Detroit Lions
One Pride, Motor City Muscle, Defend the Den
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The team plays their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.
Quick Facts
- Divisional status
- Non-divisional (NFC North vs. NFC South)
- Notable era
- 2010s Gruden/Arians dominance
- Key opponent trait
- Historical struggles against Tampa Bay
- Memorable outcome type
- Lopsided victories for Buccaneers in recent decades
- Rivalry intensity
- Moderate to High (based on performance disparity)
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.
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 1994, every NFL team wore throwback jerseys, and the Lions' were similar to the jerseys worn during their 1935 championship season. In 2003, the team added black trim to their logo and jerseys. In 2005, the team introduced an alternate black jersey. For 2008, the team dropped the black jersey in favor of a throwback uniform to commemorate the franchise's 75th anniversary. The Lions officially unveiled a new logo and uniforms on April 20, 2009. On February 1, 2017, the Lions announced a new typeface, logo, and the complete removal of the color black from the team identity. On April 18, 2024, the Lions unveiled a new jersey set. The black alternate jersey, referred to as 'Motor City Muscle', was a favorite of head coach Dan Campbell. Throughout the 2024 season, the silver pants were only worn once (a Week 2 defeat against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers). On August 25, 2026, the Lions unveiled their Rivalries jersey, referred to as 'Defend the Den'.
Did You Know?
- The Lions have played on Thanksgiving since 1934 with the exception of the years during World War II.
- The Lions wore an alternate blue helmet for the first time since 1955 in 2023.
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