Mike Utley’s courage was the inspiration behind the Lions’ last playoff win
DETROIT —
Even in a hospital bed, with a horrific spinal-cord injury that would confine him to a wheelchair for the rest of his life, Mike Utley gave his Detroit Lions teammate a helping hand.
It was in the form of a raised thumb.
That thumbs-up gesture, made by the fallen guard as he was wheeled off the field during a 1991 game against the Rams, became a rallying cry not just for his teammates but the entire city and beyond.
“When it happened certainly it was sobering, it was shocking, it was scary,” longtime Lions executive Bill Keenist said. “But when Mike was about to enter the tunnel, and predictably there were cameras on him, he raised his right thumb. It affected people in the most incredible way.”
Detroit had a lot of exceptional play that season — the running of Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, the surprising emergence of quarterback Erik Kramer, a stifling defense that included Pro Bowl selections Jerry Ball, Benny Blades and Chris Spielman — but, as many would argue, the courage of Utley lifted the franchise to unexpected heights.
Nearly 33 years later, Utley has survived. He and his wife, Danielle, live in Hurricane, Utah, and oversee the Mike Utley Foundation, which supports research for function-restoring treatment for spinal-cord injuries. Since 2018, he has battled infections and various other health issues related to his condition. Still, he works hard to maintain a positive outlook.
“Life’s what you make it,” Utley, 58, said. “It’s something I’ve got to deal with. Every day I wake up to life, Danielle helps me out tremendously, and we make the best of it.”
Part of that life is an unyielding passion for the Lions, even though the Utleys are season-ticket holders to the Las Vegas Raiders, whose stadium is a two-hour drive from their home.
