The Detroit Lions 15-9 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday was extra special for one Minnesota family.
Marcia Zylstra and her husband Vonn watched on television as their sons, Brandon and Shane Zylstra, played on the same NFL team together for the first time in their careers.
Both were elevated from the Lions practice squad ahead of Sunday's game.
"It was amazing, unreal. It's just something that everybody wishes for and the fact it came together late Saturday afternoon...we wish we could have been there had we known, but it's hard to even put into words," Marcia told WCCO Radio's Vineeta Sawkar during the Morning News on Monday.
Marcia said she and Vonn found out Shane and Brandon would take the field together during an early family Christmas celebration.
"Everybody was asking if they were going to play so we sent them a text asking them if they were playing," Marcia said. "They replied, 'Yep,' right away and we were able to share the excitement with a lot of people at the same time. It was too short of notice for us to get there to attend the game."
Brandon, who is a former Concordia Cobbers standout, is now in his fifth NFL season. He's played with the Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers and was signed to the Lions practice squad in October.
Shane, a former Minnesota State Mankato standout, has spent the most of the past two seasons with the Lions and even caught his first NFL touchdown in Sunday's win.
"We always sat at a chair in the middle of our living room with a TV on each wall. They'd play at the same time and we'd have to swivel to see one or the other," Vonn said. "It was just amazing to see them both on one screen. It was just breathtaking."
Vonn said on Monday that they are not sure what's next, but they'll be waiting.
"We think they'll play and assume they will play, but you just don't know," he said. "We'll kind of just play it by ear. We'll try to get out there as much as we can and knowing where they're at now, we're going to try and pursue."
