The Detroit Lions‘ Thursday Night Football match against the Cowboys was host to several controversial moments.
During a pivotal moment late in Thursday night’s 44-30 Lions victory over the Cowboys, Detroit was protecting a 10-point lead as Dallas faced 3rd-and-3 on the Lions‘ 11.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott targeted tight end Jake Ferguson in the end zone. As the play unfolded, Ferguson appeared to use a “swim move” to shake off Anzalone before the pass fell incomplete, yet officials flagged Ferguson for offensive pass interference. Detroit declined the penalty.
The controversial call has been criticised by fans and analysts alike.
However, another contentious issue arose during the same game.
A fan posted a clip criticizing the call, using what Anzalone considered a slur: calling him “Alex Calzone.” Anzalone, who is of Italian descent, responded on social media with:
“We just gonna let the racist comment slide?”
Fans took to social media to react, many sending GIFs of the HBO mafia-themed TV show, The Sopranos.
In the locker room after the game, Anzalone also addressed the earlier penalty call: “He was doing that all night… I was talking to the refs all night about it, because he gets a little pushy at the top of the route. … I just saw the replay and I clearly got yanked.”
He doubled down in a now deletedX post: “Y’all are weird.. you can’t grab someone’s jersey and sling through like that. My body didn’t do that for no reason. We declined it anyways.”
Anzalone’s impact on Detroit’s defense
Since arriving in Detroit in 2021, Anzalone has pingponged between roles but ultimately found a home as a WILL linebacker, a position that allows him to operate more in space.
His physical profile, roughly 63 and 238 pounds, with aboveaverage quickness, enables him to move well laterally, reroute tight ends or running backs, and read routes cleanly.
His season included 51 solo tackles, consistent coverage snaps, and even a sack, but the most notable stat is his ability to limit separation and break up passes routinely.
Anzalone‘s strong 2025 performance continued Thursday against Dallas, where he matched his career high in passes defensed for a game.
That consistency in pass coverage helps justify his heavy usage in man coverage packages, something the Lions have leaned on heavily for years.
During the game, the veteran inside linebacker lined up seven tackles, four solo, and broke up three passes, two aimed at Cowboys tight ends. It was just the latest example of why Anzalone is quietly becoming one of the most important coverage players in the Lions‘ defense.
Off the field, he’s also embraced his Italian-American heritage, once even sporting an Italian flag on his helmet during a regular-season game.
