Marquette, MI – September 5, 2025 – A national sportswriter is coming to Upper Michigan this weekend to try to dissect the history and culture of the rivalry that exists between fans of the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions in the region.
Brendan Quinn, originally from Philadelphia, currently makes his home in downstate Ferndale. He is a writer for The Athletic and The New York Times and is making the trip to the U.P. to learn more about the split that exists between those who root for the Lions and those who cheer for the Packers.
Quinn spoke about the story and more with Mark & Walt in the Morning.
Quinn explained that the idea came from talking with his barber while getting a haircut during last year’s NFL playoffs. He said the barber was from the U.P., and Quinn asked him if he was a Lions fan.
The barber said he was, indeed, a Lions fan, but then shared stories about his own family and others in the U.P. NFL fan base who carry the split in team loyalty that has divided friends, families and even homes for years.
He said the barber’s stories stuck with him and he bounced the story idea off of his editor.
The editor liked it and that resulted Quinn’s journey to Upper Michigan this weekend to talk with fans and watch the game out in some of the main sports bars in the area as the Lions and the Packers tangle on Sunday afternoon.
– mediabrew Communications News
