There Will Be Just One ‘Empty’ Seat at Ford Field Sunday Night

The Lions have had their best record in over 30 years, and tonight they will get the chance to assert themselves as one of the best teams in the NFL as they take on the Los Angeles Rams in a highly discussed homecoming for Matthew Stafford. It is a sold out crowd and despite the weather, there will only be one empty seat - except it isn't really empty.

Donnie "Yooperman" Stefanski was a die-hard Lions fan who ran the Yooperman Bar and Grill in Goetzville, Michigan, a bar themed after the Lions. Donnie never missed a Lions home game, a mind-blowing feat considering he drove 365 miles each way to Detroit and back. He got season tickets in 1994 and attending the games became a family tradition until Donnie sadly passed away in 2019.

Donnie would have been absolutely ecstatic at how the Lions have done this season, and since the Lions have home field advantage this season, his daughter Megan is treating her dad to one more game to cheer on his team.

In honor of her father, she will be bringing her father's ashes and custom jersey to today's game to sit in Section 100, Seat 14, the season ticket seats they've had since 94,

"There will be one seat empty at Ford Field tomorrow. I feel after 30 years my dad deserves to have his seat so his jersey and ashes will be in Seat 14."

 

Megan Stefanski has continued her father's tradition since his passing and has no plans for stopping any time soon. She will be featured on Sunday Night Football ~7:50 for a special tribute to her father. To learn more about the Stefanskis, check out this special that FOX recorded in November.