Lions in the Building
The Lions have been a part of the NFL since 1930, with a legacy of early championships and a historic Thanksgiving tradition.
The Detroit Lions franchise was originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio as the Spartans. They joined the NFL in 1930, moved to Detroit in 1934, and won their first NFL Championship in 1935. The Lions had their most success in the 1950s, winning the NFL Championship three times (1952, 1953, 1957). In 2025, they played their 96th season.
Quick Facts
- First season
- 1934 (as Detroit Lions; franchise founded 1928 as Portsmouth Spartans, joined NFL in 1930)
Lore & Background
The Lions were purchased by George A. Richards in 1934 for $8,000 and renamed to evoke the lion as king of the NFL. In their inaugural Detroit season, they started with a 10-game win streak but finished second. They played their first Thanksgiving game in 1934 and have continued the tradition except during World War II. The 1942 Lions went 0–11, scoring only five touchdowns all season, getting shut out five times, and never scoring more than seven points in a game.
Reader's Guide
The Lions' early success came in 1935 when Dutch Clark led the NFL with 55 points and Ernie Caddel led with 621 yards, winning the championship 26–7 over the New York Giants. The 1950s saw three championships under quarterbacks Bobby Layne and later George Wilson as head coach. Key players included Joe Schmidt, drafted in 1953, and Doak Walker, acquired via trade.
Did You Know?
- The Lions played the first-ever NFL game with the league title at stake in 1932 as the Portsmouth Spartans.
- George A. Richards named the team the Lions to create a tie-in with baseball's Detroit Tigers.
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