I recently acquired this game-used 1997 Detroit Lions jersey of Glyn Milburn.

This jersey was advertised as being from 1994 due to the year tag sewn into the jersey, but there was one problem: Glyn Milburn didn’t play for the Lions in 1994 - or even 1995.

I dug into archive photos and saw that Milburn wore a different jersey throughout 1996, as that jersey featured a Reebok logo that pointed to the middle of the ‘3’ on the left shoulder whereas on this jersey it points at the upper part of the ‘3’.

I found a Getty Image from a 1997 preseason game that was a match for this jersey. But could it really have been used 3 years after it was made?

Turns out, yes. I photomatched this jersey to NFL broadcasts of 6 games in 1997, including the first and last game of the season, which means Milburn wore this jersey in every game in which the Lions wore this style, which is 10 games.

Although this jersey never saw the end zone, it saw some interesting moments:

• In the season opener, Milburn fielded punts on 5 successive plays due to penalties that led to re-kicks.

• Milburn wore this jersey during the Lions Thanksgiving Day win, logging 246 return yards.

• This jersey was worn in the last game of the season, during which Barry Sanders reached 2,000 rushing yards for the year.

Total Statistics:

• 747 kick return yards

• 283 punt return yards

• 5 receptions for 77 yards

8/31 vs Falcons

• 111 return yards

• 1 reception for 43 yards

9/7 vs Buccaneers

• 76 return yards

• 2 receptions for 19 yards

9/28 vs Packers

• 119 return yards

• 1 reception for 11 yards

10/12 at Buccaneers

• 40 return yards

10/19 vs Giants

• 93 return yards

11/9 at Redskins

• 200 return yards

• 1 reception for 4 yards

11/16 vs Vikings

• 38 return yards

11/23 vs Colts

• 54 return yards

11/27 vs Bears (Thanksgiving)

• 246 return yards

12/21 vs Jets

• 53 return yards