Detroit Lions

Lore & Background

The franchise was founded in Portsmouth, Ohio, as the Portsmouth Spartans in 1928 and joined the NFL on July 12, 1930. Amid financial struggles, the franchise was relocated to Detroit in 1934 and renamed the Lions in reference to the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise, the Detroit Tigers. The Lions won four NFL Championship Games between 1935 and 1957. Following the 1957 championship, the franchise did not win a playoff game until the 1991 season and did not win another until the 2023 season. They are the only franchise operational for the entirety of the Super Bowl era to not appear in a Super Bowl.

In Their Own Story

The call came after the draft: Anthony Tyus III would join the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent. For a running back who had just rushed for 1,234 yards and nine touchdowns in his final college season at Ohio, it was a chance to prove himself at the next level. But the Lions' roster was crowded, and on July 17, 2025, Tyus was waived. The dream in Detroit ended before training camp even heated up.

Reader's Guide

The Lions' uniforms have basically remained the same since they moved to Detroit in 1934–silver helmets, silver pants, and either blue or white jerseys. The blue used by the Lions is officially known as 'Honolulu blue', which is inspired by the color of the waves off the coast of Hawaii. In 1934, then team owner George A. Richards negotiated an agreement with NBC to carry his Thanksgiving game live across all of the network's stations. Excluding the years of 1939–1944, due to World War II, the Lions have played on Thanksgiving ever since.

Did You Know?

• The Lions' colors were chosen by Glenn Presnell and his wife from combinations that included red and white, orange and black, and blue and silver.
• The Lions are the only franchise operational for the entirety of the Super Bowl era to not appear in a Super Bowl.
• The team wore black alternate jerseys in 2005, dropped them in 2008, and brought them back in 2024.