Detroit Lions Jamaal Williams’ Naruto intro fires up anime fans

Fans of anime, rejoice! There is finally a football champion, and he will fight in your honour on Football Night in America. He’s Jamaal Williams, Naruto fan and self-declared “First Swagg Kazekage.”

Williams, the Detroit running back, busted out the intros of all intros for the Lions’ season finale against hated rival Green Bay. This is a highlight game. SundayThe producers allowed the starters to introduce themselves by name or alma mater. Williams, (who in fact went to Brigham Young University) wore a custom headband — engraved with the Detroit Lions’ emblem — and revealed that he is the “First Swagg Kazekage,” a title he claimed all the way back in July.

This particular headband has an emblem with a slash running through it. This means the Shinobi is leaving their village. Now, the Sand village’s story doesn’t exactly line up with Williams’ time in Green Bay, so it doesn’t seem like he’s comparing himself to Gaara, but the idea of him using the symbol of the exiled Shinobi the week before he plays his former team, then changing to a new headband that has the Lions logo on it, is interesting and fun nonetheless.

Furthermore, he is the “leader of the Hidden Village of the Den,” which sounds like a play on the Lions’ nickname, as well as the non-canonical addition of Detroit to Naruto’s list of Hidden Villages. Williams has worn Naruto headscarves in the past, including during a locker room scrum following Chicago’s 41-10 win on January 10. Williams wore the Hidden Village of Sand’s hourglass symbol in this appearance.

Sunday night, he carried the ball 16 times for 72 yards rushing — and two touchdowns, to break the single-season franchise record held by none other than hall-of-fame tailback Barry Sanders (and Madden NFL’s first cover star). He dedicated the victory and performance to his great grandfather, who just passed away at the age of 92.

Then he ignited the Packers’ media-fed wagon train right up.

“We the Detroit Lions. Don’t play with us. I don’t even watch TV, but I heard everybody already picked the Packers over us. We are not playing. That’s all I gotta say, man. Don’t let these tears fool you. It’s all dawg around this mug.”

Detroit was not in the NFL playoffs. The Seattle Seahawks defeated the Los Angeles Rams to seal their fate. But the victory did secure the team’s first winning season since 2017. With their stunningly insolent 20-16 victory, the Lions swept Aaron Rodgers’ and Packers’ playoffs out.