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A few months before the release of his album "What's Going On," Marvin Gaye was trying out for the Detroit Lions.

(MLive file photo)

Considering he's already known as the Prince of Motown, one can only imagine the rise in ranking that would have come had Marvin Gaye turned in a more impressive tryout that day in 1970.

Gaye, who lived in Detroit while recording hits for Motown Records, dreamed of playing for the Detroit Lions.

Former Detroit Lions cornerback Lem Barney was there the day Marvin Gaye almost became a Detroit Lion.

One of his closest friends was already part of the team -- Hall of Fame Lions cornerback Lem Barney. Barney, along with former Detroit Lions running back Mel Farr,

had just helped

Gaye record "What's Going On." Barney and Farr can be heard as background vocals and their contributions earned them a gold record.

"Ironically, after that, Marvin had started working out with us, we'd let him work out with us," Barney said Monday on The Drive with Jack Ebling on Lansing's The Game 730 AM. "He went up to the University of Michigan and worked out during the spring with them there.

"Then he started going on 'The Johnny Carson Show' saying he was going to be a Detroit Lion."

That's when Joe Schmidt, head coach of the Lions from 1967-72, decided to give Gaye a call and bring him in for a visit.

"He said, 'Well Marvin, what's this I hear about you're going to be a Detroit Lion?,'" Barney recalled. "And Marvin said, 'Aww coach, I believe the first time I touch the ball I'm going to score a touchdown.'"

Schmidt then grilled Gaye, 31 at the time, on his football resume -- which included nothing more than the workouts he had put himself through while distancing himself from the music industry.

Barney continued.

"Coach said, 'Well what the heck make you think you can come in and play in the league?'



"He said, 'Coach I just believe in my heart if you give me a chance, first time I touch the ball I'm going to score a touchdown.'"

So Schmidt decided to give him a shot, inviting Gaye to tryout for the Detroit Lions at their training camp up in Flint in the summer of 1970.

"We were in shoes and shorts," Barney said. "He tried Marvin out at wide receiver and running back. Marvin looked good, but he just didn't have that which would have taken him over the top to get in there."

You can hear the rest of Monday's interview with former Lions great Lem Barney below, including his thoughts on this year's team and the new coaching staff in Allen Park.

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