Detroit Lions were founded in 1930 as the Portsmouth Spartans, based in Portsmouth, OH. Despite their success, the team could not survive in Portsmouth, then the NFL's second smallest city (after Green Bay,WI) and relocated to Detroit as the Lions for the 1934 season.

Despite winning 4 NFL Championships, they last won a title in 1957 and they have the second longest NFL Championship drought behind the Arizona Cardinals (who last won in 1947). They are one of 4 current NFL teams and the only NFC team yet to play in the Super Bowl and the only franchise in operation for all 54 seasons of the Super Bowl era without having appeared in one (the Cleveland Browns were not in operation for the 1996 to 1998 seasons). They last appeared in the playoffs in 2016 but their last Playoff win was in 1991.

NAMES

Portsmouth Spartans(1930-1933)
Detroit Lions(1934-PRESENT)

LOCATION

Portsmouth,OH(1930-1933)
Detroit,MI(1934-PRESENT)

AFFILIATIONS

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE(1930-)
Western Division (1933-1949)
NATIONAL CONFERENCE(1950-1952)
WESTERN CONFERENCE(1953-1969)
Central Division(1967-1969)
NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE(1970-)
Central Division(1970-2001)
NFC North Division (2002-)

SEASONS

Click the "Seasons" text to hide and show the seasons.

Franchise records according to Pro-Football-Reference.com

SEASON LEAGUE CONF DIVISION FINISH W L T PLAYOFFS
Portsmouth Spartans
1930 NFL 8th 5 6 3 The NFL did not hold playoff games until 1932
1931 NFL 2nd 11 3 0
1932 NFL 3rd 6 2 4 Lost Playoff Game (BEARS) 0-9
1933 NFL Western 2nd 6 5 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
Detroit Lions
1934 NFL Western 2nd 10 3 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1935 NFL Western 1st 7 3 2 Won NFL Championship (1) (GIANTS) 26-7
1936 NFL Western 3rd 8 4 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1937 NFL Western T-2nd 7 4 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1938 NFL Western 2nd 7 4 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1939 NFL Western 3rd 6 5 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1940 NFL Western 3rd 5 5 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
1941 NFL Western 3rd 4 6 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
1942 NFL Western 5th 0 11 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1943 NFL Western 3rd 3 6 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
1944 NFL Western T-2nd 6 3 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
1945 NFL Western 2nd 7 3 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1946 NFL Western 5th 1 10 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1947 NFL Western 5th 3 9 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1948 NFL Western 5th 2 10 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1949 NFL Western 4th 4 8 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1950 NFL National 4th 6 6 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1951 NFL National T-2nd 7 4 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
1952 NFL National T-1st 9 3 0 Won Conference Playoff (Rams) 31-21
Won NFL Championship (2) (BROWNS) 17-7
1953 NFL Western 1st 10 2 0 Won NFL Championship (3) (BROWNS) 17-16
1954 NFL Western 1st 9 2 1 Lost NFL Championship (BROWNS) 10-56
1955 NFL Western 6th 3 9 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1956 NFL Western 2nd 9 3 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1957 NFL Western 1st 8 4 0 Won Conference Playoff (49ERS) 31-27
Won NFL Championship (4) (BROWNS) 59-14
1958 NFL Western 5th 4 7 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
1959 NFL Western 5th 3 8 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
1960 NFL Western T-2nd 7 5 0 Won Playoff Bowl (BROWNS) 17-16
1961 NFL Western 2nd 8 5 1 Won Playoff Bowl (Eagles) 38-10
1962 NFL Western 2nd 11 3 0 Won Playoff Bowl (Steelers) 17-10
1963 NFL Western T-4th 5 8 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
1964 NFL Western 4th 7 5 2 DID NOT QUALIFY
1965 NFL Western 6th 6 7 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
1966 NFL Western T-6th 4 9 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
1967 NFL Western Central 3rd 5 7 2 DID NOT QUALIFY
1968 NFL Western Central 4th 4 8 2 DID NOT QUALIFY
1969 NFL Western Central 2nd 9 4 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
1970 NFL NFC Central 2nd 10 4 0 Lost DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS  (COWBOYS) 0-5
1971 NFL NFC Central 2nd 7 6 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
1972 NFL NFC Central 2nd 8 5 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
1973 NFL NFC Central 2nd 6 7 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
1974 NFL NFC Central 2nd 7 7 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1975 NFL NFC Central 2nd 7 7 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1976 NFL NFC Central 3RD 6 8 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1977 NFL NFC Central 3rd 6 8 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1978 NFL NFC Central 3rd 7 9 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1979 NFL NFC Central 5th 2 14 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1980 NFL NFC Central 2nd 9 7 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1981 NFL NFC Central 2nd 8 8 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1982 NFL NFC 8th 4 5 0 Lost First Round Playoffs (REDSKINS) 7-31
1983 NFL NFC Central 1st 9 7 0 Lost DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS  (49ERS) 23-24
1984 NFL NFC Central 4th 4 11 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
1985 NFL NFC Central 4th 7 9 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1986 NFL NFC Central 3rd 5 11 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1987 NFL NFC Central 5th 4 11 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1988 NFL NFC Central 4th 4 12 0
1989 NFL NFC Central 3rd 7 9 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1990 NFL NFC Central 3rd 6 10 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1991 NFL NFC Central 1st 12 4 0 Won DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS  (COWBOYS) 38-6
Lost NFC CHAMPIONSHIP (REDSKINS) 10-41
1992 NFL NFC Central 5th 5 11 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1993 NFL NFC Central 1st 10 6 0 Lost WILD CARD PLAYOFFS  (PACKERS) 24-28
1994 NFL NFC Central 3rd 9 7 0 Lost WILD CARD PLAYOFFS  (PACKERS) 12-16
1995 NFL NFC Central 2nd 10 6 0 Lost WILD CARD PLAYOFFS  (Eagles) 37-58
1996 NFL NFC Central 5th 5 11 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1997 NFL NFC Central 3rd 9 7 0 Lost WILD CARD PLAYOFFS  (BUCCANEERS) 10-20
1998 NFL NFC Central 4th 5 11 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
1999 NFL NFC Central 3rd 8 8 0 Lost WILD CARD PLAYOFFS  (REDSKINS) 13-27
2000 NFL NFC Central 4th 9 7 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2001 NFL NFC Central 5th 2 14 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2002 NFL NFC North 4th 3 13 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2003 NFL NFC North 4th 5 11 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2004 NFL NFC North 3rd 6 10 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2005 NFL NFC North 3rd 5 11 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2006 NFL NFC North 4th 3 13 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2007 NFL NFC North 3rd 7 9 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2008 NFL NFC North 4th 0 16 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2009 NFL NFC North 4th 2 14 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2010 NFL NFC North 3rd 6 10 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2011 NFL NFC North 2nd 10 6 0 Lost WILD CARD PLAYOFFS  (SAINTS) 28-45
2012 NFL NFC North 4th 4 12 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2013 NFL NFC North 3rd 7 9 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2014 NFL NFC North 2nd 11 5 0 Lost WILD CARD PLAYOFFS  (COWBOYS) 20-24
2015 NFL NFC North 3rd 7 9 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2016 NFL NFC North 2nd 9 7 0 Lost WILD CARD PLAYOFFS  (SEAHAWKS) 6-26
2017 NFL NFC North 2nd 9 7 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2018 NFL NFC North 4th 6 10 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2019 NFL NFC North 4th 3 10 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
2020 NFL NFC North 4th 5 11 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2021 NFL NFC North 4th 3 13 1 DID NOT QUALIFY
2022 NFL NFC North 2nd 9 8 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2022 NFL NFC NORTH 2nd 9 8 0 DID NOT QUALIFY
2023 NFL NFC NORTH 1ST 12 5 0 Won WILD CARD PLAYOFFS (Eagles) 24-23
Won DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS (Buccaneers) 31-23
LOST NFC CHAMPIONSHIP (49ERS) 31-34

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

4
1935 | 1952 | 1953 | 1957

NFL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES

SEASON W/L OPPONENT SCORE HOST CITY VICTORY APP
1935 16TH W
NEW YORK
GIANTS
26-7 DETROIT 1 1
1952 33RD W
CLEVELAND
BROWNS
17-7 CLEVELAND 2 2
1953 34TH W
CLEVELAND
BROWNS
17-16 DETROIT 3 3
1954 35TH L
CLEVELAND
BROWNS
56-10 CLEVELAND - 4
1957 38TH W
CLEVELAND
BROWNS
59-14 DETROIT 4 5

SUPER BOWL APPEARANCES

(0)

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

4
NFL NATIONAL11952
NFL WESTERN31953-1954, 1957

DIVISION TITLES

9
NFL WESTERN41935, 1953-1954, 1957
NFL NATIONAL11952
NFC CENTRAL/NORTH41983, 1991, 1993, 2023

PLAYOFFS APPEARANCES

19 1935, 1952-1954, 1957, 1970, 1982-1983, 1991, 1993-1995, 1997, 1999, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2023-2024

LOGOS

(1952-1960) (1961-1969) (1970-2002) (2003-2008)
(2009-2016) (2017-)

HELMETS

(1952-1960) (1961-1967) (1968-OCTOBER 11, 1970) (OCTOBER 18, 1970-1983)
(1984-2002) (2003-2008) (2009-2016) (2017-2023)
(2024-)

STADIUMS

Universal Stadium (Portsmouth, MI) (1930-1933)
University of Detroit Stadium (Detroit, MI) (1934-1940)
TIGER STADIUM
(DETROIT, MI)
(1938-1939/1941-1974)
PONTIAC SILVERDOME
(PONTIAC, MI)
(1975-2001)
FORD FIELD
(DETROIT, MI)
(2002-)