Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions are a professional football team, which started as the Portsmouth Spartans in 1928, joined the NFL in 1930, then they moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1934. They were not the first NFL team in Detroit, the previous team merged into the New York Giants.

The franchise plays in the NFC North division, where they are division rivals with the Chicago Bears, the Green Bay Packers, and the Minnesota Vikings. Historically, the franchise has had four league championships, prior to the Super Bowl era, but have not had much success since then. In turn, the fanbase tends to be cautious, skeptical, and occasionally cynical with “Same Old Lions” (SOL) chants.

Modern history

The modern history of the franchise starts with the sale to William Clay Ford Sr. on November 22, 1963, coincidentally the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Since then, the Lions lost to a toeless kicker in 1970, lost 0–5 in the 1970 playoffs, watched Chuck Hughes die in 1971, and hired Don McCafferty, who previously won Super Bowl V, but died after his first season in 1974.

In the 1980s, the Lions drafted Billy Sims, started 4–0, but finished 9–7 and missed the 1980 playoffs,¹⁾ then Billy Sims had a career-ending injury in 1984. Then in 1988, the Lions promoted Wayne Fontes despite his cocaine charges, drafted icons like Chris Spielman and Barry Sanders, and the Lions had an iconic run where Mike Utley got paralysis and the Lions won one playoff game in 1991.

After that, Eric Andolsek died in 1992, Reggie Brown had a career-ending injury while Barry Sanders reached 2,000 yards in 1997, then Barry Sanders faxed his retirement in 1999 and the Lions had him repay his bonus. For the 2000s, the Matt Millen era had the Lions "taking the wind" in 2002, broke the new Rooney Rule in 2003, and infamously went 0–16 in 2008.

However, the Lions drafted icons like Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford, then Corey Smith had mysteriously died in 2009. In 2014, the Lions hired Jim Caldwell,²⁾ then William Clay Ford Sr. died shortly after and Martha Firestone Ford took over. Calvin Johnson retired in 2016 and had to repay his bonus, then the Lions had to suffer through the Quinn–Patricia “Patriot Way” years.

For the 2020s, Sheila Ford Hamp became owner in 2020, hired Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes in 2021, then Matthew Stafford demanded a trade and won Super Bowl LVI with the Los Angeles Rams. While the Lions were at their lowest point, they managed to retool the team, build Jared Goff's confidence back up, and drafted well,³⁾ managing to win two playoff games in 2024.

List of Seasons

Toggle heatmap with regular season and postseason.

	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
192x	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	9–2–3 ^(.750)	12–1–2^(.867)
193x	5–6–3 ^(.464)	11–3 ^(.786)	6–2–4 ^(.667)	6–5 ^(.546)	10–3 ^(.769)	7–3–2 ^(.667)	8–4 ^(.667)	7–4 ^(.636)	7–4 ^(.636)	6–5 ^(.546)
193x	5–6–3 ^(.464)	11–3 ^(.786)	0–1 ^(.000)	—	—	1–0 ^(1.00)	—	—	—	—
194x	5–5–1 ^(.500)	4–6–1 ^(.409)	0–11 ^(.000)	3–6–1 ^(.350)	6–3–1 ^(.650)	7–3 ^(.700)	1–10 ^(.091)	3–9 ^(.250)	2–10 ^(.167)	4–8 ^(.333)
194x	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
195x	6–6 ^(.500)	7–4–1 ^(.625)	9–3 ^(.750)	10–2 ^(.833)	9–2–1 ^(.791)	3–9 ^(.250)	9–3 ^(.750)	8–4 ^(.667)	4–7–1 ^(.375)	3–8–1 ^(.291)
195x	—	—	2–0 ^(1.00)	1–0 ^(1.00)	0–1 ^(.000)	—	—	2–0 ^(1.00)	—	—
196x	7–5 ^(.583)	8–5–1 ^(.607)	11–3 ^(.786)	5–8–1 ^(.393)	7–5–2 ^(.571)	6–7–1 ^(.464)	4–9–1 ^(.321)	5–7–2 ^(.429)	4–8–2 ^(.357)	9–4–1 ^(.679)
196x	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
197x	10–4 ^(.714)	7–6 ^(.539)	8–5 ^(.615)	6–7 ^(.462)	7–7 ^(.500)	7–7 ^(.500)	6–8 ^(.428)	6–8 ^(.428)	7–9 ^(.438)	2–14 ^(.125)
197x	0–1 ^(.000)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
198x	9–7 ^(.563)	8–8 ^(.500)	4–5 ^(.444)	9–7 ^(.563)	4–11–1 ^(.281)	7–9 ^(.438)	5–11 ^(.313)	4–11 ^(.267)	4–12 ^(.250)	7–9 ^(.438)
198x	—	—	0–1 ^(.000)	0–1 ^(.000)	—	—	—	—	—	—
199x	6–10 ^(.375)	12–4 ^(.750)	5–11 ^(.313)	10–6 ^(.625)	9–7 ^(.563)	10–6 ^(.625)	5–11 ^(.313)	9–7 ^(.563)	5–11 ^(.313)	8–8 ^(.500)
199x	—	1–1 ^(.500)	—	0–1 ^(.000)	0–1 ^(.000)	0–1 ^(.000)	—	0–1 ^(.000)	—	0–1 ^(.000)
200x	9–7 ^(.563)	2–14 ^(.125)	3–13 ^(.188)	5–11 ^(.313)	6–10 ^(.375)	5–11 ^(.313)	3–13 ^(.188)	7–9 ^(.438)	0–16 ^(.000)	2–14 ^(.125)
200x	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
201x	6–10 ^(.375)	10–6 ^(.625)	4–12 ^(.250)	7–9 ^(.438)	11–5 ^(.688)	7–9 ^(.438)	9–7 ^(.563)	9–7 ^(.563)	6–10 ^(.375)	3–12–1 ^(.219)
201x	—	0–1 ^(.000)	—	—	0–1 ^(.000)	—	0–1 ^(.000)	—	—	—
202x	5–11 ^(.313)	3–13–1 ^(.206)	9–8 ^(.529)	12–5 ^(.706)	15–2 ^(.882)	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD
202x	—	—	—	2–1 ^(.667)	0–1 ^(.000)	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD
	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9

Toggle heatmap with regular season only.

	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
192x	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	9–2–3 ^(.750)	12–1–2^(.867)
193x	5–6–3 ^(.464)	11–3 ^(.786)	6–2–4 ^(.667)	6–5 ^(.546)	10–3 ^(.769)	7–3–2 ^(.667)	8–4 ^(.667)	7–4 ^(.636)	7–4 ^(.636)	6–5 ^(.546)
194x	5–5–1 ^(.500)	4–6–1 ^(.409)	0–11 ^(.000)	3–6–1 ^(.350)	6–3–1 ^(.650)	7–3 ^(.700)	1–10 ^(.091)	3–9 ^(.250)	2–10 ^(.167)	4–8 ^(.333)
195x	6–6 ^(.500)	7–4–1 ^(.625)	9–3 ^(.750)	10–2 ^(.833)	9–2–1 ^(.791)	3–9 ^(.250)	9–3 ^(.750)	8–4 ^(.667)	4–7–1 ^(.375)	3–8–1 ^(.291)
196x	7–5 ^(.583)	8–5–1 ^(.607)	11–3 ^(.786)	5–8–1 ^(.393)	7–5–2 ^(.571)	6–7–1 ^(.464)	4–9–1 ^(.321)	5–7–2 ^(.429)	4–8–2 ^(.357)	9–4–1 ^(.679)
197x	10–4 ^(.714)	7–6 ^(.539)	8–5 ^(.615)	6–7 ^(.462)	7–7 ^(.500)	7–7 ^(.500)	6–8 ^(.428)	6–8 ^(.428)	7–9 ^(.438)	2–14 ^(.125)
198x	9–7 ^(.563)	8–8 ^(.500)	4–5 ^(.444)	9–7 ^(.563)	4–11–1 ^(.281)	7–9 ^(.438)	5–11 ^(.313)	4–11 ^(.267)	4–12 ^(.250)	7–9 ^(.438)
199x	6–10 ^(.375)	12–4 ^(.750)	5–11 ^(.313)	10–6 ^(.625)	9–7 ^(.563)	10–6 ^(.625)	5–11 ^(.313)	9–7 ^(.563)	5–11 ^(.313)	8–8 ^(.500)
200x	9–7 ^(.563)	2–14 ^(.125)	3–13 ^(.188)	5–11 ^(.313)	6–10 ^(.375)	5–11 ^(.313)	3–13 ^(.188)	7–9 ^(.438)	0–16 ^(.000)	2–14 ^(.125)
201x	6–10 ^(.375)	10–6 ^(.625)	4–12 ^(.250)	7–9 ^(.438)	11–5 ^(.688)	7–9 ^(.438)	9–7 ^(.563)	9–7 ^(.563)	6–10 ^(.375)	3–12–1 ^(.219)
202x	5–11 ^(.313)	3–13–1 ^(.206)	9–8 ^(.529)	12–5 ^(.706)	15–2 ^(.882)	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD

Toggle heatmap with postseason only.

	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
193x	DNE	DNE	0–1 ^(.000)	—	—	1–0 ^(1.00)	—	—	—	—
194x	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
195x	—	—	2–0 ^(1.00)	1–0 ^(1.00)	0–1 ^(.000)	—	—	2–0 ^(1.00)	—	—
196x	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
197x	0–1 ^(.000)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
198x	—	—	0–1 ^(.000)	0–1 ^(.000)	—	—	—	—	—	—
199x	—	1–1 ^(.500)	—	0–1 ^(.000)	0–1 ^(.000)	0–1 ^(.000)	—	0–1 ^(.000)	—	0–1 ^(.000)
200x	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
201x	—	0–1 ^(.000)	—	—	0–1 ^(.000)	—	0–1 ^(.000)	—	—	—
202x	—	—	—	2–1 ^(.667)	0–1 ^(.000)	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD

^{Key: The color scale is based on percentages: #FF0000 (.000 - .111), #FF3F00 (.112 - .222), #FF7F00 (.223 - .333), #FFBF00 (.334 - .444), #FEFF00 (.445 - .556), #BFFF00 (.557 - .667), #7FFF00 (.668 - .778), #3FFF00 (.779 - .889), #00FF00 (.890 - 1.00).}

External links

Detroit Lions - The official website.
- Detroit Lions on TikTok
- Detroit Lions on Instagram
- Detroit Lions on Twitter
- Detroit Lions on YouTube
- Detroit Lions on Bluesky
Detroit Lions on Wikipedia
Detroit Lions Franchise Encyclopedia on Pro-Football-Reference.com

¹⁾

The 1980 Detroit Lions season is particularly remembered since Jimmy "Spiderman" Allen recorded a parody of Another One Bites the Dust after their 4–0 start. You can hear it at this link.

²⁾

This is a massive tangent, but Jim Caldwell previously coached the Indianapolis Colts. You can see him in the blurry photograph of Pardon the Interruption where Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon are discussing “WHY DID THE COLTS GIVE UP”, which became a huge reaction image meme from 2009 to 2012.

³⁾

I mean, at this point, you might as well be watching the team. I don't need to list them.

Nameless Rumia's Wiki

Table of Contents

Detroit Lions

Modern history

List of Seasons

External links