Amon-Ra St. Brown Snubs Andy Reid and the Chiefs, Still Haunted by Painful Disappointment

Amon-Ra St. Brown has emerged as one of the most electrifying and dependable wide receivers in the NFL. A fourth-round pick who has defied expectations since entering the league, St. Brown has earned Pro Bowl honors, become the emotional engine of the Detroit Lions’ offense, and developed into one of the fiercest competitors on Sundays. But beneath the confident swagger and highlight-reel plays lies a memory that still stings—a brutal disappointment that continues to shape the way he approaches the game and the league as a whole.

That lingering pain came to the surface again this offseason, when reports surfaced that St. Brown had declined an opportunity to join Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs for a high-profile training summit in California. While such events are typically welcomed by young stars as a chance to absorb knowledge from legends like Reid and Patrick Mahomes, St. Brown made his position clear: he’s not interested in sharing the field with the team that ripped away what could have been the crowning moment of his young career.

The message was unmistakable—Amon-Ra St. Brown is not over what happened in the 2024 NFC Championship, and he’s using that heartbreak as fuel

For the Detroit Lions and their loyal fanbase, the 2024 NFC Championship Game was supposed to be the culmination of a dream. The team had surged through the regular season behind a balanced attack, gritty defense, and an unrelenting belief that this was their year. St. Brown was at the heart of it all, leading the team in receptions, yards, and emotional moments. In many ways, he personified the Lions’ rise—undervalued, tough, and unafraid.

Then came the collapse.

Detroit held a double-digit lead in the second half, and with Ford Field roaring at full volume, a Super Bowl berth seemed inevitable. But a series of missteps, untimely penalties, and a relentless comeback by the 49ers turned jubilation into devastation. The Lions lost, and the dream died.

St. Brown was inconsolable after the game. He sat at his locker in full uniform long after the final whistle, staring into space, unwilling to speak with media. Teammates later described him as “gutted,” and even in the weeks that followed, he carried the weight of that loss into every offseason workout.

“It still hurts,” he admitted during a recent interview. “That game… we had it. I still think about it all the time. That kind of pain doesn’t go away easy.”

So when word got out that St. Brown had declined an invite to train with Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and several of the Chiefs’ offensive stars, it raised eyebrows around the league. These offseason summits have become a trend in recent years—opportunities for high-profile players from different teams to share insights, develop chemistry, and exchange ideas in a low-pressure environment.

For someone like St. Brown—young, elite, and hungry—it would seem like an ideal setting. But to those who know him best, the decision was perfectly in character.

“Amon-Ra doesn’t forget,” said one Lions staffer. “He holds on to things. That’s what makes him great. He’s not here to be buddy-buddy with the team that has what he wants.”

And what St. Brown wants is exactly what Kansas City has—a Super Bowl ring.

The Chiefs’ dramatic win over the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII only deepened the wound for Detroit. The very team that crushed the Lions’ title hopes went on to win it all, cementing their dynasty and further solidifying Mahomes and Reid as legends. For St. Brown, there was no appeal in joining their offseason circle of celebration. Not now. Not until he gets his.

This kind of edge isn’t new for St. Brown. He’s made a habit of remembering every slight—real or perceived. In interviews, he’s rattled off the names of receivers drafted ahead of him. He’s recalled opposing corners who underestimated him. He’s kept a running list of doubters and used their skepticism as fuel to outperform expectations.

It’s the same chip-on-the-shoulder mindset that drove him to turn himself into a Pro Bowl receiver despite being the 112th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. And it’s that same mindset that is now fueling his Super Bowl obsession.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell has often praised St. Brown’s work ethic and relentless drive, calling him the team’s “heartbeat.” That heartbeat is currently thumping with vengeance.

“He’s the kind of guy who internalizes everything,” Campbell said. “You can see it in the way he prepares, the way he practices, the way he carries himself. He doesn’t want to talk about being the best—he wants to be the best. That loss lit a fire in him.”

Inside the Lions’ locker room, St. Brown’s stance has only elevated his status. Rather than being viewed as someone avoiding camaraderie, his refusal to fraternize with the league’s elite has become a rallying point. Teammates see him as focused, locked in, and unrelenting in his pursuit of redemption.

“You respect a guy like that,” said quarterback Jared Goff. “He’s not just doing this for the spotlight. He’s doing it for us. He wants to win here, in Detroit, with these guys. That’s rare.”

Newly acquired players have also taken note. Free agent additions to the Lions’ roster have cited the team’s culture—built on toughness, loyalty, and accountability—as one of the reasons they signed. Much of that culture stems from players like St. Brown, who lead by example and never let up.

As the 2025 NFL season approaches, expectations in Detroit are sky-high once again. The Lions retained key pieces, bolstered their defense, and remain committed to the coaching staff that brought them to the brink of a Super Bowl. And at the center of it all is Amon-Ra St. Brown—still hungry, still burning, and still haunted.

He’s turned down the chance to mingle with champions because he doesn’t want to learn from them—he wants to beat them.

“I’ll work out with them after I win a ring,” he reportedly told a close friend. “Until then, I’ve got business to handle.”

That business begins Week 1, but in reality, it never stopped. St. Brown has spent the entire offseason training with singular focus, refining his routes, improving his strength, and working tirelessly to erase the memory of what could have been.

Amon-Ra St. Brown isn’t interested in alliances. He doesn’t want praise, and he isn’t chasing friendships with opponents. He wants what every great competitor wants: the ultimate prize.

Snubbing Andy Reid and the Chiefs may seem petty to some, but to those who understand elite mentality, it’s a declaration. St. Brown doesn’t want to admire greatness. He wants to take it down.

And until he does, the sting of that NFC Championship loss will remain his greatest motivation.