List of Detroit Lions in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Joe Schmidt, a linebacker and former head coach for the Lions

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. ^[1] The franchise was founded in Portsmouth, Ohio, as the Portsmouth Spartans and joined the NFL on July 12, 1930, making them the fifth oldest franchise in the league. ^{[2] [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 franchise, the Detroit Tigers. ^{[4] [5]}

In 1963, the Pro Football Hall of Fame was created to honor the history of professional American football and the individuals who have greatly influenced it. ^[6] Since the charter induction class of 1963, 24 individuals who have played, coached, or held an administrative position for the Lions have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Of the 24 inductees, 17 made their primary contribution to football with the Lions, while the other 7 contributed only a minor portion of their career with the Lions. ^[7] Calvin Johnson was the most recent Lion selected to the Hall of Fame as part of the 2021 class. ^[8]

Inductees

Dick "Night Train" Lane, a defensive back who played six seasons for the Lions

Barry Sanders, a running back who played ten seasons for the Lions

Calvin Johnson, wide receiver who played nine seasons for the Lions

Doak Walker, a halfback and kicker who played six seasons for the Lions

Main article: List of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees

Detroit Lions in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Class	Inductee	Position(s)	Seasons with the Lions	Career accomplishments
				All-Pros		Pro Bowls [upper-alpha 1]	Awards	Refs
				First-team	Second-team
1963	Dutch Clark	Quarterback	1931–1932 1934–1938	6	0	0	1930s All-Decade Team 100th Anniversary All-Time Team	[9] [10] [11] [12]
		General manager	1936–1938	N/A	N/A	N/A
		Head coach	1937–1938	N/A	N/A	N/A
1966	Bill Dudley	Halfback	1947–1949	4	2	2	1× MVP Tooltip NFL Most Valuable Player Award (1946) 1940s All-Decade Team	[13] [14]
1967	Bobby Layne	Quarterback	1950–1958	2	4	6	1950s All-Decade Team	[15] [16]
1968	Alex Wojciechowicz	Center Linebacker	1938–1946	2	0	0	1940s All-Decade Team	[17] [18]
1970	Jack Christiansen	Defensive back	1951–1958	6	0	5	1950s All-Decade Team	[19] [20]
	Hugh McElhenny	Halfback	1964	5	0	6	1950s All-Decade Team 100th Anniversary All-Time Team	[21] [22]
1972	Ollie Matson	Running back	1963	7	0	6	1950s All-Decade Team	[23] [24]
1973	Joe Schmidt	Linebacker	1953–1965	8	2	10	1950s All-Decade Team 100th Anniversary All-Time Team	[25] [26] [27]
		Coach	1966–1972	N/A	N/A	N/A
1974	Dick Lane	Cornerback	1960–1965	7	0	7	1950s All-Decade Team 50th Anniversary All-Time Team 75th Anniversary All-Time Team 100th Anniversary All-Time Team	[28] [29]
1979	Yale Lary	Defensive back Punter	1952–1953 1956–1964	3	2	9	1950s All-Decade Team	[30] [31]
1985	Frank Gatski	Center	1957	4	0	1		[32] [33]
1986	Doak Walker	Halfback Kicker	1950–1955	4	0	5		[34] [35]
1987	John Henry Johnson	Fullback	1957–1959	0	2	4		[36] [37]
1992	Lem Barney	Defensive back	1967–1977	2	0	7	1× DROY Tooltip NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award (1967) 1960s All-Decade Team	[38] [39]
1996	Lou Creekmur	Offensive lineman	1950–1959	7	0	8		[40] [41]
1997	Don Shula	Coach	1960–1962	N/A	N/A	N/A		[42] [43]
2004	Barry Sanders	Running back	1989–1998	6	4	10	1× MVP Tooltip NFL Most Valuable Player Award (1997) 2× OPOY Tooltip NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award (1994, 1997) 1× OROY Tooltip NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award (1989) 1990s All-Decade Team 100th Anniversary All-Time Team	[44] [45]
2007	Charlie Sanders	Tight end	1968–1977	3	0	7	1970s All-Decade Team	[46] [47]
2010	Dick LeBeau	Defensive back	1959–1972	0	3	3		[48] [49]
2013	Curley Culp	Defensive tackle	1980–1981	1	4	6	1× DPOY Tooltip NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award (1975)	[50] [51]
2016	Dick Stanfel	Guard	1952–1955	5	0	5	1950s All-Decade Team	[52] [53]
2020	Alex Karras	Defensive tackle	1958–1970	3	6	4	1960s All-Decade Team	[54] [55]
2021	Calvin Johnson	Wide receiver	2007–2015	3	1	6	2010s All-Decade Team	[56] [57]
2024 [upper-alpha 2]	Dwight Freeney	Defensive end	2017	3	1	7	2000s All-Decade Team	[59] [60]

Footnotes

1. Includes all selections to the NFL All-Star team (1939–1942), the Pro Bowl (1951–present), and the AFL All-Star game (1961–1969).
2. The 2024 induction ceremony is planned for August 3, 2024. ^[58]

See also

• History of the Detroit Lions
• Portsmouth Spartans

References

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