There may be some Ziggy Ansah birthers out there, but not in the Lions front office.
In one of the stranger stories of the day (though it’s early yet), the Lions clarified that their defensive end is actually 27 years old.
The whispers about his age have been there since he was drafted, but the Lions have always listed his birthday as May 29, 1989. But when he went to his native Ghana to launch his foundation, news reports there pegged him at 29.
“We believe our published information is accurate — born May 29, 1989,” a team spokesman told Kyle Meinke of Mlive.com.
While it might seem like a trivial distinction, it could be worth some money to Ansah down the road. If he enters his contract year at 28, it seems more logical to give him a long-term contract. A 30-year-old hitting the market might not be so warmly received.
The most important number for Ansah to rectify, however, is his sack total. He had just two last year after recording 30.0 in his first three years.
But with the possibilities of a $17 million franchise tag or an even bigger long-term deal on the horizon, it’s something they need to make sure they get right.