Detroit Lions facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Detroit Lions |
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Basic info | |||||||||||||
Established | July 12, 1930 | ||||||||||||
Stadium | Ford Field Detroit, Michigan |
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Headquartered | Meijer Performance Center Allen Park, Michigan |
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Colors | Honolulu blue, silver, white, black |
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Fight song | Gridiron Heroes | ||||||||||||
Mascot | Roary the Lion | ||||||||||||
Personnel | |||||||||||||
Owner(s) | Sheila Ford Hamp | ||||||||||||
Chairman | Sheila Ford Hamp | ||||||||||||
President | Rod Wood | ||||||||||||
General manager | Brad Holmes | ||||||||||||
Head coach | Dan Campbell | ||||||||||||
Team history | |||||||||||||
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Home fields | |||||||||||||
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League / conference affiliations | |||||||||||||
National Football League (1930–present)
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Championships | |||||||||||||
League championships: 4
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Conference championships: 4
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Division championships: 6
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Playoff appearances (20) | |||||||||||||
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Owner(s) | |||||||||||||
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The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team. They are based in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions play in the National Football League (NFL). They are part of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Their home games are held at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.
The team started in Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1928. They were first known as the Portsmouth Spartans. They officially joined the NFL on July 12, 1930. Because of money problems, the team moved to Detroit in 1934. They were renamed the Lions. This name was chosen to connect with Detroit's baseball team, the Detroit Tigers.
The Lions won four NFL Championship Games. These wins happened between 1935 and 1957. After their 1957 championship, the team did not win a playoff game again until the 1991 season. They won another playoff game in the 2023 season. The Lions are the only team that has been in the NFL since the Super Bowl era began and has never played in a Super Bowl.
Contents
Team History and Achievements
The Detroit Lions have a long history in the NFL. They have been playing for many decades. The team has had its ups and downs.
Early Success and Championships
The Lions had great success in their early years. They won four NFL Championship Games. These were in 1935, 1952, 1953, and 1957. These wins showed they were one of the best teams back then.
Recent Playoff Appearances
After 1957, the Lions faced a long period without playoff wins. They finally won a playoff game in the 1991 season. More recently, they won another playoff game in the 2023 season. This brought new excitement to their fans.
Team Colors and Uniforms
The Lions' uniforms have mostly stayed the same since 1934. They use silver helmets and silver pants. Their jerseys are either blue or white. The blue color is called "Honolulu blue." It is inspired by the color of ocean waves in Hawaii.
In the past, there were small changes. From 1948 to 1950, the team briefly wore scarlet and black. This was changed back to blue and silver. Over the years, the stripe patterns on the sleeves changed. The colors of the jersey numbers also changed.
Modern Uniform Updates
In 2003, black trim was added to the logo and jerseys. The helmet facemasks changed from blue to black. In 2005, an alternate black jersey was introduced.
In 2009, the Lions updated their logo. The lion now had a flowing mane and fangs. The team also got new uniforms.
In 2017, the team removed black from their main colors. The logo border changed to silver. New uniforms were shown. These included a white jersey with blue pants. An all-grey uniform and an all-Honolulu blue uniform were also introduced. The initials "WCF" were added to the left sleeve. This honors William Clay Ford Sr., who owned the team for many years.
In 2023, the Lions celebrated their 90th season. They wore a special patch on their jerseys. They also introduced an alternate blue helmet. This helmet featured a classic 1960s logo.
New Uniforms for 2024
On April 18, 2024, the Lions showed off new jerseys. The home jersey is Honolulu blue with white numbers. The road jersey is white with Honolulu blue numbers. They also brought back a black alternate jersey. This black jersey was a favorite of head coach Dan Campbell. It is worn with a special alternate blue helmet. The team also kept their throwback jersey.
Thanksgiving Day Tradition
The Detroit Lions have a special tradition. They play a home game every Thanksgiving Day. This tradition started in 1934. The team owner at the time, George A. Richards, made a deal to broadcast the game on the radio. The Lions have played on Thanksgiving almost every year since then. The only exceptions were during World War II.
Key Players and Coaches
Current Roster
Detroit Lions roster
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Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
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Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
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Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
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Reserve lists
→ AFC rosters → NFC rosters |
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Famous Players
Many great players have worn the Lions uniform. Some of the most famous include:
- Calvin Johnson
- Bobby Layne
- Barry Sanders
- Charlie Sanders
- Joe Schmidt
- Doak Walker
Retired Jersey Numbers
The Lions have honored some of their best players by retiring their jersey numbers. This means no other player on the team can wear that number.
Detroit Lions retired numbers | ||||
No. | Player | Position | Tenure | Retired |
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7 | Dutch Clark | B | 1931–1932 1934–1938 |
October 15, 1939 |
20 | Lem Barney | CB | 1967–1977 | November 25, 2004 |
Billy Sims | RB | 1980–1984 | ||
Barry Sanders | RB | 1989–1998 | ||
22 | Bobby Layne | QB, K | 1950–1958 | |
37 | Doak Walker | HB, K, P | 1950–1955 | December 11, 1955 |
56 | Joe Schmidt 1 | LB | 1953–1965 | |
85 | Chuck Hughes 2 | WR | 1970–1971 |
Notes:
- 1 The No. 56 was temporarily unretired with Schmidt's blessing when the Lions acquired linebacker Pat Swilling from the New Orleans Saints. No player has worn it since Swilling left.
- 2 This number was retired after Chuck Hughes passed away during a game in 1971. However, the number has been used by other players since then.
Pro Football Hall of Fame Members
Many former Lions players have been honored in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This is a special place for the greatest players in football history.
Head Coaches
The Lions have had many head coaches. Their first coach was Hal Griffen in 1930. Wayne Fontes coached the team for the longest time, from 1988 to 1996. The current head coach of the Detroit Lions is Dan Campbell. He became the coach on January 20, 2021.
Team Rivalries
The Lions play against other teams in their division twice a year. These games are often very exciting.
Divisional Rivals
- Chicago Bears: The Lions and Bears have been rivals since 1933. They first played in 1930. The Bears have won more games in this series.
- Green Bay Packers: This rivalry also started in 1933. The Packers have won more games against the Lions.
- Minnesota Vikings: The Lions and Vikings have played each other since 1961. The Vikings have won more games in their series.
Historic Rivalries
- Cleveland Browns: In the 1950s, the Lions and Browns played in four NFL Championship Games. The Lions won three of these. This was a big rivalry back then.
- Los Angeles Rams: The Lions have played the Rams many times. They had an exciting playoff game in the 2023-24 playoffs. The Lions won that game.
Team Broadcasts
Radio and TV Coverage
The Lions' games are broadcast on radio and TV. Their main radio station is WXYT-FM. Dan Miller does the play-by-play. Lomas Brown provides color commentary.
For TV, WJBK is the main station for preseason games. Regular season games are shown on Fox or CBS. The special Thanksgiving Day game is always shown nationally.
Local Game Blackouts
In the past, some Lions games were not shown on local TV. This happened if not enough tickets were sold. However, since 2015, the NFL stopped this rule. Now, all Lions games are shown on local TV, no matter how many tickets are sold.
Lions Cheerleaders
On June 13, 2016, the Lions added cheerleaders to their team. This was the first time in over 40 years they had an official cheerleading squad. The cheerleaders perform during games. They also take part in community events.
See also
In Spanish: Detroit Lions para niños
- NFL on Thanksgiving Day
- Portsmouth Spartans