At the end of the dinner, Ford did a question-and-answer session, and one question was about the atmosphere at Ford Field during the Lions’ 40-32 victory over Chicago last Sunday.
“It was really alive, and it was alive when we played the same bunch of thugs on Monday night a couple years ago,” Ford said.
A Lions spokesman said Ford was joking about calling the Bears “thugs,” but Ford didn’t address the media after the dinner.
Lions wide receiver Nate Burleson received the Ed Block Courage Award at the dinner, and the team raised about $150,000 for HAVEN, Oakland County’s premier center for the prevention and treatment of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse
After making the “thugs” comment, Ford continued to praise the crowd in Sunday’s win, which moved the Lions (3-1) into a first-place tie in the NFC North.
“When this place gets going, it’s electric,” he said. “We do have wonderful fans. Our fans are amazing, and we would love to pay them back and bring home a winner. I love the way this team is playing right now.”
Ford loves it so much that he made a proclamation in advance of Sunday’s game in Green Bay, another division rival.
“There’s a special feeling going into Lambeau (Field), always has been,” he said. “And yet I hate going up there, but when we win this week, it’s going to make it feel a heck of a lot better.”
The Lions have lost 22 consecutive road games against the Packers.
Ford said the Lions have had great line play on both sides so far this season, and he thinks they have playmakers at almost every position, which gives him confidence for the rest of 2013.
“I think (general manager Martin Mayhew) and the team and (president Tom Lewand) in the offseason just did a magnificent job both in free agency and in the draft because we’re an exciting team, we’re a strong team and we also have depth,” Ford said.
