I’m not sure whether to give Larry Foote a virtual pat on the back for loyalty or beg him to have his head examined. The former Pittsburgh Steeler linebacker apparently will get to fulfill his desire to leave the Super Bowl champion to join, yes, the ultimate Super Bowl longshot Detroit Lions.

Foote reportedly has inked a one-year deal to become Detroit’s new middle linebacker just days after receiving his release from the Steel Town where he helped win two Lombardi trophies.

By joining the rebuilding Lions he goes from being the third or fourth best linebacker on one of the league’s top defenses year in and year out to a team where he likely becomes one of – if not THE – best player.

Now in Pittsburgh, Foote last year was replaced on many passing downs by Lawrence Timmons, an emerging youngster who will likely replace him as the starter. So, perhaps if Steelers coaches were giving him an indication his role would be further reduced in 2009, maybe that makes some sense.

And he is from Detroit, so that explains some of his desire to play for the Lions as well.

But this move has been rumored since around the time of the Super Bowl, according to a couple of media reports. And it got played up big time a week or so ago by ProFootballTalk.com.

“No question about it, that’s my top choice,” he told the Detroit News last week.

But he does realize the team went 0-16 last year, right? And he realizes he’s going to a team that took a quarterback with the top pick in the draft who might not even play for a year? And a team with less than stellar talent across the offensive and defensive lines? And he goes from a team with six Super Bowl wins in seven appearances going back to the mid-1970s to a team that has won one playoff game in half a century?

Maybe Foote knows exactly what he’s doing. Maybe entering his eighth season, with two rings already adorning his hands, the pressure is off and he wants to go see if he can help create a miracle in the struggling city of Detroit. He’s a solid player – he probably was somewhat underappreciated by just being “one of the guys” in Pittsburgh. If he helps pull off what looks now like a miracle reclamation project he can only help his reputation – and if the Lions continue to suck, well, he went back to the hometown and gave it his best shot.

But wow. This is a curious, curious move. Even if he wanted out of Pittsburgh, there have to be any number of teams that would have bid for his services. So a tip of the cap to Foote for keeping things interesting. I’ll be keeping an eye on this one to see how it plays out.