Packers' Rashan Gary overcome with emotion after receiving game ball for big game vs. Lions
The Green Bay Packers pulled off a Thanksgiving upset against the Detroit Lions thanks, in large part, to the efforts of linebacker Rashan Gary. A year after tearing his ACL against the Lions, Gary posted three sacks, including a forced fumble, in the 29-22 victory.
The Packers, now 5-6 and third in the AFC North, gave the former first-round draft pick the game ball, which elicited a touching response. Naturally, the cameras were rolling in the Green Bay locker room to capture the moment.
“This dude, career-high 3 sacks today, and more importantly, we all remember this a year ago, you came back with a vengeance man,” head coach Matt LaFleur said, handing the former Michigan star the ball.
“I’m tired of crying around y’all m***** f*****s, man,” Gary said while clearly struggling to hold back tears.”
Early in the game on Thursday at Ford Field, Gary had a strip sack of Jared Goff, although most of the players on the field weren’t sure it was a fumble. Jonathan Owens scooped up the fumble and returned it 27 yards for the score.
Rashan Gary strip-sacks Jared Goff on Thanksgiving
Gary has been a consistent contributor for the Packers since he was drafted 12th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Michigan.
In the season prior to his injury, Gary had the best season of his NFL career, where he put up 47 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and 28 quarterback hits along with two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 16 regular season games. Since entering the league in 2019, he has 157 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks.
Last season, he played nine games, accumulating 32 tackles, seven tackles for loss, six sacks, and 12 quarterback hits.
The Packers inked the linebacker to a four-year deal worth $107 million after Week 8 this season. After the team exercised his fifth-year option for 2023, Gary negotiated a huge new contract that keeps him with the team through the 2027 season.
After going No. 12 overall to Green Bay from Michigan, Gary signed a rookie deal for four years, $15.8 million. He then received another $10.9 million when the Packers exercised the fifth-year option on his contract.
Next week, the Packers play the Kansas City Chiefs for Sunday Night Football. The Chiefs (7-3) are the favorites with a 72% chance to win, according to ESPN analytics.