A Family Affair: Lions-Bears Will Feature Three Sets of NFL Brothers

Sunday's game between the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears will be a family affair.

The NFC North matchup will feature three sets of brothers taking the field for the first time since 1979: Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and Bears wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown; Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell and Bears linebacker Noah Sewell; and defensive end Romeo Okwara and linebacker Julian Okwara, both on the Lions.

Although Noah Sewell is ruled out of the game with a knee injury, it marks an eventful matchup for family ties in the NFL.

Per ESPN, there have been two games in NFL history featuring three sets of brothers; both were in 1979 between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals, featuring brothers Matt and Chris Bahr, Jim and Ross Browner, and Archie and Ray Griffin.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, 24, is the Lions' lead receiver, with 827 receiving yards and four touchdowns this season. His older brother, Equanimeous, 27, has two catches for 24 yards this season. They'll play against each other for the fifth time in the NFL.

With Noah Sewell's injury, a matchup between rookie Noah, 21, and starting tackle Penei, 23, will have to wait. Although both brothers played at Oregon, they would have been sharing the field for the first time since playing together in high school. The Sewells have another brother, Nephi, who plays linebacker for the New Orleans Saints.

Romeo and Julian Okwara are also both active for the game. They have played together on the Lions since 2020, when Julian, 25, was drafted by Detroit. Romeo, 28, had been claimed off waivers by the Lions in 2018.

There are a number of brothers in the NFL, including some famous pairings like the Watt brothers and the Kelce brothers. The Kelces made history in last year's Super Bowl as the first siblings to meet on opposite sides of the NFL championship.