Detroit Lions
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Year founded: 1930 | |||||
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| City | Detroit, Michigan | ||||
| Team colors | Honolulu Blue, Silver, and Black | ||||
| Head Coach | Rod Marinelli | ||||
| Owner | William Clay Ford, Sr. | ||||
| General manager | Matt Millen | ||||
| Fight song | Gridiron Heroes | ||||
| Mascot | Roary | ||||
| League/Conference affiliations | |||||
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National Football League (1930–present)
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| Team history | |||||
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| Championships | |||||
League Championships (4)
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| Conference Championships (4) | |||||
| Division Championships (4) | |||||
| Home fields | |||||
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The Detroit Lions are an American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are currently members of the National Football Conference's North (NFC North) Division in the National Football League (NFL). Originally called the Portsmouth Spartans, the team began play in 1930 as one of the NFL's small town teams in Portsmouth, Ohio. However, they moved to Detroit in 1934 due to the Great Depression.
The Lions have won four NFL Championships, the last in 1957, and have yet to qualify for the Super Bowl.
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[edit] Franchise history
Detroit had four early teams in the American Professional Football Association before the Lions. The Detroit Heralds (renamed Tigers for 1921) were the first NFL team in Detroit from 1920-1921 before folding. From 1925-1926, the Detroit Panthers played in the league before folding in much the same way. In 1928, the Detroit Wolverines were a city owned NFL franchise that lasted only a single season before folding.
[edit] 1930s
Early highlights as the Portsmouth Spartans include the "iron man" game against Green Bay in 1932. In that game, Spartan coach Potsy Clark refused to make even a single substitution against the defending NFL champion Packers. Portsmouth won 19-0 and used only 11 players all game. Also as the Portsmouth Spartans, the franchise played in an unscheduled NFL championship game against the Chicago Bears in 1932. The Spartans-Bears game was played because both teams ended the regular season with the same won-lost percentage (the Spartans finished at 6-1-4 while the Bears were 6-1-6; ties were not reckoned as part of the percentage in the NFL until 1972). Due to blizzard conditions in Chicago, the game was moved from Wrigley Field indoors to Chicago Stadium, which allowed for only an 80-yard field; some have called the contest the first arena football game. The Bears won, 9-0, and the resulting interest led to the establishment of Eastern and Western conferences and a regular championship game beginning in 1933.
Poor revenues and the Great Depression led to the team's move from Portsmouth to Detroit in 1934. That season, Detroit hosted its first ever Thanksgiving Day game, a tradition continued to this day.
Under quarterback Dutch Clark, Detroit won its first NFL championship in 1935.
[edit] 1940s
The 1940's were not a high point of the Lions history. They won a total of 35 games, for an average of 3.5 a season, including going 0-11 in 1942. The 1942 team's offense was so bad it scored only 5 touchdowns all season and never scored more than 7 points in a single game. In the middle of the decade they had some success finishing 6-3-1 in 1944 and 7-3 in 1945. The Lions were less successful in the latter half of the decade: from 1946 to 1949 the Lions won a total of 10 games.
In 1943, the Lions and the New York Giants played to a 0-0 tie at Detroit - the last time an NFL game has ended with a scoreless tie.
[edit] 1950s
Detroit enjoyed its greatest success in the 1950s. Led by quarterback Bobby Layne, they won the league championship in 1952, 1953, and 1957. They defeated the Cleveland Browns in each of those NFL Championship Games, but also lost to the Browns in the 1954 Championship Game.
In 1958, after leading the Lions to 3 NFL Championships and providing Detroit nearly decade of Hall of Fame play, the Lions traded Bobby Layne. Bobby was injured during the last championship season and the Lions thought he was through and wanted to get what they could for him. According to Legend, as he was leaving for Pittsburgh, Bobby said that Detroit "would not win for 50 years". Since this time, the lions have not won another Championship and have only a single playoff game win. Some have attributed the lions subsequent 49 years of futility to this "Curse of Bobby Layne."
Notably, the Lions succeeded in one of the greatest comeback victories in NFL post-season history. Trailing the San Francisco 49ers 27-7 in the 3rd quarter of the 1957 Western Conference Playoff game, Lions quarterback Tobin Rote rallied the team back with 24 unanswered points to beat the 49ers 31-27 at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco. The Lions have experienced only one postseason win since.
[edit] 1960s
On January 7, 1961, the Lions defeated the Browns 17-16 in the first-ever Playoff Bowl matching the runners-up from the two conferences into which the NFL was divided at the time (the Lions also appeared in the game in both of the next two years pursuant to their having finished second to the Green Bay Packers in the Western Conference in all three seasons; the Playoff Bowl was abolished in 1970 when the merger of the NFL and AFL went into full effect).
In the mid-1960s, the Lions served as the backdrop for the humorous sports literature of the late George Plimpton, who spent time in the Lions training camp masquerading as a player. This was the basic material for his book Paper Lion, later made into a movie.
In 1964, William Clay Ford, Sr. purchased a controlling interest in the team for $4.5 million. This began a 43-year period of futility that still continues today, during which the Lions have won just one playoff game.
[edit] 1970s
Motown soul singer Marvin Gaye made plans, after the death of duet partner Tammi Terrell, to join the Lions and go into football. He gained weight and trained for his tryout in 1970, but was cut early on. He remained friends with a number of the players, particularly Mel Farr and Lem Barney, who appear as background vocalists on his 1971 classic single "What's Going On."
On Thanksgiving day, November 28, 1974, after over 35 years, the Lions played their final game in Tiger Stadium, where they lost to the Denver Broncos 31-27 in front of 51,157, amidst snow flurries and a 21 point Broncos 3rd quarter. The football field ran mostly in the outfield from the right field line to left center field parallel with the third base line. The benches for both the Lions and their opponents were on the outfield side of the field. The Lions have played their home games indoors ever since.
The Lions made the playoffs only once in the '70s, losing a defensive struggle to the Dallas Cowboys, 5-0, in 1970. The team went through a string of average seasons, finishing 2nd or 3rd in the division in every season from 1970 through 1978. Finally, in 1979, the team finished with a 2-14 record, and thus earned the first pick in the following draft.
[edit] 1980s
In 1980, the Lions drafted running back Billy Sims with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. Led by Sims, the team got off to a promising start that year and attracted considerable media attention when they adopted "Another One Bites the Dust", popularized by glam rock band Queen, as an unofficial team song. Lions player Jimmy "Spiderman" Allen recorded his own version of the tune with rewritten lyrics: Come and watch them Detroit Lions who no one seems to beat...and another one bites the dust which became popular on local Detroit radio. When the dust cleared, though, Detroit finished 9-7 and out of the playoffs, despite a 4-0 start.
The Lions were competitive in the early 80s, relying on an above average defense and the running of Sims. In the strike shortened season of 1982, the Lions finished with a 4-5 record, and made the playoffs, losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Washington Redskins. In 1983, the Lions finished 9-7 and won the NFC Central division, but were defeated by the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs on a missed field goal in the game's final moments.
Sims suffered a career-ending knee injury in 1984, which seemed to derail the entire franchise. They would not finish with a record above .500 for the rest of the decade, enduring a string of bad drafts, bad coaches, and generally bad play on the field.
The team's fortunes seemed to start turning around in 1988 when Wayne Fontes became first the interim and then the full-time head coach. During his tenure, the Lions drafted core players like safety Bennie Blades and linebacker Chris Spielman, but also colossal failure Andre Ware, who was selected by ESPN as the worst Heisman Trophy failure in the NFL[1].
However, if true, Fontes' most enduring legacy was his successful alleged campaign to convince the Lions to draft Barry Sanders over Deion Sanders in the 1989 draft.
[edit] 1990s
The 1990s were The Barry Sanders Show in Detroit. His first season, he missed the NFL rushing title by 10 yards...because he chose not to go back in to gain the yardage. According to Wayne Fontes, when he offered Sanders the chance to gain the yardage and the rushing title, Sanders declined, reportedly saying, "Coach, let's just win it (the game) and go home.[2]"
In 1991, the Lions started the season by being shut out, 45-0, by the Washington Redskins. But they went 12-4 for the season, and reached the NFC Championship Game. They were inspired late in the season by the loss of guard Mike Utley, who sustained a career-ending paralysis injury against the Los Angeles Rams on November 17, 1991. As Utley was carted off the field in that game, in a true sign of courage, he flashed a "thumbs up" to his teammates and the Silverdome crowd. It became a rallying symbol for the remainder of the season. They won their first division title in eight years, and got their first (and to date, only) postseason victory since 1957, when they defeated the Dallas Cowboys 38-6 at the Silverdome. They lost to the Redskins in the NFC Championship Game, 41-10 (the Lions have never beaten the Redskins in Washington in twenty tries, going back to 1936). This was the first time a team that had been shut out in its opener had reached the conference title round--the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots repeated the feat in 2003.
The Lions made the playoffs in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997 and 1999. In 1993, they went 10-6, first in the NFC Central Division, but lost to the Green Bay Packers. In 1994 they lost to the Packers in the playoffs again. In 1995 they lost to the Eagles. In 1997, the year Barry Sanders ran for 2,053 rushing yards, Detroit lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round. Barry Sanders is considered by many to be one the finest to ever play running back in the NFL, so when he retired abruptly after the 1998 season, his absence left a hole in the roster that has yet to be filled. The Lions closed out the 1990s reaching the playoffs for sixth time in a ten-year span, which is a franchise record for playoff appearances during a decade, however in 1999 they lost yet again in the first round to the Redskins. However, Detroit's playoff berth marked the second time in Bobby Ross's first three years as head coach that he had led the Lions into the post season. The last Lions' head coach to accomplish that feat was Buddy Parker, in 1952-53 during his second and third seasons at the helm.
[edit] 2000s
After finishing the 2000-2001 season at 9-7, and missing the playoffs by a field goal in the season's last game, Lions owner William Clay Ford, Sr. hired Matt Millen, a former player and broadcaster, as president and CEO of football operations. Millen had no previous business experience or any experience in running a football operation.
Ever since Millen's hiring, the team has had considerable difficulty remaining competitive. The Lions went the entire 2001, 2002 and 2003 seasons without a road victory, thus becoming the only team in NFL history not to win on the road for three consecutive entire seasons. The streak, encompassing 24 games (also an NFL record) came to an end on September 12, 2004, when the Lions defeated the Bears 20-16 at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Millen has also received tremendous criticism for his draft failures. Two in particular stand out: Joey Harrington, chosen third overall, was traded for a conditional late-round draft pick after an unremarkable four seasons in Detroit. Charles Rogers, chosen second overall, played sparingly in his three seasons, and was cut before the first game of the 2006 season. A third first round pick, Mike Williams (10th overall - 2005 draft), has played only a handful of snaps in 2006, and has appeared to fall out of favour with the coaching staff.
Over the period of Millen's leadership as team CEO, the Detroit Lions own the NFL's worst winning percentage. Despite the team's poor record under Millen's leadership, and widespread discontent among fans and the media, Millen received a five-year contract extension at the start of the 2005 season.
[edit] 2005
In the 2005 season, the Lions (whose home stadium, Ford Field, was the site of Super Bowl XL) won their first game against division rival Green Bay (17-3), but were completely humiliated by the Chicago Bears, led by rookie Quarterback Kyle Orton, in the second game (38-6). The Lions then lost a close game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after a seemingly game winning touchdown was reviewed and controversially reversed (17-13). The Lions managed to get to 2-2 after a win against the Baltimore Ravens (35-17). After a last-second loss to the Carolina Panthers (21-20), Jeff Garcia was named the starting quarterback, and he led the Lions to a 13-10 win over Cleveland in Week 7. After that, the wheels came off. In week 8, the Lions lost to the Bears once again. Garcia threw a heartbreaking interception in OT which the Bears' CB Charles Tillman returned for a TD (19-13). The next week, Harrington was reinserted as the starter vs. the troubled Minnesota Vikings. However the Lions went down early and lost 27-14. The Lions did eke out a 29-21 win in week 10 against the lowly Arizona Cardinals. However, losses to the Dallas Cowboys, 20-7, and the Atlanta Falcons on Thanksgiving, 27-7, pushed their regular season record to 4-7. As a result, head coach Steve Mariucci was fired a few days later on November 28, and Dick Jauron was named interim head coach. After the release of Mariucci, Cornerback Dré Bly, placed the blame on Harrington, saying that "he [Harrington] had been there for 4 years and had not done anything for the team." Bly later apologized to the team, but not to Harrington.
Things only got worse for the Lions. They lost their Week 13 home game to the Minnesota Vikings 27-7 amidst chants from Lions' fans of "Fire Millen", a reference to embattled Lions' president and CEO Matt Millen, and then dropped to 4-9 with a Week 14 road loss at Lambeau Field in overtime 16-13 to the Green Bay Packers. The Lions have had the worse 5 year record since he came in. The Lions were easily defeated at home on Week 15 by the Cincinnati Bengals (41-17). Many die hard Lions fans chose to wear orange, and celebrated when ever the Bengals scored a touchdown.
Despite winning on the road against the New Orleans Saints 13-12 in the Alamodome, the Lions ended their season 5-11, with a 35-21 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. They were 1-4 under interim head coach Dick Jauron, and missed the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. The win against the Saints was considered detrimental, because had they lost, they would have had the second overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft.
For information on the 2006 season, see: 2006 Detroit Lions season.
[edit] Uniforms
Aside from a brief change to maroon in 1948 instituted by then head coach Bo McMillin (Influenced by his years as coach at Indiana), the Lions uniforms have basically remained the same since the team debuted in 1930. The design consists of silver helmets, silver pants, and either blue or white jerseys.
Their blue leaping lion logo debuted in 1960. There have also been minor changes to the uniform design throughout the years, such as changing the silver stripe patterns on the jersey sleeves, and changing the colors of the jersey numbers. White trim was added to the logo in 1970. In 1998, the team wore blue pants with their white jerseys, but dumped those pants after the season.
In 2003, the team added black trim to the lion logo and the jerseys. A black alternate jersey was introduced in 2005, and it was seen in two games that season.
The shade of blue is officially known as "Honolulu blue," which is supposedly inspired by the color of the waves off the coast of Hawaii. According to the Official Lions website, the shade was chosen by Cy Huston, the Lions first vice president and general manager, and of the choice, he said: "They had me looking at so many blues I am blue in the face," Huston said about the selection. "But anyway, it's the kind of blue, I am told, that will match with silver."
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[edit] Season-by-season records
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff Results |
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| Portsmouth Spartans | |||||
| 1930 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 8th NFL | The NFL did not hold playoff games until 1932 |
| 1931 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 2nd NFL | |
| 1932 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3rd NFL | # |
| 1933 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 2nd NFL West | -- |
| Detroit Lions | |||||
| 1934 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 2nd NFL West | -- |
| 1935 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 1st NFL West | Won NFL Championship (Giants) |
| 1936 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 3rd NFL West | -- |
| 1937 | 7 | 4 | 0 | T-2nd NFL West | -- |
| 1938 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2nd NFL West | -- |
| 1939 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 3rd NFL West | -- |
| 1940 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 3rd NFL West | -- |
| 1941 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 3rd NFL West | - |
| 1942 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 5th NFL West | -- |
| 1943 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 3rd NFL West | -- |
| 1944 | 6 | 3 | 1 | T-2nd NFL West | -- |
| 1945 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 2nd NFL West | -- |
| 1946 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 5th NFL West | -- |
| 1947 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 5th NFL West | -- |
| 1948 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 5th NFL West | -- |
| 1949 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 4th NFL West | -- |
| 1950 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 4th NFL NFC | -- |
| 1951 | 7 | 4 | 1 | T-2nd NFL NFC | -- |
| 1952 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1st NFL NFC | Won National Conference Playoff (L.A. Rams) Won NFL Championship (Browns) |
| 1953 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 1st NFC West | Won NFL Championship (Browns) |
| 1954 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1st NFL West | Lost NFL Championship (Browns) |
| 1955 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 6th NFL West | -- |
| 1956 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 2nd NFL West | -- |
| 1957 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1st NFL West | Won Western Conference Playoff (49ers) Won NFL Championship (Browns) |
| 1958 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 5th NFL West | -- |
| 1959 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 5th NFL West | -- |
| 1960 | 7 | 5 | 0 | T-2nd NFL West | -- |
| 1961 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2nd NFL West | -- |
| 1962 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 2nd NFL West | -- |
| 1963 | 5 | 8 | 1 | T-4th NFL West | -- |
| 1964 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 4th NFL West | -- |
| 1965 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 6th NFL West | -- |
| 1966 | 4 | 9 | 1 | T-6th NFL West | -- |
| 1967 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 3rd NFL Central | -- |
| 1968 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 4th NFL Central | -- |
| 1969 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 2nd NFL Central | -- |
| 1970 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 2nd NFC Central | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Cowboys) |
| 1971 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 2nd NFC Central | -- |
| 1972 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2nd NFC Central | -- |
| 1973 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 2nd NFC Central | -- |
| 1974 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 2nd NFC Central | -- |
| 1975 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 2nd NFC Central | -- |
| 1976 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 3rd NFC Central | -- |
| 1977 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 3rd NFC Central | -- |
| 1978 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 3rd NFC Central | -- |
| 1979 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 5th NFC Central | -- |
| 1980 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2nd NFC Central | -- |
| 1981 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 2nd NFC Central | -- |
| 1982 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 8th NFC Conf. | Lost First Round (Redskins) |
| 1983 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 1st NFC Central | Lost Divisional Playoffs (49ers) |
| 1984 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 4th NFC Central | -- |
| 1985 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 4th NFC Central | -- |
| 1986 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 3rd NFC Central | -- |
| 1987 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 5th NFC Central | -- |
| 1988 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 4th NFC Central | -- |
| 1989 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 3rd NFC Central | -- |
| 1990 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 3rd NFC Central | -- |
| 1991 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 1st NFC Central | Won Divisional Playoffs (Cowboys) Lost Conference Championship (Redskins) |
| 1992 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 5th NFC Central | -- |
| 1993 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 1st NFC Central | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Packers) |
| 1994 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 3rd NFC Central | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Packers) |
| 1995 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 2nd NFC Central | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Eagles) |
| 1996 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 5th NFC Central | -- |
| 1997 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 3rd NFC Central | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Buccaneers) |
| 1998 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 4th NFC Central | -- |
| 1999 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 3rd NFC Central | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Redskins) |
| 2000 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 4th NFC Central | -- |
| 2001 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 5th NFC Central | -- |
| 2002 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 4th NFC North | -- |
| 2003 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 4th NFC North | -- |
| 2004 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 3rd NFC North | -- |
| 2005 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 3rd NFC North | -- |
| *2006 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 4th NFC North | -- |
| Totals | 479 | 539 | 32 | (1930-2006, regular season) | |
| 7 | 10 | 0 | (1930-2006, playoffs) | ||
| 486 | 548 | 32 | (all games, 1930-2006, including playoffs) | ||
* = Current Standing
#=The result of the 1932 NFL Playoff Game to determine the NFL champion between the Chicago Bears and the Portsmouth Spartans counted in the standings.
[edit] Players of note
[edit] Current roster
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Wide Receivers
Offensive line
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Tight Ends
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Defensive Line
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Linebackers
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(@ Franchise Player)
($ Unrestricted Free Agent)
(* Denotes rookies and first year players)
[edit] Pro Football Hall of Famers
- 7 Dutch Clark, QB (1963)
- 35 Bill Dudley, HB (1966)
- 22 Bobby Layne, QB (1967)
- 50 Alex Wojciechowicz, C, LB (1968)
- 14 Jack Christiansen, DB (1970)
- 56 Joe Schmidt, LB (1973)
- 81 Dick "Night Train" Lane, DB (1974)
- 28 Yale Lary, DB, P (1979)
- Frank Gatski, C (1985)
- 37 Doak Walker, HB (1986)
- John Henry Johnson, FB (1987)
- 20 Lem Barney, DB (1992)
- 76 Lou Creekmur, G/T (1996)
- 20 Barry Sanders, RB (2004)
[edit] Retired numbers
- Dutch Clark (7)
- Barry Sanders (20)
- Note: The #20 was retired specifically for Sanders, but most people recognize the retired number as also representing RB Billy Sims and DB Lem Barney, both of whom are also among the top all-time Lions at their positions.
- Bobby Layne (22)
- Doak Walker (37)
- Joe Schmidt (56)
- Note: The #56 was unretired with Schmidt's blessing when the Lions acquired linebacker Pat Swilling from the Saints. No player has worn it since Swilling left.
- Chuck Hughes (85)
- Note: Hughes died of a heart attack during a game on October 24, 1971, and his #85 was withdrawn from circulation. However, WR Kevin Johnson wore #85 during his stint in Detroit after asking permission from the Hughes family as he had worn that number throughout his professional career.
- Note: Standout WR Charlie Sanders's #88, while not officially retired, is seldom issued. Currently, it is being used by wide receiver Mike Williams.
[edit] Lions Legends
The Lions have a special "program" called Lions Legends that honors noteworthy former players. The current list of legends includes not only the hall of famers listed above, but also the following players, who according to the Lions, "...Created special moments and added to the lore of football in the Motor City." [1]:
- Charley Ane, C/T
- Al Baker, DE
- Jerry Ball, DT
- Terry Barr, WR/DB
- Les Bingaman, DT
- Cloyce Box, RB/TE/QB
- Lomas Brown, T
- Dexter Bussey, RB
- Gail Cogdill, E
- James David, DB
- Keith Dorney, T/G
- Doug English, DT
- Jim Gibbons, TE
- Kevin Glover, C/G
- Mel Gray, WR/KR
- Robert Hoernschemeyer, RB
- Alex Karras, DT
- Greg Landry, QB
- Dick LeBeau, DB
- Mike Lucci, LB
- Darris McCord, DE
- Herman Moore, WR
- Eddie Murray, K
- Brett Perriman, WR
- Tobin Rote, QB
- Charlie Sanders, TE
- Harley Sewell, G
- Billy Sims, RB
- Chris Spielman, LB
- Wayne Walker, LB
[edit] Other notable alumni
[edit] Head Coaches
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[edit] Current Staff[2]
Offensive Coaching Staff
Defensive Coaching Staff
Special Teams Coaching Staff
Strength & Conditioning Coaching Staff
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[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Detroit Lions Site - History & Records. Retrieved on 8 December 2006. Quote from the Lions site about Lions Legends.
- ^ Detroit Lions Site - The Lions Coaching Staff. Retrieved on 8 December 2006. Lions current coaching staff
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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- Detroit Lions official web site
- Portsmouth Spartans Historical Society
- Roar Report - Inside the Detroit Lions
- Lionbacker - Hard Hitting Detroit Lions News
- MotownLions.com - Fan forum
- Sports E-Cyclopedia.com
- NFLCentral.net Detroit Lions Talk
- SportsLogos.net Detroit Lions Logos & Current Uniforms
| Portsmouth Spartans/Detroit Lions Head Coaches |
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| Griffin • G. Clark • D. Clark • Henderson • G. Clark • Edwards • Karcis • Dorais • McMillin • Parker • Wilson • Gilmer • Schmidt • McCafferty • Forzano • Hudspeth • M. Clark • Rogers • Fontes • Ross • Moeller • Mornhinweg • Mariucci • Jauron • Marinelli |
