Marvin Gaye Secretly Trained With the Detroit Lions — Berry Gordy Was Terrified He'd Never Sing Agai

In the summer of 1970, grieving the loss of Tammi Terrell and searching for something outside of music to prove himself against, Marvin Gaye began secretly training with his friends on the Detroit Lions — Pro Bowl cornerback Lem Barney and running back Mel Farr. He converted his garage into a gym, ran five miles a day, and pestered his way into an actual NFL tryout under head coach Joe Schmidt. He didn't make the roster. But a year later, he brought Barney and Farr into the studio to record the now-iconic opening ad-libs on "What's Going On" — turning a football dream that never worked out into one of the most recognizable moments in soul music history. This is the story of grief, friendship, and an unlikely dream that shaped one of the greatest albums ever made. Marvin Gaye, Detroit Lions, Lem Barney, Mel Farr, What's Going On, Motown history, NFL history, soul music documentary, R&B history, 1970s Motown, football and music crossover, Joe Schmidt