ONE
Founded in 1930, the Detroit Lions are one of the oldest franchises in the National Football League (NFL). Originally located in Portsmouth, Ohio, the team was known as the Portsmouth Spartans before their move to Detroit in 1934 - prompting a name change to the Detroit Lions. George A. Richards - who paid just $8,000 for the team - picked the name because he intended to put together a team that would be the "king of the NFL.”
Detroit Lions Logo
TWO
The Lions achieved early success - winning their first NFL championship in 1935 behind tailback Earl Clark, and thereby establishing themselves as a competitive force in the league. Despite only winning 35 games in the 1940s, the early triumph set the stage for future accomplishments and cemented the team's place in NFL history. Building on their early success, the Lions went on to win three more championships in 1952, 1953, and 1957.
THREE
The 1960s marked a period of transition for the Detroit Lions, as they navigated changes to both the coaching staff and roster. The team saw some quiet success early in the decade, under head coach George Wilson. The latter half of the 1960s, however, saw the Lions face inconsistency - with the team failing to make the playoffs. Despite the team’s struggles, cornerback Lem Barney and running back Mel Farr established themselves as stars in the league.
Lem Barney, Cornerback 1967-1977
FOUR
Under head coach Joe Schmid, the team finally made a playoff appearance in 1970 but failed to record a victory as the franchise’s struggles in the postseason continued. Skip forward to 1980 and the Lions drafted Heisman Trophy winner Billy Sims. Sims immediately made an impact - winning Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Behind Sims' dynamic play, Detroit returned to the playoffs in 1981 and 1982. However, they were eliminated from contention in the first game. After such a promising start, the star running back suffered a serious knee injury just four years into his NFL career - pushing the Lions back out of contention.
FIVE
Just five years later, Detroit found a replacement for Billy Sims, in the form of another Heisman trophy winner, Barry Sanders. The running back would go on to become one of the greatest players the sport has ever seen - with his unique running style soon propelling the Lions back into the playoffs. Between Sanders and head coach Wayne Fontes, Detroit had one of its best seasons in decades in 1991. After finishing the regular season with a 12-4 record, the Lions secured their first playoff since 1957. Detroit would make the playoffs another five times during the 90s but failed to get past the Wildcard round.
Barry Sanders, Running back 1989-1998
SIX
After winning NFL MVP, Offensive Rookie of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year awards twice, Barry Sanders shocked the world when he announced his retirement in 1998 - hanging up his boots just one year after pulling off a rare 2000-rushing yard season. Sanders was named an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in all 10 of his seasons in the league, en route to becoming a first-ballot Hall of Famer at just 36 years old.
SEVEN
Things became rather bleak in Detroit after Barry Sanders’ retirement, as the Lions hit a new rock bottom when they became the first team in NFL history to lose all 16 games in a regular season. Over the next two decades, the team did have their bright spots, including Calvin ‘Megatron’ Johnson who would become a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021. To this day, Johnson holds the single-season receiving record with 1,964 yards. Quarterback Matthew Stafford made his name in Detroit thanks to his elite arm strength. However, surrounded by mediocrity, a playoff win continued to evade the Lions - despite postseason appearances in 2011, 2014 and 2016.
Matthew Stafford, Quarterback 2009-2020
EIGHT
Detroit Lions fans were quick to express their concerns, when former Lions tight end Dan Campbell was hired as the team’s head coach in 2021. These concerns were then raised following his particularly animated opening press conference and a 4-19-1 record in his first 24 games. However, with the help of the Lions front office, Detroit set about rebuilding the core of the team. After a blockbuster trade that sent Matthew Stafford to the LA Rams in exchange for quarterback Jared Goff, the Lions had sensational drafts in three-straight years - selecting: offensive tackle Penei Sewell, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, tight end Sam LaPorta and running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
NINE
After an impressive second half to the 2022 season, Dan Campbell and the Lions were ready to roll in 2023. Detroit dominated in the inaugural game of the season, with a pulsating victory over defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. By the end of the regular season the Lions had put together a 12-5 record - tying their franchise record for wins. The outstanding season secured their first home playoff game since 1993 and only their third since 1957. Detroit would then make more history - beating the Rams and winning their first playoff game since 1992 before advancing to the NFC Championship game for just the second time in franchise history. Thanks to a comeback from the San Francisco 49ers, the Lions were unable to reach the Super Bowl. However they now enter 2024 ready to solidify their place atop the NFC North.
Dan Campbell, Head Coach 2021-Present
BEFORE YOU GO
Since 2002, the Detroit Lions have called Ford Field home. The stadium cost $500 million to build and has a capacity of 65,000.
Not only are the Detroit Lions the only NFC team to have never appeared in a Super Bowl, they are also the only franchise operational for the entirety of the Super Bowl era to have never reached the big game.
According to Forbes, the Detroit Lions are the 31st most valuable franchise in the NFL - valued at $3.6 billion.
