DJ Reader Responds to Fan Criticism, Addresses Lions’ Run Defense Woes
After a frustrating 29-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Lions defensive tackle DJ Reader found himself in the social media spotlight - not for his play, but for his response to a fan’s criticism. Reader, never one to shy away from speaking his mind, made it clear he’s not backing down from what he posted.
“I’m not slanting away from any of my comments,” Reader said Monday. “People get on social media and troll, I feel like I got the right to troll back.”
Reader’s remarks came after he fired off a blunt, profanity-laced response to a fan on X (formerly Twitter) who critiqued his performance in Sunday’s loss. The original post was relatively tame, noting Reader’s character but suggesting his play had been “rough.” Reader clapped back with a pointed response that included an expletive and a clear message: leave me alone.
Another fan jumped in, questioning Reader’s status as the Lions’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee and suggesting he’d be a free agent next season. Reader’s reply? “All good I’ll be getting bread somewhere.”
It was a sharp contrast to the image associated with the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award - an honor recognizing players who not only perform on the field but also make a meaningful impact off of it. Reader, who’s been lauded for his community service, didn’t shy away from the contradiction. But he also didn’t seem particularly concerned.
“It doesn’t really bother me in my day-to-day life,” Reader said. “I go home to a little boy who’s happy as hell to see me and a family who loves me, so it just is what it is.”
On the field, Reader’s numbers from Sunday won’t jump off the stat sheet - three tackles and a quarterback hit - but the Lions’ defensive struggles were hard to ignore. Pittsburgh gashed Detroit for 230 rushing yards, including a pair of back-breaking 45-yard touchdown runs. It marked the second straight week the Lions’ run defense got exposed, following a 159-yard outing by the Rams.
Reader, now in the final year of a two-year deal with the Lions, has started all 15 games this season. He’s logged 27 tackles, though none for loss - a stat that speaks to the Lions’ inability to consistently disrupt plays in the backfield.
Detroit currently ranks 16th in the league in rushing defense, allowing 114.9 yards per game. But that average doesn’t tell the whole story. In back-to-back losses, the Lions have been outmuscled at the point of attack, and Reader knows it.
“It’s a mix of things,” he said when asked about the defensive breakdowns. He pointed to Pittsburgh’s use of motion and scheme to create mismatches and running lanes, and credited quarterback Aaron Rodgers - yes, Rodgers - for making a savvy pre-snap check that led to one of the Steelers’ long touchdown runs.
“Basically, our blitz was coming from the opposite way of what they were running,” Reader explained. “It was just a good check by him.
We got caught in a call he’d seen a couple times throughout the game and just made a good check to it. It was tough.”
That kind of honesty - the willingness to tip the cap to the opponent - is part of what makes Reader a respected voice in the locker room. But the Lions don’t have time for moral victories.
At 8-7, they’re clinging to slim playoff hopes. To get in, they’ll need to win out - starting with a Christmas Day showdown against the Vikings, followed by a trip to Chicago - and hope the Packers drop their final two games.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell didn’t sugarcoat things either. He pointed to missed tackles and poor perimeter support as key issues in the run defense.
And the film backs that up. Both the Rams and Steelers leaned heavily on motion and multiple tight end sets to stretch Detroit horizontally and open up gaps in the middle.
Reader expects more of the same from Minnesota and Chicago - unless the Lions prove they can stop it.
“It’s just something we got to fix,” Reader said. “I think we just got to plug some holes inserting some of that stuff and just not try to be in the perfect call - just work out what we’re in.”
That’s the mindset of a veteran who’s seen enough to know that scheme only gets you so far. Execution, discipline, and tackling - those are the things that will determine whether the Lions are still playing football in January.
As for the social media drama? Reader’s made his peace with it.
“I don’t get any arguments in my house or anything like that,” he said. “Usually I don’t even ever see it, but this time I just so happened to be tagged in it, so I felt like, ‘Hey, it’s time for me to respond.’ And that was the response that came out at the time.”
With two games left, the Lions need more than words - they need stops. And DJ Reader knows that better than anyone.