Founded in 1930, the Detroit Lions remain one of the few legendary franchises in the NFL that has never appeared in a Super Bowl.
Despite that, the Lions remain a beloved team with a storied history. Detroit has won four NFL championships (1935, 1952, 1953 and 1957), but the team hasn’t been as successful in the Super Bowl era, winning just three playoff games since 1957. Still, the Lions have produced a multitude of legendary players, and they’ve maintained a loyal and passionate fan base.
Let’s take a look at the players we think have impacted the team the most, from a kicker with incredible longevity to a wideout who dominated nearly every cornerback he faced. Here are our choices for the 10 best Lions players of all time.
*Note: All titles, awards and stats listed below are from each player’s tenure with the Lions only. All stats are from Pro Football Reference unless otherwise stated.
10. Jason Hanson, Kicker
- Years as a Lion: 1992- 2012
- Awards:
- Second-team All-Pro (1997)
- Pro Bowl (1997, 1999)
- Career regular season stats:
- 327 games
- 495 field goals
- 665 extra points
- 82.4% field goal percentage
- 98.8% extra point percentage
- Career postseason season stats:
- 6 games
- 3 FG
- 13 XP
- Iconic performance: October 17, 1999, against the rival Minnesota Vikings, Hanson kicked a career-high 6 field goals in Detroit’s 25-23 win.
Twenty-one years is a long time in any context, and that’s how long Jason Hanson served as kicker for the Lions. He holds the NFL record for the most seasons played with one team, which alone makes him worthy of inclusion on this list. His 2,150 points are the most on team history, by far — the closest player behind him is long-retired Eddie Murray with 1,113 points. Accurate and durable, Hanson remains a team legend and a fan favorite.
9. Bobby Layne, QB
- Years as a Lion: 1950-1958
- Championships & awards:
- 3-time NFL champion (1952, 1953, 1957)
- 2-time first-team All-Pro
- 2-time second-team All-Pro
- 5-time Pro Bowl selection
- Pro Football Hall of Fame selection (1967)
- Career regular season stats:
- 97 games (84 starts)
- 53-29-2 record
- 49.0 completion percentage
- 15,710 yards
- 118 TDs
- 142 INTs
- 1,793 rushing yards
- 13 rushing TDs
- Career postseason season stats:
- 4 games (3-1 record)
- 47.4 completion percentage
- 568 yards
- 1 TD
- 12 INTs
- Iconic performance: The 1953 NFL championship game vs. the Cleveland Browns. Down 16-10 with 4:10 remaining, Layne led an 80-yard TD drive to seal the 17-16 win.
Bobby Layne played a huge role in Detroit’s success in the 1950s and was instrumental in helping the team win three of its four championships. A QB wise and talented beyond his years, Layne became known for his mastery of the 2-minute drill, as well as his last-minute heroics while with the Lions. In addition to his iconic game in the 1953 championship, Layne threw for 2 touchdowns in the 1952 championship, leading the Lions to a 17-7 victory, the team’s first title since 1935.
8. Lem Barney, DB/KR
- Years as a Lion: 1967-1977
- Awards:
- NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1967)
- 2-time first-team All-Pro (1968, 1969)
- 7-time Pro Bowl selection (1967–1969, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976)
- Pro Football Hall of Fame selection (1992)
- Career regular season stats:
- 140 games (136 starts)
- 17 fumble recoveries
- 56 INTs
- 1,077 INT return yards
- 7 INTs returned for TDs
- 3 TDs as kickoff/punt returner
- Career postseason season stats:
- 1 game, 20 return yards
- Iconic performance: Let’s go with Barney’s very first NFL game, September 17, 1967, against the formidable Green Bay Packers. Barney intercepted Packers legend Bart Starr and ran it back 24 yards for the first pick-6 of his career.
Lem Barney had one of the best rookie seasons in NFL history, leading the league with 10 interceptions and 3 INTs returned for touchdowns in 1967. That would be impressive even in today’s era. Had tackling been a stat that was tracked over his career, there’s no doubt his numbers would be even more impressive than they already are. Barney’s excellence earned him numerous accolades, including an induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992.
7. Lomas Brown, OL
- Years as a Lion: 1985-1995
- Awards:
- First-team All-Pro (1995)
- 2-time second-team All-Pro (1991, 1994)
- 6-time Pro Bowl selection (1990-1995)
- Career regular season stats:
- 164 games (163 starts)
- 2 fumble recoveries
- Career postseason season stats:
- 5 starts
- Iconic performance: January 5, 1992, in the divisional round vs. the Dallas Cowboys. Brown helped pave the way for RB Barry Sanders’ classic 47-yard touchdown scamper in Detroit’s 38-6 win.
Lomas Brown was selected sixth overall by the Lions in 1985, and he became a cornerstone of their offensive line for 11 seasons. Known for his durability, strength and skill, Brown was a huge part of Detroit’s success in the early 1990s, helping lead the team to playoffs four times. The Lions also won two NFC Central division titles (1991 and 1993) during his tenure.
6. Dick ‘Night Train’ Lane
- Years as a Lion: 1960-1965
- Awards:
- 2-time first-team All-Pro (1961, 1962)
- Second-team All-Pro (1963)
- 3-time Pro Bowl selection (1960-62)
- Pro Football Hall of Fame selection (1974)
- Career regular season stats:
- 66 games (56 starts)
- 4 fumble recoveries
- 21 INTs
- 1 defensive TD
- Iconic performance: October 23, 1960, against the Baltimore Colts, Lane picked off legendary QB Johnny Unitas and ran it back 80 yards for a TD.
Known for his aggressive and hard-hitting style, Lane earned the nickname “Night Train” because of his physicality. He wasn’t with the Lions that long, but he was a Pro Bowler in four of his six seasons with Detroit (in 1960, 1961, 1962 and 1963), and his impact as a rookie was felt immediately. Though the Lions did not win any championships during Lane’s tenure, his presence helped solidify Detroit’s defense as one of the toughest in the NFL during the early 1960s.
5. Chris Spielman, LB
- Years as a Lion: 1988-1995
- Awards:
- First-team All-Pro (1991)
- 2-time Second-team All-Pro (1992, 1994)
- 4-time Pro Bowl (1989–1991, 1994)
- Career regular season stats:
- 124 starts
- 1,138 total tackles
- 10.5 sacks
- 4 INTs
- 12 forced fumbles
- 17 fumble recoveries
- 1 defensive TD
- Career postseason season stats:
- 5 games
- 22 tackles
- 1 fumble recovery
- 1 INT
- Iconic performance: October 23, 1995, vs. the Chicago Bears, Spielman scored the lone TD of his NFL career on a fumble he returned for a score in Detroit’s 21-16 win.
Chris Spielman held down the middle of the field better than most Lions LBs before or since. He was a key factor in the team’s success in the early 1990s, leading the Lions in tackles every season he played with them save for 1990, when he was injured. When all was said and done, Spielman amassed a career total of 1,138 total tackles, the most in Lions history at the time. He also holds the team record for the most tackles in a single season with 195, which he did in 1994.
4. Alex Karras, DT
- Years as a Lion: 1958-1962, 1964-1970
- Awards:
- 3-time first-team All-Pro (1960, 1961, 1965)
- 6-time second-team All-Pro (1962, 1964, 1966–1969)
- 4-time Pro Bowl selection (1960–1962, 1965)
- Pro Football Hall of Fame selection (2020)
- Career regular season stats:
- 161 games (156 starts)
- 4 INTs
- 18 fumble recoveries
- 100.0 sacks
- 1 safety
- Iconic performance: In 1962 vs. the Packers on Thanksgiving, Karras and the Lions’ D-line sacked Packers QB Bart Starr 11 times, handing Green Bay its first loss of the season that year, 26-14.
Known for his toughness, quickness off the line, and savvy play against both the run and the pass, Alex Karras was one of the most feared defensive lineman of his generation. Sacks weren’t recorded back when Karras played, but based on his production, Pro Football Reference has him estimated at 100 sacks, speaking to his dominance. The Lions legend didn’t see the postseason much; he appeared in just one playoff game. Had the Lions been a force in the 1960s, his numbers would likely be higher yet.
3. Matthew Stafford, QB
- Years as a Lion: 2009-2020
- Awards:
- NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2011)
- Pro Bowl selection (2014)
- Career regular season stats:
- 165 starts
- 74-90-1 record
- 62.6 completion percentage
- 45,109 passing yards
- 282 TDs
- 144 INTs
- 1,198 rushing yards
- 14 rushing TDs
- Career postseason season stats:
- 0-3 record
- 63.2 completion percentage
- 908 yards
- 4 TDs
- 3 INTs
- 1 rushing TD
- Iconic performance: Week 11 of the 2009 season vs. the Browns. Stafford led the Lions to an incredible last-second 38-37 victory, throwing for 422 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Despite his lack of playoff success with the Lions, Matthew Stafford remains one of the team’s best QBs ever. In 2011, he led Detroit to its first postseason appearance since 1999. His big arm, never-give-up attitude and game savvy were always on display. Take his eight game-winning drives in 2016. That set an NFL record for the most GWDs in a single season. Stafford’s toughness was also a huge asset. After suffering a separated shoulder late in the aforementioned iconic performance against the Browns, he returned to throw the game-winning touchdown pass with no time remaining. Stafford remains one of a kind.
2. Calvin Johnson, WR
- Years as a Lion: 2007-2015
- Awards:
- 3-time first-team All-Pro (2011–2013)
- Second-team All-Pro (2010)
- 6-time Pro Bowl selection (2010–2015)
- Pro Football Hall of Fame selection (2021)
- Career regular season stats:
- 135 games (130 starts)
- 731 receptions
- 11,619 receiving yards
- 83 TD catches
- 1 rushing TD
- Career postseason season stats:
- 2 games
- 17 catches
- 296 yards
- 2 TDs
- Iconic performance: October 27, 2013 vs. the Cowboys. Johnson had 14 catches for a career-high 329 yards and an 87-yard TD. Detroit won, 31-30.
Calvin Johnson holds the NFL record for most consecutive 100-yard receiving games (8), and his 1,964-yard campaign in 2012 remains the best single-season a WR has had in NFL history. Called Megatron by his teammates for his almost robot-like strength, Johnson was the definition of dominance, as few defensive backs could cover him. The fact that he never won a playoff game shouldn’t detract from his greatness. He’s the only player in the Super Bowl era to average over 120 receiving yards per game in a single season, which he did during the 2012 season.
1. Barry Sanders, RB
GettyBarry Sanders, legendary former Detroit Lions running back.
- Years as a Lion: 1989-1998
- Awards:
- NFL Most Valuable Player (1997)
- 2-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1994, 1997)
- NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1989)
- 6-time first-team All-Pro (1989–1991, 1994, 1995, 1997)
- 4-time second-team All-Pro (1992, 1993, 1996, 1998)
- 10-time Pro Bowl selection (1989–1998)
- Pro Football Hall of Fame selection (2004)
- Career regular season stats:
- 153 games (151 starts)
- 3,062 carries
- 15,269 rushing yards
- 99 rushing TDs
- 352 catches
- 2,921 receiving yards
- 10 receiving TDs
- Career postseason season stats:
- 6 games
- 91 carries
- 386 yards
- 1 TD
- 111 receiving yards
- Iconic performance: November 24, 1991, on the road vs. Minnesota. Sanders ran for 220 yards and 4 TDs in Detroit’s 34-14 win.
One of the most talented and decorated running backs to ever play in the NFL, Barry Sanders was an All-Pro every season he played. He was also a Pro Bowler every season he played. Sanders led the NFL in rushing four different times, and his 99.8 rushing yards per game is second all-time among players with over 10,000 yards behind legend Jim Brown, per Cleveland.com. Sanders is currently ranked 4th all-time in NFL history in rushing yards, 10th in rushing TDs and 19th in total TDs. His inimitable and elusive running style hasn’t been seen before or since, making him an easy choice for No. 1 on this list.
