Lions CB DJ Reed reacts with strong 4-word message heading into first season with Detroit

DJ Reed is taking his first season with the Detroit Lions seriously and does not plan to back down in establishing himself if his Instagram stories are anything to go by. After his number and jersey were finalized by the franchise, the cornerback posted those photos before following up with a statement that showed how he is approaching this year.

He noted his cardinal rule,

"F*ck what they think"

Instagram story @dj_2great captured 04 April 2025 - 5 PM ET

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He followed that up with other thoughts taken from Meek Mill's song lyrics.

"And I don't want your opinion if you ain't got sh*t" - said one screenshot.

"Lil ****, but I'm lion-hearted" - which could have been a reference to his new status as a Lions player in addition to his attitude.

"We started off with zero, now I'm seein' M's" - was a third story post.

Former Lions DC Aaron Glenn blesses DJ Reed's departure to Detroit

Aaron Glenn was the defensive coordinator for the Lions until last season and got the Jets head coaching job on the back of the phenomenal work he had done in Detroit under head coach Dan Campbell. While he will have Sauce Gardner to work with, DJ Reed has headed in the other direction, which means that the two men's paths never crossed on the playing field.

However, Aaron Glenn had high praise for the former Jets corner and believes that the Lions are getting a fantastic player. At the NFL annual owner's meeting, the Jets' head coach revealed he had spoken to DJ Reed, saying,

“He was scrappy, feisty. I ended up talking to D.J. quite a bit before that, just from his free agency from coming out. I just thought he was a man’s man, as far as playing the game. He’s not just a cover corner; he’s one that’ll go out there and tackle, too. I think Detroit is getting a dynamic player at corner.”

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The cornerback also gets an upgrade as he goes from a team that did not make the playoffs in any of the years that he was in New York to a Detroit roster that has experience playing in the last two postseasons. Having reached the NFC Championship in 2023 and followed that up with the overall conference top seed in 2024, they are legitimate Super Bowl contenders.

About the author

Rit Nanda is a sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over 4 years of experience. A PhD holder, he is passionate about a host of sports, including NFL, CFL, Rugby Union, Rugby League, and Soccer. He lives and breathes the Green Bay Packers, St Helens RFC, Harlequins, and Liverpool.

Rit’s all-time favorite NFL players are Packers’ very own Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Lowe. Vince Lombardi, after whom the Super Bowl trophy is named is his favorite coach. If he ever got his hands on a time machine, he would want to witness the Packers win Super Bowl I, and unsurprisingly, his most favorite Super Bowl is the XLV edition when the Packers beat the Pittsburg Steelers 31-25 to lift the trophy.

Rit’s strengths are statistical analysis and historical deep dives, where he uses the learnings from his PhD to conduct thorough research. He verifies facts via multiple sources to maintain accuracy, and believes in being objective in his articles by adding stats wherever possible.

When not writing professionally, Rit spends time in creative writing, reading and travelling.

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Edited by Rit Nanda