Detroit Lions star Amon-Ra St. Brown has never been shy about showing off his German roots. Now, he’s explaining just how important that part of his upbringing remains to him, while also admitting there’s one part of German culture he isn’t exactly ready to defend.

During a recent appearance on The Gronk and Jules Show, St. Brown opened up about growing up with an American father, John Brown, and a German mother, Miriam Brown. Talking with hosts Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman, the Lions receiver described having those two cultures in his life as a “blessing.”

“I mean, having a German mother is a lot different. I feel like for me growing up, it’s kind of the norm for me,” St. Brown said. “But having a German mother is, to me, it’s a blessing. I get to have two different cultures in my life. Me and my two brothers are so fortunate to have a mother that only spoke German to us growing up as kids. So we still only speak German to her. That’s like our way of communication. … When you speak the language, you’re just that much more involved in that German culture. So it’s been a blessing.”

It’s a fascinating detail about one of Detroit’s biggest stars. St. Brown and his brothers didn’t simply learn German as kids and gradually stop using it; speaking German remains the way they communicate with their mother today.

Amon-Ra St. Brown’s German Upbringing Runs Deep

St. Brown’s connection to Germany has become increasingly visible throughout his NFL career. His mother is from Leverkusen, and St. Brown is fluent in German and holds dual American-German citizenship, giving him a connection to the country that goes well beyond football.

That connection became especially relevant when the Lions were selected to play in Germany during the 2026 season. St. Brown previously described getting an opportunity to play in his mother’s home country as something he had dreamed about since entering the NFL.

His upbringing also helps explain some of the personality Detroit fans have come to know. St. Brown’s obsessive approach to preparation and competition has long been connected to the environment created by his parents, including the demanding athletic foundation established by his father, a former competitive bodybuilder.

That mentality has translated rather nicely to Detroit. St. Brown has developed from the No. 112 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft into the centerpiece of a Lions receiving corps that also features Jameson Williams as Detroit’s explosive vertical threat.

There Is One German Tradition He Won’t Defend

There is, however, one place where St. Brown’s loyalty to Germany apparently has limits.

The food.

St. Brown admitted that he doesn’t rank German cuisine particularly highly, and apparently he has no problem delivering that scouting report directly to his German mother. He did, however, offer one recommendation for anyone willing to give it a shot.

“I tell everyone, you know, this is going to sound crazy, but I don’t think German food is the best food,” St. Brown said. “I’ll tell my mother that, too. Also to her face. I don’t know if it’s the best food, but they do have some good culture, some culture food. If you haven’t had German food, you got to try Schnitzel.”

There you have it.

St. Brown loves Germany. He loves the culture, considers his multicultural upbringing a blessing and still speaks exclusively in German with his mother.

Just don’t ask him to put German cuisine at the top of his power rankings.

St. Brown Is Doing Plenty of Talking on the Field

While St. Brown’s comments provided a fun glimpse into his life away from football, his start to the 2026 season has given Lions fans plenty to talk about on Sundays. Through Detroit’s first three games, St. Brown has 23 receptions for 228 yards and five touchdowns, including a touchdown in each game.

He’ll have another opportunity to add to those numbers Sunday night when the Lions travel to Carolina. Detroit enters the matchup coming off a 31-24 victory over the New York Jets, and St. Brown remains one of Jared Goff’s most dependable weapons.

There are plenty of reasons St. Brown has become one of the faces of this Lions era. His latest comments provide another glimpse at the family and culture behind the player Detroit fans see every Sunday.

And if you ever happen to have dinner with him?

Apparently, order the schnitzel.