The 50/50 Club
The 2008 Detroit Lions: the first 0–16 team in NFL history.
The 2008 Detroit Lions season was the franchise's 79th in the NFL and 75th since moving to Detroit from Portsmouth, Ohio. The team made history by becoming the first team since the schedule was expanded to 16 games to finish winless, joining the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers as only the second team since the AFL–NFL merger to finish a full-length season winless.
Quick Facts
- Type
- Fan-participation raffle; charitable fundraising program
- Location
- Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
- Primary purpose
- Charitable fundraising and fan engagement
- Structure
- One winner receives a cash prize drawn at the conclusion of the game
- Participation
- Open to fans who purchase a raffle ticket at the event
- Affiliation
- Unofficial fan-culture feature; not an official Lions franchise entity
Lore & Background
The Lions finished 0–16 under head coach Rod Marinelli, who was fired after the season along with most of his staff. The team gave up a franchise-record 517 points, a figure that has since been surpassed by other defenses but remains one of the highest single-season totals in NFL history. The Lions were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention in Week 11. Team president, general manager, and CEO Matt Millen was fired on September 24, 2008.
Reader's Guide
The Lions wore special throwback uniforms for two home games to celebrate their 75th season playing as the Lions. The uniforms featured blue jerseys with silver lettering, solid silver pants, blue socks, and solid silver helmets. Notable roster losses included DT Shaun Rogers (traded to Cleveland), DE Kalimba Edwards (released), and RB Kevin Jones (released). Draft picks included Gosder Cherilus, Jordon Dizon, Caleb Campbell, Cliff Avril, and Jerome Felton.
Did You Know?
- The 2008 Lions are one of only three full-length winless seasons since the NFL merger (1976 Buccaneers, 2008 Lions, 2017 Browns).
- The Lions' 0–16 record was later matched by the 2017 Cleveland Browns.
- Cliff Avril, a Lions draft pick in 2008, went on to win Super Bowl XLVIII with the Seattle Seahawks.
- The Lions' 517 points allowed was later eclipsed by the 2020 team, who allowed 519 points.
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