The Detroit Lions’ Week 10 matchup against the New England Patriots in Munich marked the franchise’s first international game since 2015. For wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, the trip was more than a chance to play an NFL game overseas. It also brought him to a country with close ties to his family and his own life.
St. Brown’s mother, Miriam, was born in Germany, and the wide receiver speaks German fluently. He has also held youth football camps in the country during the offseason for several years. As the Lions arrived in Munich, those connections were on display in ways that went beyond the game itself.
## St. Brown and teammates arrive in lederhosen
St. Brown made a distinctive entrance at Allianz Arena, wearing lederhosen in a nod to his German heritage. The traditional Bavarian outfit is commonly made of leather shorts with suspenders and is closely associated with Oktoberfest.
He wasn’t the only Lions player to wear the attire. Long snapper Hogan Hatten and wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa also arrived in lederhosen, adding a local touch to the team’s preparations for the international matchup.
For St. Brown, the outfit was a natural fit for a week in a country that is part of his family history. The wide receiver has visited Germany for years in connection with his youth football camps, and the Munich game gave him a chance to experience that connection in front of a much larger audience.
His fluency in German also made it easier for him to engage with local media and fans. On Friday, he was asked in German whether he might celebrate a touchdown with the *schuhplattler*, a traditional folk dance. St. Brown said he had not decided whether he would use the dance as a celebration.
That answer left the possibility open, but his arrival made clear that he was enjoying the opportunity to recognize the culture around the game. The lederhosen offered a visible expression of that connection before the teams took the field.
## St. Brown carries a German flag during introductions
St. Brown’s connection to Germany was also part of the pregame introductions. When he was announced, he ran onto the field carrying a German flag, a moment that reflected the personal significance of playing in Munich.
The gesture connected his family background with the Lions’ first international appearance since 2015. For a player whose mother was born in Germany and who has spent time in the country hosting football camps, the game provided a rare opportunity to represent both his NFL team and part of his heritage on an international stage.
St. Brown has spoken about his German roots throughout the week. He also said Friday that he would like to play flag football for Germany at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. His brother, Equanimeous, could potentially join him.
The idea would give the brothers another way to represent Germany, this time in a sport that is set to feature at the Los Angeles Games. St. Brown’s comments offered a glimpse of how his connection to the country may continue beyond the Lions’ Munich game.
His choices during the week—from wearing lederhosen to carrying the German flag—showed how personally meaningful the visit was. They also made him one of the central figures in the Lions’ preparations, as his family history and years of ties to Germany gave the game a dimension beyond the matchup with New England.
For Detroit, the Munich contest was a landmark international appearance. For St. Brown, it was an opportunity to play in a country connected to his mother’s birthplace, his offseason work, and his own identity. His arrival at Allianz Arena and his pregame entrance with the flag brought those connections into focus for the crowd.
