# 1992 Detroit Lions season

The 1992 Detroit Lions season was the 63rd season in franchise history. After going 12–4 from the 1991 season, the Lions took a step back as they posted a disappointing 5-11 record despite another Pro Bowl season from Barry Sanders, who passed Billy Sims for the franchise record in rushing on November 22. The Lions were expected to once again challenge for the NFC title. However, that did not happen, as they failed to qualify for the playoffs. It would be the first season the franchise would have involving kicker Jason Hanson. He would play 21 seasons as a Lion, a franchise record.

## Offseason

| Additions | Subtractions |
| TE Jimmie Johnson (Redskins) | CB Terry Taylor (Browns) |
| | K Eddie Murray (Chiefs) |
| | LB Anthony Bell (Raiders) |
| | S Bruce Alexander (Dolphins) |
| | DE Jeff Hunter (Dolphins) |

### NFL Draft

1992 Detroit Lions draft :
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
| 1 | 26 | Robert Porcher * | DE | South Carolina State | |
| 2 | 53 | Tracy Scroggins | DE | Tulsa | |
| 2 | 56 | Jason Hanson * | K | Washington State | from Dallas |
| 3 | 81 | Thomas McLemore | TE | Southern | |
| 6 | 145 | Larry Tharpe | OT | Tennessee State | from New England |
| 8 | 221 | Willie Clay | S | Georgia Tech | |
| 11 | 306 | Ed Tillison | RB | NW Missouri | |
| Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career ||||||
Notes
* Detroit traded up from its third-round selection (82nd) with Dallas for the Cowboys' second-round selection (56th), giving up its fourth- and ninth-round selections (190th and 250th) in return.
* Detroit received Denver's third-round selection (81st) in return for OT Harvey Salem.
* Detroit's fifth-round pick (138th) was traded to New Orleans in exchange for WR Brett Perriman.
* Detroit traded up from its sixth-round selection (165th) with New England for the Patriots' sixth-round selection (145th), giving up its seventh-, tenth- and twelfth-round selections (194th, 277th and 333rd) in return.

### Undrafted free agents

1992 Undrafted Free Agents of note :
| Player | Position | College |
| Darrell Brooks | Center | Tennessee State |
| Tony Crutchfield | Defensive Back | BYU |
| John Derby | Linebacker | Iowa |
| Ken Ealy | Wide receiver | Central Michigan |
| Darrin Eaton | Wide receiver | Michigan State |
| Earnest Fields | Linebacker | Tennessee |
| Eric Lynch | Running back | Grand Valley State |
| Mike Riley | Punter | Mississippi State |
| Ed Thomas | Wide receiver | Indiana |
| Bernard Wilson | Defensive tackle | Tennessee State |

## Regular season
### Schedule

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
| 1 | September 6 | at Chicago Bears | L 27–24 | 63,672 |
| 2 | September 13 | Minnesota Vikings | W 31–17 | 57,519 |
| 3 | September 20 | at Washington Redskins | L 13–10 | 55,818 |
| 4 | September 27 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | L 27–23 | 51,374 |
| 5 | October 4 | New Orleans Saints | L 13–7 | 66,971 |
| 6 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 7 | October 15 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 31–14 | 52,816 |
| 8 | October 25 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 38–7 | 53,995 |
| 9 | November 1 | Green Bay Packers | L 27–13 | 60,594 |
| 10 | November 8 | Dallas Cowboys | L 37–3 | 74,816 |
| 11 | November 15 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | L 17–14 | 52,242 |
| 12 | November 22 | at Cincinnati Bengals | W 19–13 | 48,574 |
| 13 | November 26 | Houston Oilers | L 24–21 | 73,711 |
| 14 | December 6 | at Green Bay Packers | L 38–10 | 49,469 |
| 15 | December 13 | Cleveland Browns | W 24–14 | 65,970 |
| 16 | December 20 | Chicago Bears | W 16–3 | 72,777 |
| 17 | December 28 | at San Francisco 49ers | L 24–6 | 55,907 |

### Game summaries
#### Week 16

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| • Lions | 3 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 16 |
* Barry Sanders 20 Rush, 113 Yds

### Standings

NFC Central :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(3)}$ Minnesota Vikings | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 7–1 | 8–4 | 374 | 249 | W2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4–4 | 6–6 | 276 | 296 | L1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 3–5 | 5–9 | 267 | 365 | W1 |
| Chicago Bears | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 3–5 | 4–8 | 295 | 361 | L2 |
| Detroit Lions | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 3–5 | 3–9 | 273 | 332 | L1 |