The countdown to the 2024 NFL draft in Detroit began Thursday with a community celebration in Campus Martius Park in downtown Detroit.
Speeches were made by local officials and NFL leaders, including NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, Detroit Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.
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Detroit Lions fans braved the wind to support the selection of their city. Walter and Gwendolyn Smith, of Detroit, sported the Honolulu blue color of the Lions, their NFL team for over three decades.