Detroit Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said it’s always been a dream of his to fly with the Blue Angels.

“There’s no way this will ever happen,” Fipp said about the possibility of ever going up with the famous U.S. Navy squadron. Turns out, there was a way.

Fipp is a pilot himself and, through a few flying community connections, found himself in the cockpit of a fighter jet.

The Lions posted a video on July 4 showing Fipp’s ride-along with the Blue Angels in March. Fipp, the son of a Navy pilot, said he grew up watching the Angels perform at air shows in his hometown of San Diego.

Fipp suited up and went up for a 45-minute flight in an F-18 Super Hornet at the El Centro naval air facility.

“I can’t even express in words how grateful I am for the opportunity to fly there… and really just be around those people… totally helped me understand my dad’s love for it,” Fipp said.

Fipp joined the Lions in 2021 as special teams coordinator after spending eight seasons in the same role with the Philadelphia Eagles. Under his leadership, the unit has been a key contributor to the team’s historic success in recent seasons.