FENTON, Mich. – Dan Foster, 49, is selling his extensive collection of Detroit Lions memorabilia, accumulated over more than three decades, following the death of his close friend, Gary Wayne Slatton, in 2025. Foster, who grew up a Lions fan after moving to Michigan in 1990, decided to part with nearly all the items after Slatton’s passing changed the experience of watching games, which they had done together for years. His basement in Fenton, described as potentially rivaling Ford Field, is filled with a vast array of Honolulu Blue and Silver, reflecting the team’s history from its challenging seasons to recent successes.
The collection, which began in 1990, is described as startling even for dedicated fans. Items range from everyday objects to rare sports memorabilia. On the staircase alone, there are Lions coins from the 2005 season, a Roy Williams No. 11 jersey, and a framed collection of 1993 Lions trading cards featuring players like Barry Sanders, Rodney Peete, and Herman Moore. Among the standout pieces is an autographed Calvin Johnson rookie card, complete with a picture of Johnson signing it.
Upon entering Foster’s basement, visitors find massive FatHeads of Sanders and Johnson, alongside a diverse array of jerseys, helmets, water bottles, blankets, and footballs. The collection includes dozens of framed and autographed pictures and trading cards of Lions players and broadcasters. A particularly unique item is a stadium seat from the Pontiac Silverdome, which Foster found in the parking lot after the stadium's demolition. He also owns unusual items such as a Detroit Lions toothbrush and fingernail clippers, stating, "The weirder it is, the more unique it is, the more I want it." The collection spans eras including the 0-16 season in 2008 and other difficult years, which Foster noted "makes it more worthwhile."
Foster’s fandom and collection were deeply tied to his bond with Gary Wayne Slatton. Foster was born in central Tennessee, where professional sports teams were absent until the Houston Oilers moved there in 1997. He moved to Michigan as a teenager in 1990 and was introduced to the Lions by Slatton, a family friend. The two immediately connected. Foster described Slatton as "amazing," a veteran who served two tours in Vietnam, "tough as nails," and a "great mentor" and "great father figure" to him.
For years, the two men religiously watched Lions games together, with Sundays in the fall revolving around these gatherings at Slatton's home. Foster recalled watching games with so much smoke in the air he could "barely see the screen by the 4th quarter." The last game they watched together was the 2024 NFC Championship Game between the Lions and the San Francisco 49ers. After Slatton passed away in 2025, Foster decided to sell the collection. He explained that without Slatton to text, call, or watch games with, the experience "just had a different feel." He has been holding out for a buyer who is also a Lions fan.
While most of the collection is for sale, Foster plans to keep a few items. His 14-year-old daughter will have her pick of anything she wishes to retain. Foster is also keeping everything he received from his favorite player, former Lions wide receiver Johnnie Morton. An unlikely connection formed between them on Facebook after Morton saw Foster’s No. 87 jersey in the basement in a viral video, leading to a friendship that has lasted years. Foster treasures Morton's signed jersey and a picture Morton sent him. Morton has "absolutely forbidden" Foster from selling anything he signed.
Morton extended an invitation to Foster for a Lions game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016. During this event, Foster had the opportunity to spend time in a suite with Morton and several Lions legends, including Hall of Famer Lem Barney. A picture of this experience is part of Foster’s collection. He described it as "so cool getting to hear them tell old stories," and noted Barney's advice to say "Love" instead of "Cheese" when taking pictures to remember to smile.
Foster intends to complete the sale of his collection before the end of the month, having already received bids exceeding $6,000 on social media. For him, the tangible memorabilia holds less significance than the connections he has forged with fellow Lions fans and players over the past 36 years. As the owner of a security company, he travels extensively and encounters Lions fans across the country. These shared connections and memories are what he cherishes most, noting he knows fans in places like Vegas and Tennessee, and that "There’s a Lions fan in every state." He added that seeing his "Lions’ den" on social media and connecting with people through it has become his "favorite thing."
