Lions’ Alex Anzalone Shows Support for Rival Player Amid Contract Dispute
The Detroit Lions have worked hard this offseason to retain their core roster, aiming for a third consecutive NFC North title. After a memorable season that saw them fall just short of a home NFC Championship clash with the Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit remains determined to build on their success.
Veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone, who admirably played through a fractured forearm late last season, unexpectedly made headlines Tuesday—not for his play, but for his stance on a league-wide issue.
Anzalone voiced his support for Trey Hendrickson, a defensive end with the Cincinnati Bengals, who is currently embroiled in a contract dispute. Hendrickson, who is scheduled to earn $15.8 million this season, has expressed frustration with his current deal and said he doesn’t plan to play under it. “If I only had four sacks, they’d want a pay cut and some money back,” Hendrickson told reporters, defending his value and refusing to apologize for how pass rushers are compensated in today’s NFL.
Anzalone retweeted Hendrickson’s comments, simply adding the word “This” to show agreement.
The show of solidarity stirred reactions among fans—many urging the Lions to pursue Hendrickson. However, Anzalone later clarified that those fans were missing the larger point of his post, which was about player value and fairness, not recruiting.
