Detroit ( NFL ) Detroit , Michigan had four early teams in the National Football League before the Detroit Lions . The Heralds played in 1920 , and had played as an independent as far back as 1905 . The Tigers , a continuation of the Heralds , played in 1921 , folding midseason and sending its players to the Buffalo All - Americans . The Panthers from 1925 – 1926 and the Wolverines in 1928 . Team histories . Detroit Heralds / Tigers . In 1905 , several University of Detroit football players , led by Bill Marshall , organized the Heralds as an amateur team after the University did not field a squad due to financial issues . It was at this time that the team adopted the school ' s colors , red and white , as their own . While the University ' s football team reesumed play in 1906 , the Heralds continued to play as an amateur team . In 1911 , the team dropped its amateur status and became semi - professional and left the campus . Admission to the team ' s games was soon charged and the players were paid a small sum . In 1916 , several out - of - town players were brought in to replace some of the older players , several of whom had been with the Heralds since 1905 . Despite not being based in Ohio , the Heralds played many of their games against teams in the Ohio League . In 1917 , the team recorded a 8 - 2 record , their only losses coming at the hands of the Ohio League champion Canton Bulldogs and a military team from Battle Creek . Many of the Heralds ' victories were against future NFL teams . The Heralds were a rarity in 1918 ; while most teams either stopped play or reduced their schedules to only local teams because of World War I and the flu pandemic , the Heralds continued to play a full schedule and even travel to other cities , accruing a 6 - 2 record with both losses coming to the Ohio League champion Dayton Triangles . In 1919 , as the suspended teams resumed play and travel restrictions eased significantly , the Heralds went 2 - 4 - 2 , including losses to Canton and the Massillon Tigers , the two best teams in Ohio and possibly the country . In 1920 , the American Professional Football Association ( later renamed the National Football League in 1922 ) was established . While the Heralds didn ' t officially join the association , they are listed in league standings for the season . In 1920 , the Heralds comprised a 1 - 3 record , while inclement weather eliminated their November schedule , financially devastating the team . The Heralds were reorganized into the Detroit Tigers , after the city ' s major league baseball team , for the 1921 season . However after a win and a tie in their first two games , the Tigers lost the next five . Several players complained about not getting paid and left the team during the season . The team officially folded at the end of the season in mid - November . Its players were given to the Buffalo All - Americans , whose season was still ongoing , to complete their roster after the All - Americans terminated their player - sharing agreement with the Union Quakers of Philadelphia . Detroit Panthers . In 1925 , Detroit fielded its second NFL franchise , the Detroit Panthers . The team was organized by future Hall of Famer , Jimmy Conzelman . Conzelman was a quarterback who recently played with the Decatur Staleys , Rock Island Independents and the Milwaukee Badgers . Conzelman served as the team ' s owner , coach , and starting quarterback . He built the team around a strong defense started the season 8 - 1 . However a 6 - 3 upset loss to Rock Island on Thanksgiving Day knocked the Panthers out of first place and they ended the season in third . The Panthers hoped to build on their 1925 season , however they opened the 1926 season with an 0 - 3 record . After rallying to a 4 - 0 - 2 record in their next six games , they lost their last three . Conzelman gave up the franchise and joined the Providence Steam Roller as player - coach . He would later go on to win NFL Championships with Providence in 1928 and the Chicago Cardinals in 1947 . Detroit Wolverines . For the 1926 season , the NFL added as many small - market teams as possible to keep them out of the rival American Football League . However after the AFL folded in 1927 , the league began moving its small - market franchises to the larger cities . In 1928 , despite a 8 - 4 - 1 record the Cleveland Bulldogs were sold to Elliot Fisher and its franchise was canceled . Bulldogs ' quarterback , Benny Friedman , a Michigan native , coach LeRoy Andrews and several other players then formed a new team , the Detroit Wolverines , under Fisher ' s ownership . The Wolverines finished their 1928 season in third place with a 7 - 2 record . The team lost only to Providence and the Frankford Yellow Jackets , the NFL ' s first - and second - place teams . However , Tim Mara , the owner of the New York Giants , then bought the Wolverines franchise and deactivated it . His interest in the franchise was only so he could add Friedman to his Giants roster . Even though the Bulldogs and Wolverines operated under different franchises , they ' re included together in several records books because they had the same coach and most of the same players . Past Thanksgiving Day games . While the Lions are well known for playing on Thanksgiving Day , the other Detroit teams had a history of playing on Thanksgiving Day as well :