The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the North Division of the National Football Conference (NFC). [2] The franchise was founded in Portsmouth, Ohio, as the Portsmouth Spartans and joined the NFL on July 12, 1930. [3] After being purchased by George A. Richards in 1934, the franchise was relocated to Detroit and renamed to the Detroit Lions in reference to the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise, the Detroit Tigers. [4] [5] The team plays its home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit. [6]
The Lions have won four NFL championships, all of which pre-date the existence of the Super Bowl. The Lions' four championships are tied for the tenth most total championships amongst all 32 NFL franchises; [7] the last of these was in 1957, which gives the club the second-longest NFL championship drought behind the Arizona Cardinals. [8] They are one of four current teams, and the only one in the NFC, to have never played in the Super Bowl. [9] Two of these teams, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Houston Texans, are expansion teams in the AFC that began play in 1995 and 2002 respectively. [10] Additionally, the Lions have won only three post-season games since 1957. [11] [12] [13] The Lions lost an NFL-record nine consecutive playoff games from 1991 to 2023, for which they hold the NFL record for worst playoff winning percentage. [14] [7]
As of the end of the 2023 regular season, the Lions have an all-time record of 591 wins, 707 losses, and 34 ties in the regular season, with an additional 9 wins and 14 losses in the playoffs. The team has had 39 winning seasons, 49 losing seasons, and 6 seasons with as many wins as losses. [15] [3] [4] The Lions were the first franchise to finish a full (non-strike shortened) regular season with no wins or ties, since the move to sixteen regular season games in 1978, going 0–16 during the 2008 NFL season. [16]
Legend | |
---|---|
(#) | The order of league championship won by the franchise |
Finish | Final position in league, division, or conference |
T-# | Finished tied in that position with one or more teams |
Pct | The team's winning percentage for the season |
† | NFL champions (1920–1969) |
‡ | Super Bowl champions (1970–present) |
* | Conference champions |
^ | Division champions |
§ | Wild Card berth |
° | One-game playoff berth |
Season | Team | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Postseason results | Awards | Head coach | Refs | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Finish | W | L | T | Pct | |||||||||
1930 | 1930 | NFL | 8th | 5 | 6 | 3 | .464 | The NFL did not hold playoff games until 1932 [18] | Hal Griffen | [19] | |||
1931 | 1931 | NFL | 2nd | 11 | 3 | 0 | .786 | George "Potsy" Clark | [20] | ||||
1932 | 1932 | NFL | 3rd° [upper-alpha 1] | 6 | 2 | 4 | .667 | Lost Playoff Game (at Bears) 0–9 | [22] | ||||
1933 | 1933 | NFL | Western [upper-alpha 2] | 2nd | 6 | 5 | 0 | .545 | [25] | ||||
1934 | 1934 | NFL | Western | 2nd | 10 | 3 | 0 | .769 | George "Potsy" Clark | [26] | |||
1935 | 1935 | NFL† | Western^ | 1st^ | 7 | 3 | 2 | .667 | Won NFL Championship (1) (Giants) 26–7 | [27] [upper-alpha 3] | |||
1936 | 1936 | NFL | Western | 3rd | 8 | 4 | 0 | .667 | [29] | ||||
1937 | 1937 | NFL | Western | T–2nd | 7 | 4 | 0 | .636 | Dutch Clark | [30] [upper-alpha 4] | |||
1938 | 1938 | NFL | Western | 2nd | 7 | 4 | 0 | .636 | [31] | ||||
1939 | 1939 | NFL | Western | 3rd | 6 | 5 | 0 | .545 | Gus Henderson | [32] | |||
1940 | 1940 | NFL | Western | 3rd | 5 | 5 | 1 | .500 | George "Potsy" Clark | [33] | |||
1941 | 1941 | NFL | Western | 3rd | 4 | 6 | 1 | .409 | Bill Edwards | [34] | |||
1942 | 1942 | NFL | Western | 5th | 0 | 11 | 0 | .000 | Bill Edwards (0–3) John Karcis (0–8) | [35] | |||
1943 | 1943 | NFL | Western | 3rd | 3 | 6 | 1 | .350 | Gus Dorais | [36] [upper-alpha 5] | |||
1944 | 1944 | NFL | Western | T–2nd | 6 | 3 | 1 | .650 | Frank Sinkwich (MVP ) | [37] [38] | |||
1945 | 1945 | NFL | Western | 2nd | 7 | 3 | 0 | .700 | [39] | ||||
1946 | 1946 | NFL | Western | 5th | 1 | 10 | 0 | .091 | [40] [upper-alpha 6] | ||||
1947 | 1947 | NFL | Western | 5th | 3 | 9 | 0 | .250 | [41] [upper-alpha 7] | ||||
1948 | 1948 | NFL | Western | 5th | 2 | 10 | 0 | .167 | Bo McMillin | [42] | |||
1949 | 1949 | NFL | Western | 4th | 4 | 8 | 0 | .333 | [43] | ||||
1950 | 1950 | NFL | National [upper-alpha 8] | 4th | 6 | 6 | 0 | .500 | [46] | ||||
1951 | 1951 | NFL | National | T–2nd | 7 | 4 | 1 | .625 | Buddy Parker | [47] | |||
1952 | 1952 | NFL† | National* | T–1st° | 9 | 3 | 0 | .750 | Won Conference Playoff (Rams) 31–21 Won NFL Championship (2) (at Browns) 17–7 | [48] | |||
1953 | 1953 | NFL† | Western* [upper-alpha 9] | 1st* | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | Won NFL Championship (3) (Browns) 17–16 | [50] | |||
1954 | 1954 | NFL | Western* | 1st* | 9 | 2 | 1 | .792 | Lost NFL Championship (at Browns) 10–56 | [51] | |||
1955 | 1955 | NFL | Western | 6th | 3 | 9 | 0 | .250 | [52] | ||||
1956 | 1956 | NFL | Western | 2nd | 9 | 3 | 0 | .750 | [53] | ||||
1957 | 1957 | NFL† | Western* | 1st* | 8 | 4 | 0 | .667 | Won Conference Playoff (at 49ers) 31–27 Won NFL Championship (4) (Browns) 59–14 | George Wilson (COY ) | George Wilson | [54] [55] | |
1958 | 1958 | NFL | Western | 5th | 4 | 7 | 1 | .375 | [56] | ||||
1959 | 1959 | NFL | Western | 5th | 3 | 8 | 1 | .292 | [57] | ||||
1960 | 1960 | NFL | Western | T–2nd° | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | Won Playoff Bowl [upper-alpha 10] (vs. Browns) 17–16 | [59] | |||
1961 | 1961 | NFL | Western | 2nd° | 8 | 5 | 1 | .607 | Won Playoff Bowl [upper-alpha 10] (vs. Eagles) 38–10 | [60] [upper-alpha 11] | |||
1962 | 1962 | NFL | Western | 2nd° | 11 | 3 | 0 | .786 | Won Playoff Bowl [upper-alpha 10] (vs. Steelers) 17–10 | [62] | |||
1963 | 1963 | NFL | Western | T–4th | 5 | 8 | 1 | .393 | [63] | ||||
1964 | 1964 | NFL | Western | 4th | 7 | 5 | 2 | .571 | [64] | ||||
1965 | 1965 | NFL | Western | 6th | 6 | 7 | 1 | .464 | Harry Gilmer | [65] | |||
1966 | 1966 | NFL | Western | T–6th | 4 | 9 | 1 | .321 | [66] | ||||
1967 | 1967 | NFL | Western | Central [upper-alpha 12] | 3rd | 5 | 7 | 2 | .429 | Mel Farr (OROY ) Lem Barney (DROY ) | Joe Schmidt | [68] [69] [70] | |
1968 | 1968 | NFL | Western | Central | 4th | 4 | 8 | 2 | .357 | Earl McCullouch (OROY ) | [71] [72] | ||
1969 | 1969 | NFL | Western | Central | 2nd | 9 | 4 | 1 | .679 | [73] | |||
1970 | 1970 | NFL | NFC [upper-alpha 13] | Central | 2nd§ | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Cowboys) 0–5 | [76] | ||
1971 | 1971 | NFL | NFC | Central | 2nd | 7 | 6 | 1 | .536 | [77] | |||
1972 | 1972 | NFL | NFC | Central | 2nd | 8 | 5 | 1 | .607 | [78] | |||
1973 | 1973 | NFL | NFC | Central | 2nd | 6 | 7 | 1 | .464 | Don McCafferty | [79] | ||
1974 | 1974 | NFL | NFC | Central | 2nd | 7 | 7 | 0 | .500 | Rick Forzano | [80] | ||
1975 | 1975 | NFL | NFC | Central | 2nd | 7 | 7 | 0 | .500 | [81] | |||
1976 | 1976 | NFL | NFC | Central | 3rd | 6 | 8 | 0 | .429 | Greg Landry (CBPOY ) | Rick Forzano (1–3) Tommy Hudspeth (5–5) | [82] [83] | |
1977 | 1977 | NFL | NFC | Central | 3rd | 6 | 8 | 0 | .429 | Tommy Hudspeth | [84] | ||
1978 | 1978 | NFL | NFC | Central | 3rd | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | Al Baker (DROY ) | Monte Clark | [85] [86] [upper-alpha 14] | |
1979 | 1979 | NFL | NFC | Central | 5th | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | [88] | |||
1980 | 1980 | NFL | NFC | Central | 2nd | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | Billy Sims (OROY ) | [89] [90] | ||
1981 | 1981 | NFL | NFC | Central | 2nd | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | [91] | |||
1982 | 1982 | NFL | NFC | None [upper-alpha 15] | 8th§ [upper-alpha 15] | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | Lost First Round Playoffs (at Redskins) 7–31 | [93] | ||
1983 | 1983 | NFL | NFC | Central^ | 1st^ | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (at 49ers) 23–24 | [94] | ||
1984 | 1984 | NFL | NFC | Central | 4th | 4 | 11 | 1 | .281 | [95] | |||
1985 | 1985 | NFL | NFC | Central | 4th | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | Darryl Rogers | [96] | ||
1986 | 1986 | NFL | NFC | Central | 3rd | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | [97] | |||
1987 | 1987 | NFL | NFC | Central | 5th | 4 | 11 | 0 | .267 | [98] [upper-alpha 16] | |||
1988 | 1988 | NFL | NFC | Central | 4th | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | Darryl Rogers (2–9) Wayne Fontes (2–3) | [100] | ||
1989 | 1989 | NFL | NFC | Central | 3rd | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | Barry Sanders (OROY ) | Wayne Fontes | [101] [102] | |
1990 | 1990 | NFL | NFC | Central | 3rd | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | [103] | |||
1991 | 1991 | NFL | NFC | Central^ | 1st^ | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Cowboys) 38–6 Lost NFC Championship (at Redskins) 10–41 | Wayne Fontes (COY ) | [104] [105] | |
1992 | 1992 | NFL | NFC | Central | 5th | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | [106] | |||
1993 | 1993 | NFL | NFC | Central^ | 1st^ | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Packers) 24–28 | [107] | ||
1994 | 1994 | NFL | NFC | Central | 3rd§ | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Packers) 12–16 | Barry Sanders (OPOY ) | [108] [102] | |
1995 | 1995 | NFL | NFC | Central | 2nd§ | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Eagles) 37–58 | [109] | ||
1996 | 1996 | NFL | NFC | Central | 5th | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | [110] | |||
1997 | 1997 | NFL | NFC | Central | 3rd§ | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Buccaneers) 10–20 | Barry Sanders (MVP ) | Bobby Ross | [111] [102] |
1998 | 1998 | NFL | NFC | Central | 4th | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | [112] | |||
1999 | 1999 | NFL | NFC | Central | 3rd§ | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Redskins) 13–27 | [113] | ||
2000 | 2000 | NFL | NFC | Central | 4th | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | Bobby Ross (5–4) Gary Moeller (4–3) | [114] | ||
2001 | 2001 | NFL | NFC | Central | 5th | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | Marty Mornhinweg | [115] | ||
2002 | 2002 | NFL | NFC | North [upper-alpha 17] | 4th | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | [117] | |||
2003 | 2003 | NFL | NFC | North | 4th | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | Steve Mariucci | [118] | ||
2004 | 2004 | NFL | NFC | North | 3rd | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | [119] | |||
2005 | 2005 | NFL | NFC | North | 3rd | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | Steve Mariucci (4–7) Dick Jauron (1–4) | [120] | ||
2006 | 2006 | NFL | NFC | North | 4th | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | Rod Marinelli | [121] | ||
2007 | 2007 | NFL | NFC | North | 3rd | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | [122] | |||
2008 | 2008 | NFL | NFC | North | 4th | 0 | 16 | 0 | .000 | [123] | |||
2009 | 2009 | NFL | NFC | North | 4th | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | Jim Schwartz | [124] | ||
2010 | 2010 | NFL | NFC | North | 3rd | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | Ndamukong Suh (DROY ) | [125] [126] | ||
2011 | 2011 | NFL | NFC | North | 2nd§ | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Saints) 28–45 | Matthew Stafford (CBPOY ) | [127] [128] | |
2012 | 2012 | NFL | NFC | North | 4th | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | [129] | |||
2013 | 2013 | NFL | NFC | North | 3rd | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | [130] | |||
2014 | 2014 | NFL | NFC | North | 2nd§ | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Cowboys) 20–24 | Jim Caldwell | [131] | |
2015 | 2015 | NFL | NFC | North | 3rd | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | [132] | |||
2016 | 2016 | NFL | NFC | North | 2nd§ | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Seahawks) 6–26 | [133] | ||
2017 | 2017 | NFL | NFC | North | 2nd | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | [134] | |||
2018 | 2018 | NFL | NFC | North | 4th | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | Matt Patricia | [135] | ||
2019 | 2019 | NFL | NFC | North | 4th | 3 | 12 | 1 | .219 | [136] | |||
2020 | 2020 | NFL | NFC | North | 4th | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | Matt Patricia (4–7) Darrell Bevell (1–4) | [137] | ||
2021 | 2021 | NFL | NFC | North | 4th | 3 | 13 | 1 | .206 | Dan Campbell | [138] [upper-alpha 18] | ||
2022 | 2022 | NFL | NFC | North | 2nd | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | [140] | |||
2023 | 2023 | NFL | NFC | North^ | 1st^ | 12 | 5 | 0 | .706 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (Rams) 24–23 Won Divisional Playoffs (Buccaneers) 31–23 Lost NFC Championship (at 49ers) 31–34 | [141] | ||
Totals 5 Division titles 4 Conference titles 4 NFL titles | 591 | 707 | 34 | .456 | All-time regular season record (1930–2023) | [15] | |||||||
9 | 14 | — | .391 | All-time postseason record (1930–2023) | |||||||||
600 | 721 | 34 | .455 | All-time regular & postseason record (1930–2023) |
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