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RetroSeasons recaps past sports seasons through stories, photos, videos, and stats from every team, league, and stadium in history. Coverage includes the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL, as well as vintage media from defunct teams and leagues.
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Detroit Lions logo

Detroit Lions
Seasons 1928-2021 (94 seasons)

  • Franchise Overview
  • Seasons
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  • Logo History
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Teams Detroit Lions History Seasons

Recap

The Detroit Lions franchise was founded in Portsmouth, Ohio as the Portsmouth Spartans and joined the NFL on July 12, 1930. Amid financial struggles, the team was relocated to Detroit in 1934. The team was also renamed the Lions in reference to the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise, the Tigers.

The Lions won four NFL Championship Games between 1935 and 1957, all prior to the Super Bowl era. Since their 1957 championship, the team has won only a single playoff game in 1992 and never advanced beyond the NFC Championship Game. They are the oldest NFL team to not appear in the Super Bowl, as well as the only franchise operational for the entirety of the Super Bowl era and the only NFC team not to appear.

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Season Overviews Seasons List
2021 Detroit Lions Season
2021 Detroit Lions
3-13 (.206)
Missed Playoffs
2020 Detroit Lions Season
2020 Detroit Lions
5-11 (.313)
Missed Playoffs
2019 Detroit Lions Season
2019 Detroit Lions
3-12 (.219)
Missed Playoffs
2018 Detroit Lions Season
2018 Detroit Lions
6-10 (.375)
Missed Playoffs
2017 Detroit Lions Season
2017 Detroit Lions
9-7 (.563)
Missed Playoffs
2016 Detroit Lions Season
2016 Detroit Lions
9-7 (.563)
Lost Wild Card Game
2015 Detroit Lions Season
2015 Detroit Lions
7-9 (.438)
Missed Playoffs
2014 Detroit Lions Season
2014 Detroit Lions
11-5 (.688)
Lost Wild Card Game
2013 Detroit Lions Season
2013 Detroit Lions
7-9 (.438)
Missed Playoffs
2012 Detroit Lions Season
2012 Detroit Lions
4-12 (.250)
Missed Playoffs
2011 Detroit Lions Season
2011 Detroit Lions
10-6 (.625)
Lost Wild Card Game
2010 Detroit Lions Season
2010 Detroit Lions
6-10 (.375)
Missed Playoffs
2009 Detroit Lions Season
2009 Detroit Lions
2-14 (.125)
Missed Playoffs
2008 Detroit Lions Season
2008 Detroit Lions
0-16 (.000)
Missed Playoffs
2007 Detroit Lions Season
2007 Detroit Lions
7-9 (.438)
Missed Playoffs
2006 Detroit Lions Season
2006 Detroit Lions
3-13 (.188)
Missed Playoffs
2005 Detroit Lions Season
2005 Detroit Lions
5-11 (.313)
Missed Playoffs
2004 Detroit Lions Season
2004 Detroit Lions
6-10 (.375)
Missed Playoffs
2003 Detroit Lions Season
2003 Detroit Lions
5-11 (.313)
Missed Playoffs
2002 Detroit Lions Season
2002 Detroit Lions
3-13 (.188)
Missed Playoffs
2001 Detroit Lions Season
2001 Detroit Lions
2-14 (.125)
Missed Playoffs
2000 Detroit Lions Season
2000 Detroit Lions
9-7 (.563)
Missed Playoffs
1999 Detroit Lions Season
1999 Detroit Lions
8-8 (.500)
Lost Wild Card Game
1998 Detroit Lions Season
1998 Detroit Lions
5-11 (.313)
Missed Playoffs
1997 Detroit Lions Season
1997 Detroit Lions
9-7 (.563)
Lost Wild Card Game
1996 Detroit Lions Season
1996 Detroit Lions
5-11 (.313)
Missed Playoffs
1995 Detroit Lions Season
1995 Detroit Lions
10-6 (.625)
Lost Wild Card Game
1994 Detroit Lions Season
1994 Detroit Lions
9-7 (.563)
Lost Wild Card Game
1993 Detroit Lions Season
1993 Detroit Lions
10-6 (.625)
Lost Wild Card Game
1992 Detroit Lions Season
1992 Detroit Lions
5-11 (.313)
Missed Playoffs
1991 Detroit Lions Season
1991 Detroit Lions
12-4 (.750)
Lost AFC/NFC Championship
1990 Detroit Lions Season
1990 Detroit Lions
6-10 (.375)
Missed Playoffs
1989 Detroit Lions Season
1989 Detroit Lions
7-9 (.438)
Missed Playoffs
1988 Detroit Lions Season
1988 Detroit Lions
4-12 (.250)
Missed Playoffs
1987 Detroit Lions Season
1987 Detroit Lions
4-11 (.267)
Missed Playoffs
1986 Detroit Lions Season
1986 Detroit Lions
5-11 (.313)
Missed Playoffs
1985 Detroit Lions Season
1985 Detroit Lions
7-9 (.438)
Missed Playoffs
1984 Detroit Lions Season
1984 Detroit Lions
4-11 (.281)
Missed Playoffs
1983 Detroit Lions Season
1983 Detroit Lions
9-7 (.563)
Lost Division Championship
1982 Detroit Lions Season
1982 Detroit Lions
4-5 (.444)
Lost Wild Card Game
1981 Detroit Lions Season
1981 Detroit Lions
8-8 (.500)
Missed Playoffs
1980 Detroit Lions Season
1980 Detroit Lions
9-7 (.563)
Missed Playoffs
1979 Detroit Lions Season
1979 Detroit Lions
2-14 (.125)
Missed Playoffs
1978 Detroit Lions Season
1978 Detroit Lions
7-9 (.438)
Missed Playoffs
1977 Detroit Lions Season
1977 Detroit Lions
6-8 (.429)
Missed Playoffs
1976 Detroit Lions Season
1976 Detroit Lions
6-8 (.429)
Missed Playoffs
1975 Detroit Lions Season
1975 Detroit Lions
7-7 (.500)
Missed Playoffs
1974 Detroit Lions Season
1974 Detroit Lions
7-7 (.500)
Missed Playoffs
1973 Detroit Lions Season
1973 Detroit Lions
6-7 (.464)
Missed Playoffs
1972 Detroit Lions Season
1972 Detroit Lions
8-5 (.607)
Missed Playoffs
1971 Detroit Lions Season
1971 Detroit Lions
7-6 (.536)
Missed Playoffs
1970 Detroit Lions Season
1970 Detroit Lions
10-4 (.714)
Lost Division Championship
1969 Detroit Lions Season
1969 Detroit Lions
9-4 (.679)
Missed Playoffs
1968 Detroit Lions Season
1968 Detroit Lions
4-8 (.357)
Missed Playoffs
1967 Detroit Lions Season
1967 Detroit Lions
5-7 (.429)
Missed Playoffs
1966 Detroit Lions Season
1966 Detroit Lions
4-9 (.321)
Missed Playoffs
1965 Detroit Lions Season
1965 Detroit Lions
6-7 (.464)
Missed Playoffs
1964 Detroit Lions Season
1964 Detroit Lions
7-5 (.571)
Missed Playoffs
1963 Detroit Lions Season
1963 Detroit Lions
5-8 (.393)
Missed Playoffs
1962 Detroit Lions Season
1962 Detroit Lions
11-3 (.786)
Missed Playoffs
1961 Detroit Lions Season
1961 Detroit Lions
8-5 (.607)
Missed Playoffs
1960 Detroit Lions Season
1960 Detroit Lions
7-5 (.583)
Missed Playoffs
1959 Detroit Lions Season
1959 Detroit Lions
3-8 (.292)
Missed Playoffs
1958 Detroit Lions Season
1958 Detroit Lions
4-7 (.375)
Missed Playoffs
1957 Detroit Lions Season
1957 Detroit Lions
8-4 (.667)
Won NFL Championship
1956 Detroit Lions Season
1956 Detroit Lions
9-3 (.750)
Missed Playoffs
1955 Detroit Lions Season
1955 Detroit Lions
3-9 (.250)
Missed Playoffs
1954 Detroit Lions Season
1954 Detroit Lions
9-2 (.792)
Lost NFL Championship
1953 Detroit Lions Season
1953 Detroit Lions
11-2 (.846)
Won NFL Championship
1952 Detroit Lions Season
1952 Detroit Lions
9-3 (.750)
Won NFL Championship
1951 Detroit Lions Season
1951 Detroit Lions
7-4 (.625)
Missed Playoffs
1950 Detroit Lions Season
1950 Detroit Lions
6-6 (.500)
Missed Playoffs
1949 Detroit Lions Season
1949 Detroit Lions
4-8 (.333)
Missed Playoffs
1948 Detroit Lions Season
1948 Detroit Lions
2-10 (.167)
Missed Playoffs
1947 Detroit Lions Season
1947 Detroit Lions
3-9 (.250)
Missed Playoffs
1946 Detroit Lions Season
1946 Detroit Lions
1-10 (.091)
Missed Playoffs
1945 Detroit Lions Season
1945 Detroit Lions
7-3 (.700)
Missed Playoffs
1944 Detroit Lions Season
1944 Detroit Lions
6-3 (.650)
Missed Playoffs
1943 Detroit Lions Season
1943 Detroit Lions
3-6 (.350)
Missed Playoffs
1942 Detroit Lions Season
1942 Detroit Lions
0-11 (.000)
Missed Playoffs
1941 Detroit Lions Season
1941 Detroit Lions
4-6 (.409)
Missed Playoffs
1940 Detroit Lions Season
1940 Detroit Lions
5-5 (.500)
Missed Playoffs
1939 Detroit Lions Season
1939 Detroit Lions
6-5 (.545)
Missed Playoffs
1938 Detroit Lions Season
1938 Detroit Lions
7-4 (.636)
Missed Playoffs
1937 Detroit Lions Season
1937 Detroit Lions
7-4 (.636)
Missed Playoffs
1936 Detroit Lions Season
1936 Detroit Lions
8-4 (.667)
Missed Playoffs
1935 Detroit Lions Season
1935 Detroit Lions
7-3 (.667)
Won NFL Championship
1934 Detroit Lions Season
1934 Detroit Lions
10-3 (.769)
Missed Playoffs
1933 Portsmouth Spartans Season
1933 Portsmouth Spartans
6-5 (.545)
Missed Playoffs
1932 Portsmouth Spartans Season
1932 Portsmouth Spartans
6-2 (.667)
Lost NFL Playoff Game
1931 Portsmouth Spartans Season
1931 Portsmouth Spartans
11-3 (.786)
Missed Postseason
1930 Portsmouth Spartans Season
1930 Portsmouth Spartans
5-6 (.464)
Missed Postseason
1929 Portsmouth Spartans Season
1929 Portsmouth Spartans
12-1 (.867)
Missed Postseason
1928 Portsmouth Spartans Season
1928 Portsmouth Spartans
9-2 (.750)
Missed Postseason

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Broadcast of 1957 NFL Championship Game audio clip

Play MP3 Audio

Broadcast of 1957 NFL Championship Game
3 hours Dec 29, 1957
The Detroit Lions destroyed the Cleveland Brown, 59-14 in the 1957 NFL Championship. Detroit had won the regular-season game 20–7
Broadcast of 1957 NFL Championship Game / The Detroit Lions destroyed the Cleveland Brown, 59-14 in the 1957 NFL Championship. Detroit had won the regular-season game 20–7 three weeks earlier on December 8, also at Briggs Stadium, but lost quarterback Bobby Layne for the season with a broken right ankle late in the first half.
Detroit Lions Media Guidepublication
Detroit Lions Media Guide
98 issues 1928-2025
This media guide is a comprehensive resource created by the team to provide detailed information about its players, coaches, history,...
/ This media guide is a comprehensive resource created by the team to provide detailed information about its players, coaches, history, and season schedule. Released annually, it serves journalists, broadcasters, and fans by offering accurate profiles, statistics, and historical records. The guide enhances media coverage, fan engagement, and promotional efforts.

Lions History

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