Franchise Granted:
July 12, 1930 as the Portsmouth Spartans
First Season:
1930
Moved to Detroit:
June 30, 1934
NFL Championships:
1935, 1952, 1953, 1957
NFL Western Division Championships:
1935, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1957
NFC Central Division Championships:
1983, 1991, 1993
All-Time Record:
(At Start of 2023 Season)
579-702-34
Retired Uniform Numbers:
#7 Dutch Clark
#20 Lem Barney
#20 Barry Sanders
#20 Billy Sims
#22 Bobby Layne
#37 Doak Walker
#56 Joe Schmidt
#85 Chuck Hughes
- First Draft Choice: Sid Wagner, G, Michigan State, 1936.
- First Regular-Season Game as the Portsmouth Spartans: A 13-6 win over the Newark Tornadoes, 9/14/30.
- First Regular-Season Game as the Detroit Lions: A 9-0 victory over the New York Giants, 9/23/34.
- First Thanksgiving Day Game: A 19-16 loss to the Chicago Bears, 11/29/34.
- First NFL Title: The Lions defeated the New York Giants 26-7 in the 1935 NFL Championship game, 12/15/35.
- First All-League Selections: George Christensen and Dutch Clark, 1934.
- First Player Elected to the Hall of Fame: QB Dutch Clark, charter member, 1963.
- First to Rush 200 Yards in a Game: Barry Sanders, 220 yards vs. the Minnesota Vikings, 11/24/91.
- First 2,000-Yard Rusher: Barry Sanders, 2,053 yards (1997).
- First 1,000-Yard Rusher: Steve Owens, 1,035 yards (1971).
- First 3,000-Yard Passer: Gary Danielson, 3,223 yards (1980).
- Most Career Rushing Yards: Barry Sanders, 15,269 yards (1989-1998).
- Most Career Passing Yards: Matthew Stafford, 45,109 yards (2009-2020).
- Most Career Receptions: Calvin Johnson, 731 receptions (2007-2015).
- All-Time Leading Scorer: Jason Hanson, 2,150 points (1992-2012).