Indiana Fever Guard Sophie Cunningham Warned by NFL Player After Recent Detroit Comments originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Dan Skipper has a busy offseason.
The offensive tackle re-signed with the Detroit Lions and could be in for a bigger role after the retirement of Frank Ragnow, which could cause a seismic shift on Detroit’s line.
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On Tuesday, Skipper took to his X account to stick up for the city of Detroit amid controversial comments by Indiana player Sophie Cunningham about the WNBA’s recent expansion announcement.
Dan Skipper during Lions practice. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“I don’t know how excited people are to be going to Detroit or (Cleveland),” Cunningham said when discussing the WNBA’s expansion cities.
“You ever been there?” Skipper asked on X.
“Pretty good place to play, well not for you now,” the Lions lineman added along with a video of Cunningham’s comments.
Detroit has been approved for a new WNBA team in 2029, 19 years after the Detroit Shock franchise moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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The upcoming Detroit WNBA team’s new ownership group is expected to include Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp; Denise Ilitch; high-profile sports agent Arn Tellem; and former Pistons stars Grant Hill and Chris Webber. Rapper Eminem is reportedly a potential part owner.
The city of Detroit made a statement about Cunningham’s comments on X, highlighting the Shock’s No. 1 attendance ranking for three straight seasons and a single-game attendance record in the 2003 WNBA Finals.
Related: Lions Cornerback Hyped up by Kerby Joseph Ahead of 2025 Season
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.