Sheila Hamp lands on Sports Illustrated’s 50 most influential sports figures list

Detroit Lions ownership has been cursed by local fans for decades and decades. But with the changing of the guard in 2020—from Martha Firestone Ford to her daughter Sheila Hamp—the tune has changed drastically. The Lions suddenly seem like a well-run organization from top to bottom, and the wins have come with it.

Hamp’s significant success in a short amount of time has landed her on Sports Illustrated’s top 50 “most influential figures in sports” list for 2024. There is no official ranking of the top figures, but Hamp gets a nice blurb written about her accomplishments since taking over the team.

“It wasn’t long ago that the Ford family was inundated with persistent calls from Lions fans to sell the team,” Clare Brennan wrote. “The loud chants at Ford Field helped the faithful endure a 66-season championship drought. Those protests have quieted over the last few seasons. The reason for that shift in tune? Hamp. The 72-year-old great-granddaughter of Henry Ford, took over club ownership from her mother, Martha Firestone Ford, in June 2020. In her four years at the helm, Hamp has helped transform the Lions from a mockery into a Super Bowl contender. One of her first orders of business was hiring general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell, who led the Lions to their first NFC championship game since 1991 last season. Hamp has converted Detroit into a football town brimming with promise.”

It’s surreal to see Hamp’s name among other iconic sports figures like Tom Brady, Angel Reese, Scottie Scheffler, Adam Silver, and Connor McDavid.

But it’s just one more sign that what’s happening in Detroit right now is special.