An NFL general manager is making headlines after he showed up to a pre-draft press conference on Thursday and appeared to weigh in on the debate raging about trans-identifying male athletes competing against females in women’s sports.
The head of the Detroit Lions, Brad Holmes, stepped out wearing a black long-sleeve sweatshirt with a message across the front in white lettering that read, “I support women and girls in sports.”
Surprisingly, no member of the press in the room asked the GM about his sweatshirt or what message he was sending with it, OutKick reported.
Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes wore a 'Support Women and Girls in Sports' sweatshirt during a press conference on Thursday.
Holmes is fighting the good fight and standing up for women's sports.👏https://t.co/G3tmwSEYa9
— OutKick (@Outkick) April 21, 2023
Sports commentators at the outlet and in Michigan tweeted out images of the Lions GM’s shirt and praised Holmes for speaking out for women in sports amid constant stories about trans-identifying male athletes crushing females in various women’s sports.
“Boom! Love it,” OutKick’s Clay Travis tweeted.
Boom! Love it. https://t.co/mTCFupzs35
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) April 21, 2023
“Leadership starts at the top,” Michigan Sports Network Huge Show tweeted. “Lions GM Brad Holmes wears a shirt to his press conference in support of Women and Girls in sports. He’s a dad with a daughter.”
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Leadership starts at the top.
Lions GM Brad Holmes wears a shirt to his press conference in support of Women and Girls in sports.
He’s a dad with a daughter. pic.twitter.com/LEF9CVgQH7
— HUGE (@Hugeshow) April 21, 2023
Michigan sportswriter Dave Birkett tweeted, “Lions GM Brad Holmes always rocking a hoodie with a message: Today: ‘Support Women and Girls in Sports.'”
Lions GM Brad Holmes always rocking a hoodie with a message: Today: “Support Women and Girls in Sports” pic.twitter.com/Bz978faCio
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) April 20, 2023
Former swimming champion Riley Gaines also tweeted the photo in a post that has since gone viral.
“Brad Holmes, general manager for the Detroit Lions, sending a message at the pre-draft press conference,” Gaines wrote. “‘I support women and girls in sports.’ Amazing!!! Thank you.”
Brad Holmes, general manager for the Detroit Lions, sending a message at the pre-draft press conference.
"I support women and girls in sports"
Amazing!!! Thank you👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/bq5lJIFyrL
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) April 21, 2023
Gaines has made headlines for speaking out against making females compete against males in sports. She is a former University of Kentucky star who was deprived of an NCAA award by trans-identifying swimmer Lia Thomas.
On Thursday, she tweeted out a clip of North Carolina high school female volleyball star Payton McNabb speaking to legislators in the state after she was severely injured by a trans-identifying male player in a game, suffering a concussion and more.
“Watch the clip of Payton McNabb getting spiked in the face by a male competing with the women,” Gaines tweeted. “Then watch her testimony she gave today for the first time publicly.”
“I was honored to stand alongside her in NC to continue the fight to protect women’s sports,” she added.