Garth Brooks' 'Sanders' Shirt Confused Some of His Fans

He was honoring Lions player Barry Sanders
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 28, 2020 6:16 AM CST
Fans Slam Garth Brooks for Wearing 'Sanders' Shirt
Garth Brooks answers questions Monday, Jan. 14, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn.   (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Garth Brooks is a big Sanders fan and he doesn't care who knows it. But when he posted a photo on Instagram of himself wearing the No. 20 jersey of former Lions running back Barry Sanders after a concert Saturday, some fans thought he was supporting a different Sanders altogether. The country star was attacked online by Instagram followers who thought he was endorsing Bernie Sanders for president, Fox reports. "If this is for Bernie Sanders, I'm done with you," one user said. "I thought you were a true American that loves Our Country?" Others praised him with comments like "Love the Sanders jersey! Feel the Bern!"

There was less confusion at the Ford Field concert, where MLive reports the crowd of 70,000 chanted "Barry! Barry! Barry!" Brooks told the crowd, "I was lucky enough to be an athlete and to wear the same uniform as this guy wore in college. I was lucky to go to school with him. You guys got the greatest player in NFL history in my opinion in this jersey. I love this man." Brooks is a registered Republican, but he's not a big fan of partisan politics. "You've got to understand that when you get to heaven, nobody cares about 'Republican' or 'Democrat,'" he said when praising fellow Habitat for Humanity volunteer Jimmy Carter last year, per the Hill. (More Garth Brooks stories.)

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