Detroit Lions fans are channeling classic sports superstition into a viral “Trump curse” theory, pinning the team’s shocking late-2025 collapse on wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown’s “Trump dance” touchdown celebration.
The incident occurred during a November 9, 2025, road win over the Washington Commanders, where St. Brown mimicked President Donald Trump’s signature rally dance after a first-quarter score—while Trump himself attended the game.
The Trigger: St. Brown’s “Trump Dance” in Front of the President
St. Brown caught a 9-yard TD pass from Jared Goff, pointed toward Trump’s suite at Northwest Stadium, and broke into the arm-pumping shimmy that became a 2024-2025 athlete trend. Trump, the first sitting president at a regular-season NFL game in nearly 50 years, reposted the clip on Truth Social, captioning it “Amon-Ra St Trump.”
Trump curse https://t.co/2rLikz5h0e
— Kenny Stills (@KSTiLLS) December 26, 2025
St. Brown later apologized on his podcast: “If I offended anyone, I do apologize… It was just, we’re having fun. If any President was at that game, if they had a dance, I would have done it.” He clarified hearing Trump would attend and deciding “to have some fun.”
The dance went mega-viral, but Lions fans now see it as the curse’s origin. Detroit was dominant before (strong record implied ~12-1 or high wins), but went 2-5 afterward, blowing leads, suffering injuries, and getting eliminated from playoffs on December 26, 2025.
Fan Reactions: From Superstition to Full-Blown Conspiracy
Social media exploded with “Trump curse” memes:
- “The Detroit Lions have been cursed ever since Amon Ra St. Brown did that Trump dance.”
- “Amon-Ra did that Trump dance and the lions season went to the toilet immediately afterwards.”
- Former NFL WR Kenny Stills retweeted the clip: “Trump curse.”
Radio shows like 97.1 The Ticket fielded callers seriously linking the celebration to bad karma. Some tied it to the Detroit Tigers’ earlier collapse after similar dances. As one fan posted: “Lions have entered the Tigers curse.”
Real reasons for the downfall? Loss of coordinators Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson to head jobs, defensive regression (allowing high points late), injuries (e.g., Aidan Hutchinson out long-term), and a brutal schedule. Head coach Dan Campbell admitted: “I’m going to be looking at a lot of things… whenever you lose, it takes a village.”
Why the “Trump Curse” Resonates with Lions Fans
Detroit sports suffering runs deep—decades of heartbreak breed wild scapegoats. Blaming a harmless celebration (or the President’s presence) fits the tortured fan psyche: when success slips away, find the jinx. St. Brown’s dance was spontaneous fun, but in hindsight, it’s the “what if” moment for a fanbase craving sustained glory.
As the Lions hold the No. 16 draft pick, fans joke (or half-believe) the curse is real. But football reality points to coaching changes and execution—not politics or dances.
References
- [1] Yahoo Sports. “Detroit Lions fans are blaming President Trump for disappointing season.” December 26, 2025. https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/detroit-lions-fans-blaming-president-161434259.html
- [2] Times of India. “Kenny Stills links Detroit Lions’ late-season downfall to “Trump curse” after Amon-Ra St. Brown’s dance clip resurfaces.” December 26, 2025.
- [3] The Spun. “Detroit Lions Fans Blaming President Trump For Disappointing Season.” December 26, 2025.
- [4] ESPN. “Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown apologizes if ‘Trump dance’ offended.” November 12, 2025.
- [5] The Athletic. “President Trump greeted with mostly boos at Commanders-Lions game.” November 9, 2025.
- [6] Detroit Free Press / MLive.com. Coverage of fan reactions and curse theories. December 2025
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