For six seasons, he held down the center of the Lions’ defense, a steady force in Honolulu Blue who represented everything Detroit wants from its own — toughness, reliability, and relentless pride. His leadership made him a fixture of the mid-2010s Lions, and his physical style of play turned him into one of the most trusted linebackers of his era.
Now, he’s bringing that same discipline and grit into a new calling beyond football.
That man is Tahir Whitehead, the former Lions draft pick who played 133 career NFL games — 93 of them in Detroit — starting 54 times and becoming a backbone of the Lions’ defense before later stints with the Raiders, Panthers, and Cardinals.
“Wearing Honolulu Blue taught me pride, resilience, and what it means to fight for something bigger than yourself. Detroit has given me everything, and now I wear the police badge to protect its people and this city with everything I’ve got,”
Whitehead said.
Across his decade-long career, Whitehead totaled 685 tackles, six interceptions, three sacks, and three forced fumbles. His durability, toughness, and football IQ made him one of Detroit’s most dependable defenders from 2012 to 2017.
In 2022, he retired with a symbolic one-day contract to end his career as a Lion — a gesture he described as honoring loyalty, identity, and the belief that “once a Lion, always a Lion.”
Today, Whitehead has officially joined the Detroit Police Force, continuing a life of service in the very community that once roared his name on Sundays. Coaches and former teammates say his discipline, leadership, and commitment to doing things the right way make him a natural fit for the badge.
For Lions fans, his number still brings back memories of critical tackles, sideline-to-sideline effort, and the heartbeat of Detroit’s defense. And now, the city can count on Tahir Whitehead to protect Detroit with the same heart he once played with on the field.
Donald Trump Had a Message For One NFL Star After His Week 1 Performance
Nick Bosa’s excellent Week 1 performance caught the eye of President Donald Trump
The San Francisco 49ers’ star defensive end is a well-known supporter of Donald Trump, memorably wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat after a win over the Dallas Cowboys on “Sunday Night Football” last year.
As we all know, President Trump loves to publicly praise any celebrity, professional athlete or politician who endorses him. So it should be no surprise that he took a couple of moments to tip his hat to Nick Bosa on Monday.
An hour before the Chicago Bears kicked off “Monday Night Football” against the Minnesota Vikings, Trump shared a congratulatory message for Nick Bosa on his Truth Social account:
“Congratulations to Nick Bosa on an unbelievable play in the San Francisco 49ers’ Win over Seattle. He was born to be a STAR! President DJT”
You can see a screenshot of Trump’s message for Bosa below:
🚨JUST IN: President Donald Trump posted a congratulations message to Nick Bosa after his game-winning play.
“Congratulations to Nick Bosa on an unbelievable play in the 49ers’ Win over Seattle. He was born to be a STAR!”
Bosa has been a long-time supporter of President Trump. pic.twitter.com/kzhRoazENy — MLFootball (@_MLFootball) September 9, 2025
The 2022 Defensive Player of the Year had a sack and made the game-saving play by recovering
Sam Darnold’s fumble in the red zone with 36 seconds left, preserving a 17-13 victory for the 49ers.
Banged-Up 49ers Will Lean On Nick Bosa Over The Next Few Weeks
The 2024 49ers’ season was derailed by injuries to key players, notably Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams. Aiyuk isn’t expected to return until October, while tight end
George Kittle is expected to miss multiple games after suffering a hamstring injury against Seattle.
Standout receiver Jauan Jennings was also hurt against the Seahawks, and veteran WR Demarcus Robinson is serving a three-game suspension. With so many absences on offense, the 49ers will need Nick Bosa and the star-studded defense to do most of the heavy lifting, as they did in Emerald City on Sunday.
The 49ers visit the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.