.   

"Well, Danhausen's originally from a place called Detroit, and we did pretty good, but I think the Lions could use an uncursing," he said. "'Cause they almost had it, but perhaps with Danhausen cursing their enemies right now, Danhausen could be a hero."

Danhausen, aka the ghoulish comic alter ego of Warren-raised Donovan Danhausen, has Metro-Detroit roots. 

Later in his life, he went to Warren to complete his further education at Lincoln High School, and eventually, he joined the WWE in February 2026. 

During the Wrestle Mania weekend, the WWE star did not limit himself to the Detroit Lions. 

He raised his voice for all the Detroit-based sports teams, including the MLB Tigers, the NHL Red Wings, and even the NBA's Pistons. 

"Perhaps we could (curse) the enemies of the Tigers, the Lions, the Red Wings, did I say the Red Wings? Who else is in Detroit? Pistons! I'm gonna curse all of the enemies of the Detroit sports teams, and they owe Danhausen free hot dogs though," Danhausen said.

It is not the first time his “cursing” persona has been out loud. Previously, he had a light back-and-forth with Stephen A. Smith of ESPN about making an appearance on the First Take Show. 

Although Danhausen is vigilant about any criticism against the Lions, the analysts sure have a different opinion about their previous season.

Analyst Opinions on the Lions Reflect a Year of Unmet Expectations

With the Detroit Lions finishing the 2025 season with a 9-8 record, they fell short of the playoffs and even finished fourth in their NFC North Division. This has extended the narrative that analysts have continued to question.

The center of attention were their free agency moves. Even though GM Brad Holmes has followed his approach of filling the voids through free agency, all analysts are sceptical about it. 

According to ESPN’s Matt Bowen, the issue of a key defensive position opposite Aidan Hutchinson was addressed. 

However, it does not end here. Another ESPN analyst, Eric Woodyard, has questioned the strategies of GM Brad Holmes. During free agency, there were no splashy names on the Lions roster. 

"Were any of those moves truly game-changing to take them over the hump? On paper, it certainly doesn't appear that way... [GM Brad] Holmes must have a better draft to justify his passive offseason," Woodyard said.  

Recently, Benjamin Solak of ESPN has raised his concerns over the left tackle position in the Detroit Lions. He was not happy with the signing of offensive tackle Larry Borom. 

"I didn't love left tackle. Larry Borom is a good swing backup, but the Lions don't want to live in a world where he starts 17 games on Jared Goff's blind side. Goff, for all of his improvements and strengths, is simply not a springy mover. He needs clean pockets," Solak explains.

That context continues to shape how analysts frame Detroit’s trajectory, even as expectations begin to shift.

Read more at the Detroit Lions Community!

Written by

Kunwar Yashaswee Chhaunker