Detroit Lions - wikipedia Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Current season Established July 12, 1930 ; 87 years ago ( July 12, 1930 ) First season : 1930 Play in Ford Field Detroit, Michigan Headquartered in Allen Park, Michigan Logo Wordmark League / conference affiliations National Football League ( 1930 -- present ) Western Division ( 1933 -- 1949 ) National Conference ( 1950 -- 1952 ) Western Conference ( 1953 -- 1969 ) Central Division ( 1967 -- 1969 ) National Football Conference ( 1970 -- present ) NFC Central ( 1970 -- 2001 ) NFC North ( 2002 -- present ) Current uniform Team colors Honolulu Blue, Silver Fight song Gridiron Heroes Mascot Roary the Lion Theo `` Gridiron '' Spight Personnel Owner ( s ) Martha Firestone Ford Chairman Martha Firestone Ford President Rod Wood General manager Bob Quinn Head coach Jim Caldwell Team history Portsmouth Spartans ( 1930 -- 1933 ) Detroit Lions ( 1934 -- present ) Championships League championships ( 4 ) NFL Championships ( pre -- 1970 AFL -- NFL merger ) ( 4 ) 1935, 1952, 1953, 1957 Conference championships ( 4 ) NFL National : 1952 NFL Western : 1953, 1954, 1957 Division championships ( 4 ) NFL West : 1935 NFC Central : 1983, 1991, 1993 Playoff appearances ( 18 ) NFL : 1932, 1935, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1957, 1970, 1982, 1983, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2011, 2014, 2016 Home fields Universal Stadium ( 1930 -- 1933 ) University of Detroit Stadium ( 1934 -- 1940 ) Tiger Stadium ( 1938 -- 1939, 1941 -- 1974 ) Pontiac Silverdome ( 1975 -- 2001 ) Ford Field ( 2002 -- present ) The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions compete in the National Football League ( NFL ) as a member club of the league 's National Football Conference ( NFC ) North division. The team plays its home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit. Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and called the Portsmouth Spartans, the team formally joined the NFL on July 12, 1930 and began play in the 1930 season. Despite success within the NFL, they could not survive in Portsmouth, then the NFL 's smallest city. The team was purchased and relocated to Detroit for the 1934 season. The Lions have won four NFL championships, tied for 9th overall in total championships amongst all 32 NFL franchises ; however, their last was in 1957, which gives the club the second - longest NFL championship drought behind the Arizona Cardinals. They are one of four current teams and the only NFC team to have not yet played in the Super Bowl. Contents 1 Franchise history 2 Logos and uniforms 2.1 Home attendance 3 Players of note 3.1 Current roster 3.2 Retired numbers 3.3 Pro Football Hall of Famers 3.4 Michigan Sports Hall of Fame 4 Coaches 4.1 Current staff 5 Divisions and division rivals 5.1 NFL Western Division : 1933 -- 1949 5.2 NFL National Conference : 1950 -- 1952 5.3 NFL Western Conference : 1953 -- 1966 5.4 NFL Central Division : 1967 -- 1969 5.5 NFC Central : 1970 -- 2001 5.6 NFC North : 2002 -- present 6 Radio and television 6.1 Radio 6.2 TV 6.2. 1 Preseason 6.2. 2 Regular season 6.2. 3 Blackouts 7 See also 8 Notes and references 8.1 Bibliography 9 External links Franchise history Main article : History of the Detroit Lions See also : List of Detroit Lions seasons See also : History of the Portsmouth Spartans Logos and 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. The shade of blue used for Lions uniforms and logos is officially known as `` Honolulu blue '', which is supposedly inspired by the color of the waves off the coast of Hawaii. The shade was chosen by Cy Huston in 1935. Houston, the Lions ' first vice president and general manager, said of the choice : `` They had me looking at so many blues I am blue in the face '', Houston said about the selection. `` But anyway, it 's the kind of blue, I am told, that will match with silver. '' There have 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 along with grey socks but dropped that combination after the season. In 1999, the `` TV numbers '' on the sleeves were moved to the shoulders. In 1994, every NFL team wore throwback jerseys, and the Lions ' were similar to the jerseys used during their 1935 championship season. The helmets and pants were solid silver, the jerseys Honolulu blue with silver numbers and the jersey did not have `` TV numbers '' on the sleeves. The team wore solid blue socks along with black shoes. The helmets also did not have a logo, as helmets were simple leather back then. The Lions also wore ' 50s - style jerseys during their traditional Thanksgiving Day games from 2001 to 2004 as the NFL encouraged teams to wear throwback jerseys on Thanksgiving Day. In 2003, the team added black trim to their logo and the jerseys. The face masks on the helmet changed from blue to black with the introduction of the new color. Additionally, an alternate home field jersey which makes black the dominant color ( in place of Honolulu Blue ) was introduced in 2005. For 2008, the team dropped the black alternate jerseys in favor of a throwback uniform to commemorate the franchise 's 75th anniversary. The throwback uniform became the team 's permanent alternate jersey in 2009, replacing the former black alternate. The Lions officially unveiled new logo designs and uniforms on April 20, 2009. The lion on the helmet now has a flowing mane and fangs, and the typeface of `` Lions '' is more modern. On February 1, 2017, the Lions announced a new typeface, logo, and the complete removal of the color black from the team identity. Uniforms were to follow on April 13. The team `` made it a priority to emphasize our classic color combination of Honolulu blue and silver, which has been synonymous with the Detroit Lions since 1934. '' The new logo is identical to the old, except with a silver border instead of a black one. The Lions unveiled the club 's new uniforms on April 13, 2017. Home attendance Home Attendance at Ford Field Year Total Attendance 2006 487,116 2007 490,436 2008 435,979 2009 395,162 450,286 2011 509,940 2012 510,158 2013 510,369 2014 504,198 Source : Players of note Main article : List of Detroit Lions players Current roster Detroit Lions roster view talk Quarterbacks 14 Jake Rudock 9 Matthew Stafford Running backs 21 Ameer Abdullah 38 Tion Green 25 Theo Riddick 36 Dwayne Washington 34 Zach Zenner Wide receivers 10 Jared Abbrederis 16 Jace Billingsley 19 Kenny Golladay 11 Marvin Jones 13 T.J. Jones 15 Golden Tate Tight ends 85 Eric Ebron 87 Darren Fells 80 Michael Roberts Offensive linemen 77 Emmett Cleary T 60 Graham Glasgow G 76 T.J. Lang G 63 Tim Lelito G 72 Brian Mihalik T 73 Greg Robinson T 74 Dan Skipper T 64 Travis Swanson C 71 Rick Wagner T Defensive linemen 94 Ezekiel Ansah DE 98 Jeremiah Ledbetter DT 91 A'Shawn Robinson DT 97 Akeem Spence DT 99 Khyri Thornton DT 78 Jeremiah Valoaga DE 90 Cornelius Washington DE 69 Anthony Zettel DE Linebackers 43 Nick Bellore MLB 40 Jarrad Davis MLB 54 Steve Longa OLB 44 Jalen Reeves - Maybin OLB 59 Tahir Whitehead OLB 58 Paul Worrilow MLB Defensive backs 39 Jamal Agnew CB 26 Don Carey FS 28 Quandre Diggs CB 31 D.J. Hayden CB 35 Miles Killebrew SS 24 Nevin Lawson CB 27 Glover Quin FS 23 Darius Slay CB 30 Teez Tabor CB 45 Charles Washington FS 32 Tavon Wilson SS Special teams 6 Sam Martin P 48 Don Muhlbach LS 5 Matt Prater K Reserve lists 53 Brandon Chubb OLB ( IR ) 51 Brandon Copeland OLB ( IR ) 66 Joe Dahl G ( IR ) 68 Taylor Decker T ( PUP ) 93 Jordan Hill DT ( IR ) 61 Kerry Hyder DE ( IR ) 39 Mike James RB ( IR ) 67 Zac Kerin G ( IR ) 46 Des Lawrence CB ( IR ) 92 Haloti Ngata DT ( IR ) 2 Kasey Redfern P ( IR ) 70 Corey Robinson T ( IR ) Practice squad 50 Thurston Armbrister LB 38 Adairius Barnes CB 79 Alex Barrett DE 83 Dontez Ford WR ( Injured ) 17 Andy Jones WR 8 Brad Kaaya QB 75 Leo Koloamatangi C 41 Rolan Milligan SS -- Storm Norton T 62 Christian Ringo DT 84 Hakeem Valles TE Rookies in italics Roster updated October 28, 2017 Depth chart Transactions 53 Active, 12 Inactive, 11 Practice squad → AFC rosters → NFC rosters AFC East BUF MIA NE NYJ North BAL CIN CLE PIT South HOU IND JAX TEN West DEN KC LAC OAK NFC East DAL NYG PHI WAS North CHI DET GB MIN South ATL CAR NO TB West ARI LAR SF SEA Retired numbers Detroit Lions retired numbers No. Player Position Tenure 7 Dutch Clark QB 1934 -- 1938 20 Barry Sanders RB 1989 -- 1998 22 Bobby Layne QB, K 1950 -- 1958 37 Doak Walker HB, K, P 1950 -- 1955 56 Joe Schmidt LB 1953 -- 1965 85 Chuck Hughes WR 1970 -- 1971 Notes : Posthumous. Hughes died of a heart attack during a game on October 24, 1971, and his No. 85 was withdrawn from circulation. However, WR Kevin Johnson wore No. 85 during his stint in Detroit after asking permission from the Hughes family as he had worn that number throughout his professional career. The # 20 was retired specifically for Sanders, even though the retired number was also worn by RB Billy Sims and DB Lem Barney, both of whom are also among the top all - time Lions at their positions. The No. 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. Special cases : The Lions retired # 93 for the 2009 season after Corey Smith disappeared, presumed dead, when a boat he was fishing in with friends capsized off the Florida coast. The Lions also wore 93 stickers on their helmets that season. Number 93 was assigned to Kyle Vanden Bosch in 2010. Pro Football Hall of Famers Detroit Lions Hall of Famers Players No. Name Positions Seasons Inducted No. Name Positions Seasons Inducted 20 Lem Barney DB 1967 -- 1977 1992 22 Bobby Layne QB 1950 -- 1958 1967 24 Jack Christiansen DB 1951 -- 1958 1970 44 Dick LeBeau DB 1959 -- 1972 7 Dutch Clark QB Coach 1934 -- 1938 1937 -- 1938 1963 30 Ollie Matson RB 1963 1972 76 Lou Creekmur G / T 1950 -- 1959 39 Hugh McElhenny HB 1964 1970 77 Curley Culp DT 1980 -- 1981 2013 20 Barry Sanders RB 1989 -- 1998 35 Bill Dudley HB 1947 -- 1949 1966 88 Charlie Sanders TE 1968 -- 1977 2007 72 Frank Gatski 1957 1985 56 Joe Schmidt LB Coach 1953 -- 1965 1967 -- 1972 1973 35 John Henry Johnson FB 1957 -- 1959 63 Dick Stanfel OG 1952 -- 1955 2016 81 Dick `` Night Train '' Lane CB 1960 -- 1965 37 Doak Walker HB 1950 -- 1955 1986 28 Yale Lary DB, P 1952 -- 1953 1956 -- 1964 1979 50 Alex Wojciechowicz C, LB 1938 -- 1946 1968 Michigan Sports Hall of Fame Main article : Michigan Sports Hall of Fame Coaches Main article : List of Detroit Lions head coaches Current staff Detroit Lions staff Front Office Owner / Chairman -- Martha Firestone Ford Vice Chairman -- William Clay Ford Jr. President -- Rod Wood Special Advisor to the President - Ernie Accorsi COO - Allison Maki Executive Vice President / General Manager -- Bob Quinn Vice President of Football Administration - Matt Harriss Chief of Staff / Assistant to the General Manager -- Kevin Anderson Director of Player Personnel -- Kyle O'Brien Senior Personnel Executive -- Director of College Scouting -- Lance Newmark Director of Pro Scouting - Brendan Prophett Assistant Director of Pro Personnel - Rob Lohman Head Coaches Head Coach -- Jim Caldwell Assistant Head Coach / Offensive Line -- Ron Prince Offensive Coaches Offensive Coordinator -- Jim Bob Cooter Quarterbacks -- Brian Callahan Running Backs -- David Walker Wide Receivers -- Robert Prince Tight Ends -- Al Golden Quality Control / Offensive Line - Michael McCarthy Offensive Assistant / Research & Analysis - Evan Rothstein Defensive Coaches Defensive Coordinator -- Teryl Austin Defensive Line -- Kris Kocurek Defensive Assistant / Defensive Ends -- Matt Raich Linebackers -- Bill Sheridan Defensive Backs / Safeties -- Alan Williams Defensive Backs / Corners -- Tony Oden Defensive Quality Control - Steven Williams Defensive Assistant / Special Projects - George Godsey Senior Coaching Assistant -- Gunther Cunningham Special Teams Coaches Special Teams Coordinator -- Joe Marciano Special Teams Assistant - Devin Fitzsimmons Strength and Conditioning Head Strength and Conditioning -- Harold Nash Assistant Strength and Conditioning -- Josh Schuler Coaching Support Staff Director of Football Research / Special Projects - Vacant Director of Coaching Operations - Gina Newell → Coaching Staff → Management → More NFL staffs AFC East BUF MIA NE NYJ North BAL CIN CLE PIT South HOU IND JAX TEN West DEN KC LAC OAK NFC East DAL NYG PHI WAS North CHI DET GB MIN South ATL CAR NO TB West ARI LAR SF SEA Divisions and division rivals Main article : NFL Western Conference The Lions have been a part of multiple divisions and have had several division rivals in their existence. Their oldest rivals are the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers, whom they have been paired with in a division since 1933. The Minnesota Vikings have been in a division with Detroit ever since their inaugural season in 1961. Other notable longtime division opponents were the Cleveland / Los Angeles Rams ( 29 seasons from 1937 -- 1966, except for 1943 ), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ( 25 seasons from 1977 -- 2001 ), the San Francisco 49ers ( 17 seasons from 1950 -- 1966 ), the Chicago Cardinals ( 16 seasons from 1933 -- 1949, except for 1944 ), and the Baltimore Colts ( 14 seasons from 1953 -- 1966 ). The Lions also have a preseason rivalry with the Cleveland Browns, dubbed the Great Lakes Classic. The two teams have been playing for The Barge Trophy since 2002. The Lions and Browns had a solid rivalry in the 1950s, when they met four times for the NFL championship ( Detroit won three of the matchups ). NFL Western Division : 1933 -- 1949 Chicago Bears ( 1933 -- 1949 ) Chicago Cardinals ( 1933 -- 1949, combined with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1944 as Card - Pitt ) Cincinnati Reds ( 1933 -- 1934, suspended the final 3 games of 1934 for failing to pay league dues ) Cleveland / Los Angeles Rams ( 1937 -- 1949, suspended play in 1943, moved to Los Angeles in 1946 ) Portsmouth Spartans / Detroit Lions ( 1933 -- 1949 ) Green Bay Packers ( 1933 -- 1949 ) St. Louis Gunners ( 1934, the final 3 games only as a replacement for the suspended Cincinnati Reds ) Card - Pitt ( 1944, the combined Chicago Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers team ) NFL National Conference : 1950 -- 1952 Baltimore Colts ( 1950 ) Chicago Bears ( 1950 -- 1952 ) Detroit Lions ( 1950 -- 1952 ) Green Bay Packers ( 1950 -- 1952 ) Los Angeles Rams ( 1950 -- 1952 ) New York Yanks ( 1950 -- 1951 ) / Dallas Texans ( 1952 ) ( moved from New York to Dallas before folding, not to be confused with the American Football League team with the same name ) San Francisco 49ers ( 1950 -- 1952 ) NFL Western Conference : 1953 -- 1966 Baltimore Colts ( 1953 -- 1966 ) Chicago Bears ( 1953 -- 1966 ) Detroit Lions ( 1953 -- 1966 ) Green Bay Packers ( 1953 -- 1966 ) Los Angeles Rams ( 1953 -- 1966 ) San Francisco 49ers ( 1953 -- 1966 ) Dallas Cowboys ( 1960 ) Minnesota Vikings ( 1961 -- 1966 ) NFL Central Division : 1967 -- 1969 Chicago Bears ( 1967 -- 1969 ) Detroit Lions ( 1967 -- 1969 ) Green Bay Packers ( 1967 -- 1969 ) Minnesota Vikings ( 1967 -- 1969 ) NFC Central : 1970 -- 2001 Chicago Bears ( 1970 -- 2001 ) Detroit Lions ( 1970 -- 2001 ) Green Bay Packers ( 1970 -- 2001 ) Minnesota Vikings ( 1970 -- 2001 ) Tampa Bay Buccaneers ( 1977 -- 2001 ) NFC North : 2002 -- present Chicago Bears ( 2002 -- present ) Detroit Lions ( 2002 -- present ) Green Bay Packers ( 2002 -- present ) Minnesota Vikings ( 2002 -- present ) Radio and television Main article : List of Detroit Lions broadcasters Radio Main article : Detroit Lions Radio Network The Lions ' flagship radio station is WJR 760 AM. Dan Miller does play - by - play, Jim Brandstatter does color commentary, and Tony Ortiz provides sideline reports. The team moved to WJR for the 2016 NFL season, ending a 20 - year relationship with CBS Radio - owned WXYT - FM. The decision to part with WXYT was reportedly instigated by a demand by the team for the station to fire on - air personality Mike Valenti -- who has had a history of making comments critical of the Lions during his drive - time show -- as a condition of any future renewal. A CBS Radio spokesperson stated that their refusal was meant to maintain the station 's integrity. TV Preseason Main article : Detroit Lions Television Network In 2015, WJBK took over from WXYZ - TV as the flagship station for Lions preseason games. The announcers are Matt Shepard with play - by - play, Rob Rubick and Nate Burleson with color commentary, and FOX2 's Jennifer Hammond with sideline reports. Wraparound shows and preseason games are produced by Fox Sports Detroit which also airs replays of the broadcasts. Regular season Regular season games are broadcast regionally on Fox, except when the Lions play an AFC team in Detroit, in which case the game airs regionally on CBS. The Thanksgiving Day game in Detroit is always televised nationally on either Fox ( odd - numbered years ) or CBS ( even - numbered years ). The Detroit Lions were the last NFC team to play on NBC, since they got football back in 2006 ( the Lions at Saints game on December 4, 2011 marked their 1st appearance ). The Lions ' official regular season pregame show is The Ford Lions Report. Blackouts Main article : National Football League television blackout policies The Lions ' winless performance in 2008 and 2 -- 14 season in 2009, coupled with the effects of the Great Recession in Michigan, led to several local broadcast blackouts, as local fans did not purchase enough tickets by the 72 - hour blackout deadline. In 2008, five of the Lions ' final six home games of the season did not sell out, with the Thanksgiving game being the exception. The first blackout in the seven - year history of Ford Field was on October 26, 2008, against the Washington Redskins. The previous 50 regular season home games had been sellouts. The second home game of the 2009 season in which the Lions broke the losing streak ( also against the Washington Redskins ) was blacked out locally, as well as the comeback victory over the Cleveland Browns. The Lions had only one blackout in 2010, yet another Washington Redskins game, which the Lions won 37 -- 25. Games were also often blacked out at the Lions ' previous home, the ( perhaps oversized ) 80,000 - seat Pontiac Silverdome, despite winning seasons and the success and popularity of star players such as Barry Sanders. See also History of the Detroit Lions NFL on Thanksgiving Day Metro Detroit portal Notes and references ^ Jump up to : `` Detroit Lions Team Facts ''. Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved October 2, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Detroit Lions Team Capsule '' ( PDF ). 2017 Official National Football League Record and Fact Book. National Football League. August 22, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` Detroit Lions statement regarding rebranding ''. Detroit Lions. February 1, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2017. The updated logo and new typeface revealed online this morning are elements of a full rebranding which includes the removal of black from our brand identity. The rebrand will culminate with the unveiling of all new uniforms on April 13. Throughout the rebranding process, we made it a priority to emphasize our classic color combination of Honolulu blue and silver, which has been synonymous with the Detroit Lions since 1934. Jump up ^ `` 21 Football Facts to Fake Your Super Bowl Street Cred ''. Jump up ^ Griffith 2012, p. 144. Jump up ^ Griffith 2012, p. 139. Jump up ^ Kowalski, Tom ( February 9, 2009 ). `` Tom Lewand : Lions ' black uniforms discarded ''. The Grand Rapids Press. Retrieved April 25, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Lions Unveil New Comprehensive Brand ; Team modifies team logo and uniforms and introduces new brand ''. Detroit Lions. April 20, 2009. Retrieved April 25, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Lions unveil new uniforms '' ( Press release ). Detroit Lions. April 13, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017. Jump up ^ `` 2017 NFL Football Attendance - National Football League - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` Lions to retire Smith 's No. 93 in ' 09 ''. ESPN. Associated Press. March 21, 2009. Retrieved 2009 - 03 - 21. Jump up ^ Baskin, Andy ( August 18, 2011 ). `` Baskin : Browns - Lions battle for ' Barge ' trophy ''. WEWS - TV. Retrieved 2013 - 08 - 10. Jump up ^ Schudel, Jeff ( November 22, 2009 ). `` Great Lakes Classic has lacked luster since its beginning ''. The Morning Journal. Retrieved 2009 - 03 - 21. Jump up ^ `` Detroit Lions - Radio Affiliates ''. Jump up ^ `` CBS Detroit : Lions censorship demands caused split ''. The Detroit News. Retrieved 20 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` Want to listen to the Lions in 2016 ? Tune in to WJR - AM ''. Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 20 November 2015. Jump up ^ Kowalski, Tom ( October 28, 2010 ). `` Detroit Lions ' game on Sunday will be blacked out locally ''. MLive.com. The Grand Rapids Press. Retrieved October 29, 2010. Bibliography Griffith, R.D. ( 2012 ). To the NFL : You Sure Started Somethin ' : A Historical Guide of All 32 NFL Teams and the Cities They 've Played In. Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc. ISBN 978 - 1 - 4349 - 1762 - 1. Retrieved November 25, 2016. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Detroit Lions. Official website Detroit Lions Founded in 1930 Formerly the Portsmouth Spartans ( 1930 -- 33 ) Based in Detroit, Michigan Headquartered in Allen Park, Michigan Franchise Franchise Team history Seasons Players First - round draft picks Starting quarterbacks Coaches Stadiums Universal Stadium University of Detroit Stadium Tiger Stadium Pontiac Silverdome Ford Field Culture NFL on Thanksgiving Day Paper Lion ( film ) `` What 's Going On '' ( Marvin Gaye song ) Beverly Hills Cop Home Improvement Cheerleaders Lore 1932 Playoff Game Curse of Bobby Layne Mike Utley gives a thumbs up Marty Mornhinweg takes the wind `` Fire Millen '' 0 -- 16 `` Calvin Johnson rule '' Miracle in Motown Rivalries Chicago Bears Green Bay Packers Minnesota Vikings Notable people William Clay & Martha Firestone Ford Barry Sanders Bobby Layne Glenn Presnell Calvin Johnson Wayne Fontes Division championships ( 4 ) 1935 1991 1993 Conference championships ( 4 ) 1952 1953 1954 1957 League championships ( 4 ) 1935 1952 1953 1957 Media Broadcasters Radio : Radio network Dan Miller Jim Brandstatter Tony Ortiz WJR TV : Television network Matt Shepard Chris Spielman Jennifer Hammond WJBK Fox Sports Detroit Current league affiliations League : National Football League Conference : National Football Conference Division : North Division Seasons ( 88 ) 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 2017 Championship seasons in bold Links to related articles National Football League ( 2017 ) AFC East North South West Buffalo Bills Miami Dolphins New England Patriots New York Jets Baltimore Ravens Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Pittsburgh Steelers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Tennessee Titans Denver Broncos Kansas City Chiefs Los Angeles Chargers Oakland Raiders NFC East North South West Dallas Cowboys New York Giants Philadelphia Eagles Washington Redskins Chicago Bears Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Minnesota Vikings Atlanta Falcons Carolina Panthers New Orleans Saints Tampa Bay Buccaneers Arizona Cardinals Los Angeles Rams San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Seasons Seasons ( by team ) Preseason Hall of Fame Game American Bowl Regular season Kickoff game Monday Night Football International Series Thanksgiving games Christmas games Playoffs Streaks Droughts AFC Championship NFC Championship Super Bowl champions quarterbacks Pro Bowl History League history Executive history Championship history AFL Championship ( 1960 -- 1969 ) NFL Championship ( 1920 -- 1969 ) Playoff Bowl Other Owners Officials Properties Stadiums ( chronology ) Timeline Defunct franchises Franchise moves and mergers Los Angeles team history Records individual team Super Bowl All time win -- loss Last undefeated Awards All - Pro Numbers ( retired ) Hall of Fame Lore Nicknames AFL Merger International Foreign players London Toronto Bills Series List of games played outside the U.S. Media TV NFL Network Radio Management Council Competition Committee Collective Bargaining Agreement NFLPA Player conduct Suspensions Player misconduct Combine Draft Training camp Rivalries NFL Foundation Tied games Canceled games Lockouts Controversies Cheerleading Mascots Color Rush Sports teams based in Michigan Baseball MLB Detroit Tigers ML Great Lakes Loons Lansing Lugnuts West Michigan Whitecaps FL Traverse City Beach Bums NwL Battle Creek Bombers Kalamazoo Growlers USPBL Basketball NBA Detroit Pistons G League Grand Rapids Drive PBL Grand Rapids Cyclones Lake Michigan Admirals Football NFL Detroit Lions IFL West Michigan Ironmen WFA Detroit Dark Angels Flint City Riveters West Michigan Mayhem IWFL Detroit Pride Hockey NHL Detroit Red Wings AHL Grand Rapids Griffins ECHL Kalamazoo Wings FHL Port Huron Prowlers OHL Flint Firebirds Saginaw Spirit USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks US National Development Team Program NA3HL Lansing Wolves Metro Jets NOJHL Soo Eagles USPHL Detroit Fighting Irish Ironwood Fighting Yoopers Kalkaska Rhinos Motor City Hawks Tri-City Ice Hawks Roller derby WFTDA Ann Arbor Derby Dimes Detroit Roller Derby Grand Raggidy Roller Derby Killamazoo Derby Darlins Lansing Derby Vixens Soccer PDL Michigan Bucks NPSL AFC Ann Arbor Detroit City FC Grand Rapids FC Lansing United Michigan Stars FC PLA Carpathia FC Muskegon Risers SC Oakland County FC Ole SC MASL Waza Flo Ultimate AUDL Detroit Mechanix NCAA Division I Central Michigan Detroit Eastern Michigan Michigan Michigan State Oakland Western Michigan NCAA Division II Ferris State ( D-I hockey ) Grand Valley State Hillsdale Lake Superior State ( D-I hockey ) Michigan Tech ( D-I hockey ) Northern Michigan ( D-I hockey ) Northwood Saginaw Valley State Wayne State Allen Park, Michigan Education Primary and secondary schools Allen Park Public Schools Allen Park High School Melvindale -- Northern Allen Park Public Schools Southgate Community School District Cabrini High School Inter-City Baptist School Other Businesses Detroit Lions Landmarks Uniroyal Giant Tire Fairlane Green Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Detroit_Lions&oldid=804457875 '' Categories : Detroit Lions American football teams in Detroit American football teams in Michigan Culture of Detroit National Football League teams Sports clubs established in 1930 Sports in Pontiac, Michigan Hidden categories : Use mdy dates from February 2013 Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected biographies of living people Talk View source Contents About Wikipedia Беларуская Български Català Čeština Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Español Euskara فارسی Français Galego 한국어 हिन्दी Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית Magyar मराठी Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Română Русский Simple English Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Türkçe Українська 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 9 October 2017, at 03 : 45. About Wikipedia

Question: when was the last time detroit lions went to the playoffs
Answer: 2016