Joe Fauria Comes Clean: Volleyball Ended His Detroit Lions Career

The chasing-his-peeing-dog story never seemed believable, and frankly, I don't think anyone in the Detroit Lions organization ever thought it was true. 

But former Lions tight end Joe Fauria finally came clean about the ankle injury that ended his Lions career in a recent episode of his "Figure It Out" podcast. 

The real culprit? As everyone suspected, volleyball.“I hit the ball 10-foot line, (heck) yeah," Fauria said. "Everyone’s cheering, but when I come down, I come down on just ankle. Left ankle. 

Like, this most amazing, shocking pain that I’ve never felt in my entire life shoots up my leg and immediately I’m like, 'Career’s over.' First thing I thought, 'Season’s over, career’s over.' That’s how much it hurt."Fauria, you may recall, was a fan favorite after he made the Lions as an undrafted rookie in 2013 for his fun-loving personality and elaborate touchdown dances. 

He scored seven touchdowns as a rookie and made the team as a backup in 2014 before injuring his ankle before a Week 4 game against the New York Jets. 

Rumors quickly spread that the injury happened on the volleyball court, but Fauria insisted at the time that while he attended a friend's volleyball match he was only there "warming up and hanging out with them, cheering them on and stuff, and probably antagonizing the other team."

Rather than come clean about the injury, Fauria concocted a story about falling while chasing his peeing dog down the stairs — a story that went viral and despite its unbelievable nature.

He said he lied about his injury to Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and then-Lions coach Jim Caldwell, among others, after he was told by someone close to him that the team could avoid paying out his contract because he suffered the injury away from football.