History of the Detroit Lions facts for kids

The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. Their story began in 1928 when they played in Portsmouth, Ohio as the Spartans. They joined the National Football League (NFL) in 1930. In 1934, the team moved to Detroit and changed its name to the Lions. They quickly won their first NFL Championship in 1935. The Lions had their most successful period in the 1950s, winning the NFL Championship three times: in 1952, 1953, and 1957. They also made several playoff appearances in the 1990s. In 2023, the Lions started their 94th season, making them one of the oldest teams in the NFL.

Portsmouth Spartans (1928–1933)

The Lions team started in Portsmouth, Ohio, and was called the Spartans. They were an independent team at first. In 1930, they joined the National Football League. By the end of the 1933 season, their record was 28 wins, 16 losses, and 7 ties. The team then moved to Detroit the next year.

Move to Detroit and Early Success (1934–1938)

In 1934, a radio executive named George A. Richards bought the Portsmouth Spartans for $8,000. He moved the team to Detroit and renamed them the Detroit Lions. Richards chose the name because he wanted a team that would be the "king of the NFL." He also wanted a connection to Detroit's baseball team, the Detroit Tigers.

In their first season in Detroit, the Lions started with a 10-game winning streak. They even had seven games where they didn't let the other team score any points. However, they lost their last three games of the season. They finished second in their division behind the Chicago Bears. That same year, Richards made a deal for the Lions' Thanksgiving games to be broadcast live across the country. This tradition of the Lions playing on Thanksgiving has continued ever since.

In 1935, Dutch Clark led the NFL in points scored with 55. Ernie Caddel led the league in rushing yards with 621. These players helped the Lions achieve a 7-3-2 record, which was first in their division. This meant they went to the 1935 NFL Championship Game against the New York Giants. The game was played in Detroit on December 15, 1935, with 15,000 fans watching. The Lions won the game 26–7, securing their first World Championship. This was part of a great sports year for Detroit, as the Detroit Tigers won the World Series and the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup.

After the 1935 season, the Lions played several exhibition games. They won all of them, including a 33–0 victory over an NFL All-Stars team. Over the next two years, the Lions had good records of 8–4 and 7–4. But they still finished third in their division, behind the Bears and Packers. After the 1938 season, both Dutch Clark and Ernie Caddel decided to retire.

Struggling Years (1939–1949)

In 1939, the Lions' first year without their star players, they had a disappointing 6–5 record. This season set the stage for a tough decade. Before the 1940 season, Richards sold the team to Fred L. Mandel Jr..

The 1940s were difficult for the Lions, as they won only 35 games in total. The lowest point was in 1942 when they went 0–11. The 1942 team was very bad, scoring only five touchdowns all season. They were shut out five times and never scored more than seven points in a single game. With the first pick in the 1943 NFL Draft, the Lions chose Frank Sinkwich from Georgia. The Lions finished the 1943 season with a 3–6–1 record. A unique event happened on November 7, 1943, when the Lions and the New York Giants played to a scoreless tie. This is the last time an NFL game has ended with no points scored by either team.

In 1944, Sinkwich won the NFL Most Valuable Player award. He led the Lions from a slow start to a 6–3–1 finish. This was the team's first winning record since 1939. Detroit improved in 1945, finishing 7–3. They were second in their division. The Lions had less success in the late 1940s. In 1946, they won only one game all year. In 1947, they won only three games. In the 1948 NFL Draft, the Lions drafted quarterback Y. A. Tittle. However, he never played for the team. Instead, he joined another league.

In 1948, a group of seven people bought the Lions. The Lions won only two games that year. But they continued to build their team. In 1949, the Lions improved to 4–8. They missed the playoffs for the fourteenth season in a row.

Team of the 1950s (1950–1958)

At the start of the 1950s, the Lions had many good players, but they still needed a top quarterback. They traded for quarterback Bobby Layne. After a 6–6 record in 1950, head coach Bo McMillin resigned. He was replaced by Buddy Parker, who had played for the Lions in the 1930s. In 1951, the Lions improved with a 7–4–1 record. In 1952, the Lions finished 9–3, tied for first place in their conference. For the first time in 17 years, the team made it to the playoffs.

In the playoff game, the Lions beat the Los Angeles Rams 31–21 in Detroit. This win sent the Lions to the 1952 NFL Championship Game against the Cleveland Browns. This was the first of four championship games these two teams would play in the 1950s. The Lions defeated the Browns 17–7 to win their second championship.

The next year, 1953, was one of the Lions' best seasons. They drafted future Hall of Fame linebacker Joe Schmidt. The Lions went 10–2, finishing first in their conference. They also had seven players chosen for the Pro Bowl. The Lions faced the Browns again in the 1953 NFL Championship Game. Layne threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Jim Doran in the final minutes. The Lions won 17–16.

In 1954, the Lions finished with a 9–2–1 record. They faced the Browns in the NFL Championship Game for the third year in a row. But this time, the Browns won easily, 56–10, stopping the Lions from winning three championships in a row.

After their early success, the Lions had a tougher time in the mid-1950s. They won only three games in 1955. In 1956, they finished second in their division with a 9–3 record. During the 1957 preseason, Buddy Parker suddenly resigned as head coach. George Wilson took over. Despite this change, the Lions finished 8–4, tied for first place. They played a playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers had a big lead at halftime. But the Lions, led by backup quarterback Tobin Rote (because Bobby Layne was injured), made an amazing comeback. They scored 24 unanswered points and won 31–27.

Primary Logo, 1952–1960.

The next week, in the 1957 NFL Championship Game, Rote threw for four touchdowns and ran for another. The Lions crushed the Browns 59–14, winning their third championship in six years. To this day, this is the last championship the Lions have won.

In 1958, the Lions traded Bobby Layne to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Legend says that as Layne left, he predicted the Lions wouldn't win another championship for 50 years. Since then, the Lions have not won another championship, and their struggles are sometimes called "The Curse of Bobby Layne." Without Layne, the Lions finished 4–7–1.

Focusing on Defense (1959–1969)

Primary logo, 1961–1969.

A 3–8–1 season in 1959 ended the Lions' most successful decade on a low note. Going into the 1960s, the Lions decided to rebuild their team, focusing on defense. They traded for cornerback Dick "Night Train" Lane, a move that was called "one of the best trades ever." Lane was chosen for the Pro Bowl three times as a Lion. Detroit also drafted star defensive tackle Roger Brown. He joined Alex Karras, Sam Williams, and Darris McCord to form one of the toughest defensive lines in football history.

The Lions also still had 1950s stars like Joe Schmidt and Yale Lary, plus cornerback Dick LeBeau. Despite starting 0–3 in 1960, the Lions finished the year with a 7–5 record. They finished second in their conference and earned a trip to the Playoff Bowl against the Cleveland Browns. The Lions won that game 17–16.

In 1961, William Clay Ford Sr. became the team president. That year, the Lions improved slightly, finishing 8–5–1. They returned to the Playoff Bowl and easily beat the Philadelphia Eagles 38–10. The Lions' defense was at its best in 1962. They had an 11–3 record and became one of the few NFL teams to never trail by more than 7 points in a game. Although they finished behind the Green Bay Packers, the Lions defeated them 26–14 on Thanksgiving Day in a game known as the "Thanksgiving Day Massacre." This was the Packers' only loss of the season. The Lions went to the Playoff Bowl for the third year in a row, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 17–10.

Detroit's good luck ended in 1963, as the team finished 5–8–1. On November 22, 1963, William Clay Ford Sr. bought a controlling share of the team for $6 million. During his time as owner, which lasted until his death in 2014, the Lions won only one playoff game.

The team improved in 1964, finishing 7–5–2, but missed the playoffs. The Lions' strong defense started to break up when Yale Lary retired after the 1964 season. Schmidt and Lane retired a year later.

The Lions struggled through the mid to late 1960s. But they used this time to rebuild their team. They drafted players like Lem Barney, Bob Kowalkowski, Ed Flanagan, and Mel Farr. Even with these good players, the Lions still needed a star. They found one in the 1968 NFL/AFL Draft when they drafted Hall of Fame tight end Charlie Sanders. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl seven times and is considered one of the best tight ends ever.

Decade of Mediocrity (1970–1981)

With the AFL–NFL merger, the Lions were placed in the new NFC Central division with the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Vikings. In 1970, the Lions finished with a 10–4 record. They were the first team to qualify for the NFL's new wild card playoff spot. However, they lost to the Dallas Cowboys 5–0 in a tough defensive game. They did not make the playoffs again for the rest of the decade.

Despite the loss, the 1970 Lions are considered one of the best and most underrated teams in franchise history. Also in 1970, the Lions played against the New Orleans Saints when Tom Dempsey kicked what was then the longest field goal in NFL history, 63 yards. This kick gave the Saints a 19–17 victory. In 1971, during a home game against the Bears, wide receiver Chuck Hughes collapsed during the game. The team honored his memory by wearing black armbands for the rest of the season and retired his number 85.

In 1972, the Lions improved to 8–5–1. In 1973, they went down to 6–7–1. In 1974, the team faced a sad moment when their head coach, Don McCafferty, passed away. That season, the Lions finished 7–7. On Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1974, the Lions played their final game at Tiger Stadium. They lost to the Denver Broncos 31–27. The Lions then moved to a new indoor stadium called the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. They had another 7–7 record in 1975, their first year indoors. This was followed by a 6–8 record in 1976 and 1977. In 1978, they won seven games in the new 16-game season. The team hit rock bottom in 1979 with a 2–14 record.

This bad record gave the Lions the first pick in the 1980 NFL Draft. They used it to draft Heisman Trophy winner Billy Sims from Oklahoma. Detroit also drafted quarterback Eric Hipple, who became the Lions' starting quarterback for much of the 1980s. Detroit improved right away in 1980, starting 4–0. They finished with a 9–7 record, tied for first in their division. But they missed the playoffs. In 1981, the Lions had a chance to win their division in the final week. But they lost that game and finished 8–8, missing the playoffs again.

Division Champions and Billy Sims Retires (1982–1988)

The Lions started 1982 hoping for a playoff run. After a 2–0 start, a player's strike canceled seven games, making the season only nine games long. After the strike, the Lions finished 2–5. Even with a 4–5 record, they made the playoffs. They were the second team ever to make the playoffs with a losing record. In the Wild Card Round, the Lions were easily beaten 31–7 by the Washington Redskins, who went on to win the Super Bowl.

In 1983, the Lions won 9 games to become the NFL Central division champions. On December 31, 1983, the Lions faced the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round. The 49ers took an early lead. But the Lions fought back, thanks to two touchdown runs by Billy Sims. The Lions led 23–17 with less than five minutes left. However, Joe Montana led the 49ers on a game-winning drive. He threw a touchdown pass that gave the 49ers a 24–23 lead with just over a minute left. The Lions still had a chance. Even though backup quarterback Gary Danielson had thrown five interceptions, he led the team down the field. Kicker Eddie Murray had a chance to win the game with a 43-yard field goal, but he missed, and the 49ers won.

On October 21, 1984, during a game against the Minnesota Vikings, Billy Sims suffered a career-ending knee injury. He tried to recover for two years before retiring in 1986. Sims' injury affected the rest of the season, as the Lions finished 4–11–1. Coach Monte Clark was fired after the season. The Lions hired Darryl Rogers, known for his offensive strategies. But his time as coach was disappointing. He was fired in 1988 and replaced by interim head coach Wayne Fontes. Fontes would later become one of the most successful coaches in Lions history, holding records for both wins and losses.

Barry Sanders Era (1989–1998)

With the third pick in the 1989 NFL Draft, the Lions selected another Heisman Trophy-winning running back, Barry Sanders from Oklahoma State. He played offense with rookie quarterback Rodney Peete. The Lions showed improvement, finishing 7–9. During his rookie season, Sanders rushed for 1,470 yards, finishing second in the league. He could have won the rushing title in the final game, but he chose not to go back in, showing his team-first attitude. Sanders won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

With young talent like Sanders, and defensive players like Bennie Blades, Chris Spielman, and Jerry Ball, things looked promising for the Lions. However, they took a step back in 1990, finishing 6–10. Sanders won the first of his four NFL rushing titles that season with 1,304 yards. In 1991, the Lions started the season with a tough 45–0 loss on national television. But they bounced back, winning their next five games. They finished the season 12–4 and won their first division title in eight years. They were inspired late in the season by the injury to guard Mike Utley, who suffered a career-ending paralysis injury. As Utley was taken off the field, he gave a thumbs-up to his teammates and the crowd. This became a symbol of hope for the rest of the season.

In the Divisional Round of the playoffs, the Lions easily beat the Dallas Cowboys 38–6. This was the franchise's first playoff win since 1957. However, in the NFC Championship Game, they were again overpowered by the Redskins, losing 41–10.

In 1992, the Lions couldn't keep up their success, finishing last in their division with a 5–11 record. They rebounded in 1993 to win the division title with a 10–6 record. In the Wild Card Round, the Lions lost a heartbreaking 28–24 game to the Green Bay Packers. In 1994, the Lions went 9–7, making the playoffs for the third time in four years. But they suffered another tough loss to the Packers in the Wild Card Round, 16–12.

In 1995, the Lions started 0–3. But they recovered to finish 10–6. They had a chance to win the division title, but the Packers won their final game. As a result, the Lions went on the road to face the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round. The Eagles defeated the Lions 58–37. In 1996, the Lions went down to a 5–11 record, finishing last in the division. After the season, Wayne Fontes was fired as head coach. He was replaced by Bobby Ross.

The 1997 season saw the Lions go 9–7 and make the playoffs. During the season, Barry Sanders ran for 2,053 rushing yards, becoming only the third player to reach the 2,000-yard club. In the Wild Card Round, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Lions 20–10. In 1998, the Lions finished 5–11. After the season, Barry Sanders announced his retirement.

Matt Millen: The Failed Rebuild and the Winless Season (1999–2008)

Detroit Lions logo: 2003–2008

After Barry Sanders retired, the 1999 season surprisingly saw the Lions make the playoffs with an 8–8 record. But they were defeated by the Washington Redskins 27–13 in the Wild Card Round. Nine games into the 2000 season, Bobby Ross resigned as head coach. He was replaced by assistant coach Gary Moeller. The Lions had a chance to make the playoffs in the final game of the season. But the Chicago Bears kicked a 54-yard field goal with two seconds left to win 23–20. As a result, the Lions missed the playoffs, finishing 9–7.

After the season, the Lions hired Matt Millen, a former player and broadcaster, as team president and CEO. Millen's first move was to fire Gary Moeller and hire Marty Mornhinweg as the new head coach. The Lions struggled in 2001. After starting 0–12, they finally won a game on December 16, beating the Minnesota Vikings. The Lions played their final game of the season on January 6, 2002, at the Pontiac Silverdome. The 1–14 Lions hosted the Dallas Cowboys. Even though there wasn't much at stake, 77,512 fans came to watch the Lions defeat the Cowboys 15–10.

During the offseason, the NFL changed its divisions. The NFC Central became the NFC North. In the 2002 NFL Draft, the Lions picked quarterback Joey Harrington with the third overall pick. The 2002 season was the first time the Lions played at their new home, Ford Field, in Downtown Detroit. This was also the first time the team played in the city since 1974. Despite the new stadium, the Lions had little success, going 3–13. After the season, Marty Mornhinweg was fired, and Steve Mariucci was hired as the new head coach.

With the second pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, the Lions selected local favorite Charles Rogers. The team finished 2003 with a 5–11 record. Rogers started well but was injured during the season. Because of this, the Lions drafted wide receiver Roy Williams in the 2004 NFL Draft.

The Lions went all of 2001, 2002, and 2003 without winning a road game. This streak of 24 games ended on September 12, 2004, when they defeated the Chicago Bears 20–16. The Lions finished the 2004 season with a 6–10 record. Before the 2005 season, Matt Millen received a five-year contract extension. On November 28, Steve Mariucci was fired as head coach. The Lions ultimately went 5–11.

On January 19, 2006, the Lions hired Rod Marinelli as the new head coach. Before the 2006 season, the Lions traded Joey Harrington and released Charles Rogers. Despite these changes, the team finished 3–13. With the second pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Lions selected wide receiver Calvin Johnson. The Lions started the 2007 season with a promising 6–2 record. But they won only one more game in their last eight, finishing 7–9.

2008: 0–16 Season

Hoping for a better season in 2008, the Lions had a perfect 4–0 record in the preseason. But once the regular season started, they had a terrible time. After starting 0–3, Matt Millen was fired as team president and CEO. Over seven seasons with Millen in charge, the Lions had the worst winning percentage in the NFL. They never had a winning season or made the playoffs. Tom Lewand became team president, and Martin Mayhew was promoted to general manager.

The Lions never recovered and finished the 2008 season with an 0–16 record. They became the first team in NFL history to go winless in a 16-game season. This record was later matched by the 2017 Cleveland Browns. The Lions' 16 straight losses also broke the record for most consecutive losses in a single season. After the season, Rod Marinelli was fired as head coach.

Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson Era (2009–2015)

2009 Season

On January 15, 2009, the Lions hired Jim Schwartz as head coach. Schwartz had been a defensive coordinator for ten seasons with the Tennessee Titans. The Lions also hired new defensive and offensive coordinators. In April, they adopted a new, more fierce-looking logo.

The Lions selected quarterback Matthew Stafford with the first pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. They signed him to a six-year contract worth $72 million, with $41.7 million guaranteed.

In their first two games of 2009, the Lions lost. On September 27, 2009, the team finally broke their 19-game losing streak with a 19–14 win at Ford Field against the Washington Redskins. Losses continued after that. The Lions' only other win of the season was a surprising 38–37 thriller against the Cleveland Browns. Matthew Stafford threw the game-winning touchdown pass as time expired. The Lions finished the season at 2–14.

2010 Season

In the 2010 NFL Draft, the Lions used the second pick to select defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. The Lions started their 2010 season in Chicago. Despite leading for most of the game, the Lions lost 19–14 to the Chicago Bears. A potential game-winning touchdown catch by Calvin Johnson was ruled incomplete in a very controversial decision. Week 2 saw the Lions lose a close game to the Philadelphia Eagles. They then lost to the Minnesota Vikings.

After this, the Lions came close to their first win in Wisconsin since 1991, but lost 28–26. The Lions finally got their first victory of the season in Week 5, beating the St. Louis Rams 44–6. After a loss to the New York Giants, the Lions defeated the Washington Redskins for their second straight win against that team. Then came five losses in a row, including a Thanksgiving Day game against the New England Patriots where the Lions lost 45–24.

However, Week 14 brought a big change. The Green Bay Packers came to Detroit, and their quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, left the game with a concussion. The Lions won their first divisional game since 2007. After this, the team suddenly started winning. They ended an NFL record 26-game road losing streak by beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23–20 in overtime. Another road victory followed when the Lions beat the Miami Dolphins. They returned home to beat the Vikings 20–13, ending the 2010 season with a 6–10 record.

2011 Season

In the 2011 NFL Draft, the Lions strengthened their defense by selecting defensive tackle Nick Fairley. The Lions opened the 2011 season with a 27–20 road win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In Week 2, the Lions played their first home game against the Kansas City Chiefs. They crushed the Chiefs 48–3, setting a team record for the largest win margin and most points scored in a regular season game. The team continued to improve in Week 3, coming back from a 20-point deficit to win 26–23 in overtime against the Minnesota Vikings. This was the Lions' first 3–0 start since 1980. The next week, they defeated the Dallas Cowboys in a comeback 34–30 win, moving to 4–0.

In Week 5, the Lions hosted the Chicago Bears for their first Monday Night Football appearance since 2001. In front of a record crowd at Ford Field, the Lions defeated the Bears 24–13, starting the season 5–0 for the first time since 1956.

The Lions had their first loss against the San Francisco 49ers, 25–19. The game was also notable for a disagreement between Lions coach Jim Schwartz and 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh after the game. A second straight home loss followed as the Lions fell to the Atlanta Falcons 23–16. The following week, the Lions defeated the Denver Broncos on the road 45–10. In Week 10, the Lions lost to the Bears 37–13.

On Thanksgiving, the Lions hosted the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers. The Packers won 27–15. Ndamukong Suh was ejected from the game after stepping on a Packers player's arm, which added to his reputation as a "dirty player." This earned him a two-game suspension. The Lions then headed to New Orleans to play the Saints in Week 13. The Saints defeated the Lions 31–17. Back home, the Lions narrowly beat the Vikings 34–28. The next week, the Lions went to Oakland to play the Raiders. Matthew Stafford led a late drive and threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Calvin Johnson. The Raiders tried to kick a game-winning field goal, but Suh blocked it, securing a 28–27 win for the Lions. In Week 16, the Lions defeated the San Diego Chargers at home 38–10. With this win, the Lions made the playoffs for the first time since 1999. They finished the season 10–6. In the Wild Card Round, the Saints defeated the Lions 45–28.

2012–2015 Seasons

The 2012 season saw the Lions try to build on their impressive 2011 season. They started 4–4, but then lost their last eight games to finish 4–12. After the season, long-time kicker Jason Hanson retired.

The 2013 season saw the team improve. By Week 10, the team was in first place in the NFC North. However, the Lions lost their next two games. In Week 13, the team won their first Thanksgiving game since 2003, beating the Green Bay Packers 40–10. The Lions then lost their final four games of the season to finish 7–9. This led to the firing of head coach Jim Schwartz on December 30.

On January 14, 2014, the Lions hired Jim Caldwell as their new head coach. He is the first African American head coach in the team's history.

On March 9, 2014, long-time owner William Clay Ford Sr. passed away at age 88. His wife, Martha, took over control of the team.

During the 2014 season, Jim Caldwell's influence greatly improved the Lions. With the league's second-best defense, the Lions had an 11–5 record and made the playoffs. However, the Lions suffered a controversial 24–20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round.

On November 5, 2015, the Lions fired general manager Martin Mayhew and team president Tom Lewand, after a 1–7 start to the season. During Mayhew's time as general manager, the Lions had a 41–63 record and made the playoffs twice, losing both times. On November 19, the Lions hired Rod Wood as team president. The Lions played better later in the season, finishing with a 7–9 record. This season marked the end of an era as Calvin Johnson retired after the season.

The Bob Quinn Era (2016–2020)

2016 Season

On January 8, 2016, the Lions hired Bob Quinn as general manager. During the season, the Lions set an NFL record with eight fourth-quarter comeback wins. They were set for a division title at 9–4. However, in a Week 14 win, Matthew Stafford injured his throwing hand. This injury affected the rest of the season, and the Lions finished 9–7. This was still good enough to make the playoffs as a wild card team. In the Wild Card Round, they were defeated by the Seattle Seahawks 26–6.

2017 Season

The Lions started the 2017 season with a 2–0 record. However, in Week 3, they suffered a controversial 30–26 loss at home to the Atlanta Falcons. This was followed by losing three of their next four games. The Lions bounced back by winning five of their next seven games, putting them back in the playoff race. In Week 16, the Lions lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 26–17, which eliminated them from playoff contention. In the final week of the season, the Lions defeated the Green Bay Packers 35–11 to finish 9–7. Jim Caldwell was fired as head coach the day after the season ended.

2018 Season

On February 5, 2018, the Lions hired Matt Patricia as head coach. The team had needed a good running back for years. To fix this, they signed LeGarrette Blount and drafted Kerryon Johnson in the 2018 NFL Draft. After losing their first two games, the Lions surprisingly defeated the New England Patriots 26–10 on Sunday Night Football. The Lions struggled for the rest of the season, posting a 6–10 record and finishing last in the NFC North.

2019 Season

On January 16, 2019, the Lions hired Darrell Bevell as offensive coordinator. They signed former Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola and gave big contracts to former Patriots players Justin Coleman and Trey Flowers. The team also signed tight end Jesse James. In the 2019 NFL Draft, they selected tight end T. J. Hockenson with the eighth pick. The Lions started the season 2–0–1. However, a series of injuries and close losses hurt the team. They ended up losing their last nine games to finish 3–12–1.

2020 Season

On June 23, 2020, majority owner and chairperson Martha Firestone Ford stepped down. Her daughter, Sheila Ford Hamp, took over. On November 28, 2020, general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia were fired by the Lions after a 4–7 start to the season. Patricia's overall record with the team was 13–29–1. Patricia was replaced by the Lions' offensive coordinator, Darrell Bevell, who served as interim head coach for the rest of the season. The Lions ultimately finished the season with a 5–11 record.

The Brad Holmes/Dan Campbell Era (2021–Present)

2021 Season

On January 14, 2021, the Lions hired Brad Holmes as executive vice president and general manager. With Matt Patricia fired, the Lions searched for a new head coach. On January 20, Dan Campbell and the Lions agreed to a six-year deal for him to become the next Lions head coach.

The biggest move of the offseason happened on March 18, 2021. The Lions traded long-time quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams. In return, they received quarterback Jared Goff, a third-round pick in the 2021 draft, and first-round picks in the 2022 and 2023 drafts. The Lions had good luck in the draft, selecting offensive tackle Penei Sewell seventh overall and acquiring Amon-Ra St. Brown in the fourth round. Despite promising rookie seasons from these two players, the Lions finished the season at 3–13–1.

2022 Season

2022 proved to be a big breakout year for the Lions. In the draft, the Lions acquired many key players. These included defensive ends Aidan Hutchinson and Josh Paschal, wide receiver Jameson Williams, cornerback Kerby Joseph, and linebackers James Houston and Malcolm Rodriguez. While the team started with a tough 1–6 record, they finished the season strong. They won eight of their last ten games to go 9–8, their first winning season since 2017. However, they missed the playoffs for the sixth season in a row. A notable event during the year was when Jamaal Williams broke Barry Sanders' single-season touchdown record. He scored his 17th touchdown of the year against the Green Bay Packers.

2023 Season

The 2023 season continued the Lions' improvement.

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