NORTEVILLE, Mich. — Fahad Yousif is two days away from receiving what's called a certificate of completion from the National Football League. The date is December 12th. It is signed by Dr. Ari Novick, a licensed psychotherapist in private practice in Laguna Beach, California. The number is “certification number 216932,'' presumably meaning that 216,931 other people have received such an honor. . The price is $250, which Yousif paid for the four-hour course, which covers about eight to nine chapters on expected fan behavior at NFL stadiums.
He held up his phone to show me.
“I can't believe this happened,” he says.
This is what happens when everything goes too far. Yousif is a Detroit Lions fan. Who decided to squeal on the Green Bay Packers sideline during pregame festivities Last weekend at Ford Field. After a few choice words (he made it clear he wasn't swearing), he drew his thumb towards his neck and made a slashing motion. It turns out that was a terrible, terrible idea after all. Because for some people, especially Packers coach Matt LaFleur, what started as a foul-mouthed fan talking trash has turned into a crazed lunatic making threats. LaFleur fired back at Youssif. Yussif laughed wildly and yelled back at Lafleur. Security got involved.
Yousif was on the field as a perk of his ticket package. With the option of one extra bonus for the 2024 season, he chose to be one of the fans who pulls a giant American flag taut across the field during the national anthem before games. Instead, security escorted him off the field before the national anthem began.
This uproar spread quickly. Yousif returned to his seat and was ejected from Ford Field before halftime. LaFleur later addressed the incident in his postgame press conference, saying Detroit's pregame activities should have been more strictly enforced. On Wednesday, the Lions revoked Yousif's season ticket. He was subsequently banned from participating in NFL games. Every day, new co-workers and old friends message me and ask, “Did you see that on TV?” and requests from the media. Youssif took every opportunity to admit he was wrong and apologized. Everyone, including Yusif, more or less agreed that he had gone too far.
Near the end of the week, the Lions and the league showed a path forward. Youssif was told that once he completed a code of conduct class and wrote a formal apology, his stadium ban would be lifted.
Well, that's it. Saturday afternoon marks almost a week since the incident and nearly 24 hours until the Lions take on the Buffalo Bills in this weekend's NFL marquee game. Yousif accepted an invitation to meet at a Starbucks in Metro Detroit.
Perhaps this is about living within the blast radius of the viral moment.
Or maybe he almost missed out on what could ultimately be the best season in Lions history.
Or about repentance.
Or a second chance.
But then Yusif is asked about what he almost lost.
“Oh, everything,” he says. “This is who I am, and you know, I almost lost it. I don't ignore the criticism I get. It's not there. I agree with most of it.
“It was an honor to fly the flag of the country I love. I crossed the line, but it shouldn't have happened. I see where people are coming from. I can't believe something like this happened. i can't believe.”
Yusif is a lot of things. He comes from Metro Detroit's vast Chaldean community and is a first-generation American, born to a father from Iraq and a mother from Kuwait. He is the older of the two siblings. He is a graduate of Wayne State University. He is a sales representative for an automotive tool company in the Midwest. He is the husband of his wife Gabby.
But what he's most aware of is being a Lions fan.
Yusif grew up speaking only Arabic at home. He made every effort to fit in at the school and felt most comfortable talking about football. Growing up attending public schools in Farmington Hills, he would introduce himself as “Hello, I'm Fahad.” I'm a big Lions fan. ”
Yousif ignored his father, Saad's pleas to play soccer. He instead lined up as a defensive end and linebacker throughout middle school and high school. He got tickets to his first game at Ford Field in 2013. He started attending four or five games a year with his older cousin.
“It was a very natural thing,” Yousif says. “It was like, this is where we're from and this is who we root for. We'll root for the Lions no matter what.”
Yousif came to learn and understand the game more and more, but like many other players, he fell into the same trap that befell generations of Lions fans. he believed.
“Ah, the Matt Patricia era, bro,” he says now, fighting back a laugh, “I totally bought into the hype.”
But like every generation of Lions fans, something came out of that belief. A shared experience. Yusif convinced his father to support the Lions. He sold a dream. “This is the year.'' Soon, Yousif decided to stop going to games and instead watch them at his father's house. Two chairs. Big screen TV. Standing schedule.
“Every year he became more and more obsessed,” Yusif says. “He finally understood that, and it changed our whole relationship a little bit. The last few years haven't been very good years for the Lions, but you know, they've been good years for us. did.”
The Dan Campbell era in Detroit began in 2021 with the franchise trade for star quarterback Matthew Stafford to replace Jared Goff. Yusif called his father the moment the news broke. It was mid-March. Mr. Saad, 65, had just retired and was ready to embark on his next ride as a Lions fan.
Six weeks later, Yusif received a call that his father was not feeling well. he entered the hospital. He was placed on a ventilator.
“It was very fast,” Yusif says. “Within 10 days he died.”
Youssif has made no mention of this in numerous media appearances this week. There is no time for viral moments. But his story doesn't excuse what happened last week.
“Still, it shouldn't have happened,” he says. “I've been a huge wrestling fan since I was a kid, too, and I think that's reflected in my personality. I root for the heel.”
His personality is certainly great. Yusif is by far the loudest person in the coffee shop. He speaks as if he were drinking jet fuel. One customer closed his laptop and moved to a table further away. But Yusif can't seem to do anything about it. He seems to function with equal parts excitement and emotion.
Until he talked about the Lions' last few seasons. After his father's death, Yusif wasn't sure if he would ever see lions again. Regardless of the result, each game was a loss. As he said this, he stopped, his jaw clenched and his cheeks trembling.
The 2021 season is over. In 2022, he took advantage of his father's empty seat to watch the game at home. Before 2023, he decided to make a big decision. season ticket. bottom bowl. Section 141, line 33 above.
He watched his team go 12-5 and win the NFC North last season.
“I know it sounds crazy, and I really do, but I feel like my dad feels like, “You know what? Yo, it's okay, I understand.” he says. “For the last few years, I've been telling people he's messing with this problem. I've taken great comfort in that. He's heard me say I don't want to see the Lions anymore I think he was listening. He wanted to make it easier.”
Now Yousif is rooting for one of the unlikeliest giants in soccer. The Lions are 12-1 and are the favorites to accomplish that right now. This is so unthinkable that we don't even say it.
Neither he nor anyone else has any idea what's going on. Youssif admits he was wrong and accepts the punishment, but he also believes Lafleur overreacted and that it probably didn't need to escalate as much as it did. He wants to see the Lions play the Packers again in the playoffs.
He's going to be there for it. He's just going to be in the stands for Lions vs. Bills. A large group of longtime season ticket holders, who run the tailgate out of Eastern Market, invited him to tailgate on Sunday. He may have an empty ticket.
Although his season tickets are gone forever, Yousif can still go watch the team.
So he will become a fan.
He doesn't know how to be anything else.
(Illustration: Meech Robinson / The Athletic;Photo: Nick Antaya/Getty Images; courtesy of Fahed Yousif)
