Quick Stats

League Championships

1932 (NFL)
1952 (NFL)
1953 (NFL)
1957 (NFL)

Conference Championships

1952 (NFC)
1953 (WFC)
1954 (WFC)
1957 (WFC)

Division Championships

1935 (NFL West)
1983(NFC Central)
1991(NFC Central)
1993(NFC Central)

Years in Playoffs

1932 1935 1952
1953 1954 1957
1970 1982 1983
1991 1993 1994
1995 1997 1999

Retired Numbers

#7 Dutch Clark
#22 Bobby Layne
#37 Doak Walker
#56 Joe Schmidt
#85 Chuck Hughes
#88 Charlie Sanders

Hall of Fame Members

Jimmy Conzelman
1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947 and 1948

Earl "Dutch" Clark
1934, 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1938

Wojciechowicz
1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1950

Bill Dudley
1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1953

Bobby Layne
1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961 and 1962

Doak Walker
1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954 and 1955

Lou Creekmur
1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958 and 1959

Jack Christiansen
1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957 and 1958

Yale Lary
1952, 1953, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1964

Hugh McElhenny
1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1964

Dick "Night Train" Lane
1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1965

Joe Schmidt
1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1972

Frank Gatski
1957

John Johnson
1957, 1958 and 1959

Ollie Matson
1963

Lem Barney
1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977

Barry Sanders
1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998

Previous Stadiums

Spartan Stadium
(8,200) 1930-33

University of Detroit Stadium
(25,000) 1934-37

Tiger Stadium
(54,468) 1938-74
** known as Navin Field
1912-37
** known as Briggs Stadium
1938-60

Pontiac Silverdome
(80,311) 1975-2001

Detroit Lions Team History

Detroit Lions history in the National Football League ( NFL ) supplied by Sports Pool .com. Sports Pool .com the best NFL football office pools on the net.

The Lions built a dynasty during the 1950s, capturing four Western Division crowns and three NFL titles from 1952 through 1957. (The Super Bowl was not played until 1967.) During this time, running back John Henry Johnson, quarterback Bobby Layne, and running back Doak Walker�all future Hall of Fame members�starred under coaches Buddy Parker and George Wilson. After many disappointing seasons from the early 1960s through the 1980s, Detroit assembled strong teams during the 1990s, reaching the playoffs four times from 1991 to 1995 under head coach Wayne Fontes. Star running back Barry Sanders recorded nine consecutive 1000-yard seasons from 1989 to 1997. The Detroit Lions franchise traces its origin to the Portsmouth Spartans, a team based in Ohio that entered the NFL in 1930. In 1932 the Spartans played in the league�s first postseason game, losing 9-0 to the Chicago Bears.

Detroit Lions Franchise Information

Franchise Granted: 1930
First Season: 1930
Franchise History:
1930 - 1933 Portsmouth Spartons (NFL)
1930 - Present Detroit Lions (NFL)

The Lions name was chosen by George A. Richards, the Detroit radio executive who purchased the Portsmouth Spartans and moved the team to Detroit in 1934. �The lion is monarch of the jungle,� a team spokesperson said, �and we hope to be the monarch of the league.�

Detroit Lions - Stadium

Ford Field

Detroit Michigan
Tenant: Detroit Lions
Capacity: 65,000
Surface: Field Turf
Opened: September 22, 2002
Tenants:
Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions Chronological History

1930 - An Ohio based team known as the Portsmouth Spartans enter the NFL.

1932 - The Spartans play in the first ever postseason game, losing 9-0 to the Chicago Bears.

1934 - The team is sold to radio station owner George Richards who promptly re-names the team "The Lions" and moves them to Detroit. Lions loose to 3-0 to the Green Bay packers after a 10 game winning streak including 7 consecutive shutouts.

1935 - The Lions shut out 3 of 12 regular season opponents and defeat the Giants in the championship game earning their first NFL title.

1940 - Future Supreme Court Justice Byron White tops the league in rushing and leads the Lions in passing and scoring.

1948 - Syndicate headed by Edwin J. Anderson purchases Detroit franchise for $165,000 and names "Bo" McMillin general manager and head coach.

1952 - Lions win first championship since 1935 with a 17-7 victory over the Browns in Cleveland before 50,934.

1953 - Detroit wins second straight championship with a 17-16 decision over Cleveland in Detroit before 54,577.

1957 - The Lions win their third championship game with new head-coach George Wilson.

1970 - The Browns qualify for post season play.

1980 - The Lions have their first winning season in eight years.

1983 - The Lions win the division title. It's their first in 26 years.

1991 - The Lions win a franchise record 12 games and play in their first NFC Championship Game.

1993 - The Lions make the playoffs but lose in the first round.

1994 - Again the Lions qualify for post season play, but fall in the first round.

1995 - The Lions compete yet again in the post season, but fall in the first round.

1998 - Herman Moore becomes the fastest player in NFL history to record 600 career receptions.

2002 - The Detroit Lions officially open Ford Field for the first regular season game against the Green Bay Packers. The Packers won 37-31.