The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers don’t need much help fueling their rivalry, but the blockbuster trade that sent Micah Parsons to Green Bay has kicked things up a notch. And if you ask Amon-Ra St. Brown, it’s clear what the Packers are doing: they’re going all in.
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St. Brown Reacts: “They Want to Win Now”
On the latest St. Brown Podcast, the Lions wideout didn’t sugarcoat it when asked about the trade.
“It seems like they made a splash play — they want to win now,” St. Brown said as quoted by Pride of Detroit. “That move screams, ‘we want to win this year.’ The Packers ain’t f***ing around. They want to win now.”
The deal shocked the league: Dallas shipped Parsons, a four-time Pro Bowler and one of the most feared edge rushers in football, to Green Bay. In return, the Cowboys received defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two future first-round picks.
How the Locker Room Took the News
St. Brown found out the way a lot of players do these days — by waking up to a buzzing phone.
A college roommate who roots for the Packers sent him nothing but a cheese emoji.
His running back group chat? A mix of panic and frustration.
“They’re like, ‘F***, Micah’s in Green Bay,’” St. Brown said with a laugh, remembering the moment.
But there was one silver lining for Detroit’s offense: no more Kenny Clark clogging the middle of the Packers’ defensive line.
“(He) was low-key a problem in the middle,” St. Brown admitted. “One of the best tackles in the game. Cowboys got a great player. But you trade one, you get the other. You get a freak pass rusher in Parsons. It just changes where the challenge comes from.”
What It Means for Lions vs. Packers
For the Lions, the trade is a mixed bag. Losing Clark makes the Packers softer inside, an opening for Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery to test the middle of the field. But adding Parsons off the edge means Jared Goff’s protection will be tested right away.
Detroit’s offensive line has undergone big changes this season:
Rookie Tate Ratledge at right guard.
Christian Mahogany at left guard after a strong rookie cameo in 2024.
Graham Glasgow moving to center after Frank Ragnow’s retirement.
That interior will need time to gel, but the edge duo of Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell may have to play their best football in Week 1 just to keep Parsons at bay.
Rivalry Fuel
The Lions and Packers already have bad blood. Detroit swept Green Bay in 2023, only to drop a key game last season in Lambeau. Now, with the Packers making a “Super Bowl or bust” move, the stakes feel even higher.
St. Brown has been a constant thorn in Green Bay’s side. In four straight games against the Packers, he’s caught at least five passes. Last year alone, he tallied 12 catches, 99 yards, and a touchdown in their two meetings. Expect him to be featured again, especially with the middle of the field looking like a prime target.
The Bottom Line
Amon-Ra St. Brown put it plainly: the Packers want to win right now. The Micah Parsons trade proves Green Bay is ready to swing for the fences, even if it costs them future draft capital and one of the league’s top interior defenders.
For the Lions, it’s another reminder that defending their NFC North crown won’t be easy. But if there’s one thing we know about this rivalry, both teams will come out swinging, and St. Brown will be right in the middle of it.