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7 Greatest Detroit Lions Players of All Time

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The Lions were established in 1930.
Wide receiver Calvin Johnson played in 135 games and went for 100 yards or more in 46.
Kicker Jason Hanson holds NFL records for most seasons and games played with one team.
Founded in 1930, the Lions have never won a Super Bowl or conference title (although their exciting brand of football made them NFL betting favourites during the 2023-24 season).

Despite that lack of success, it hasn’t been because of a talent shortage. There have been several all-time greats on the Lions, and below, I’ll give you my seven best Detroit Lions players of all time.

 

7 Greatest Detroit Lions Players of All Time


Was there been a Super Bowl appearance by the Lions?
Which NFL teams have never taken home a championship?
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1. Barry Sanders.
Where should I start?

While numerous Lions players might be ranked in any order, Sanders is a constant. Sanders, drafted third overall in the 1989 NFL Draft, had an impressive résumé despite only playing 10 seasons. He was the 1997 MVP, a two-time Offensive Player of the Year, was in every Pro Bowl, was a first- or second-team All-Pro every year of his career, and is a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.

2. Calvin Johnson
There’s no denying that the most dominant wide receiver in Lions history and one of the best of all time is Calvin Johnson. Drafted No. 2 overall in 2007, Johnson played from 2007 to 2015 with the Lions, racking up mind-boggling numbers.

Johnson had 46 games with 100 yards or more receiving in his career. He played in 135 career games.

Sometimes when I’m bored, I like to think about how Calvin Johnson had 329 yards receiving in one game… pic.twitter.com/lUq0QXZiQM

— Michigan Sports Guy (@MIsportsguy) July 12, 2023

Johnson also scored a touchdown in 64 of those.

He caught 731 passes in his career for 11,619 yards and 83 touchdowns. He’s a member of the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame.

3. Stafford, Matthew

Drafted No. 1 overall in the 2009 NFL Draft, Stafford played for the Lions through the 2020 season before being traded to the Los Angeles Rams and winning a Super Bowl in his first season in L.A.

Said otherwise, Stafford is unquestionably the finest Lions quarterback.

All-time leader in passing yards (45,109), passing touchdowns (282), throw attempts (6,224), completions (3,898), victories (74), fourth-quarter comebacks (31), and game-winning drives (38).

Stafford has 62 games with 300+ throwing yards at this point in his career. He have participated in 206.

4. Alex Karras:

From the late 1950s to 1970, Karras was a dominant presence on the interior of the defensive line for the Lions. Karras was a four-time Pro Bowler, a three-time first-team All-Pro, and a six-time second-team All-Pro. He is a member of the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame. Additionally, he was named to the Lions 1960s All-Decade Team.

Throughout his tenure, he participated in 161 games and recorded four interceptions. Pro Football Reference attributes Karras with 100 sacks throughout his career, citing 15 in 1965 and 11 sacks or more in five seasons, despite the fact that sacks were not officially recorded until 1982.

5. Bobby Layne

Bobby Layne, the second-best quarterback in Lions history, was discovered 60 years before to Stafford’s draft selection. Before moving to Detroit in 1950, he began his career with the New York Bulldogs and Chicago Bears. He played kicker and quarterback there.

In addition to being a six-time Pro Bowler, two-time first-team All-Pro, four-time second-team All-Pro, and the league’s passing leader twice, he won three NFL Championships in the 1950s (Tobin Rote started in 1957).

 

He had a significant stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1958 to 1962 following his time with the Lions.

He had 2,451 running yards, 25 rushing touchdowns, 26 768 throwing yards, and 196 touchdowns by the end of his career. The College and Pro Football Hall of Fame counts him among its members.

6. Brown, Lomas

We have to give the stalwart blocking credit for Sanders’ ranking at the top of this list. Throughout the 1995 season, Brown, who was selected sixth overall in the 1985 NFL Draft, blocked for Sanders. Before joining the Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he participated in every game during his time with the Lions.

He was a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, a seven-time Pro Bowler, a four-time second-team All-Pro, and a 1995 first-team All-Pro.

7. Hanson, Jason

Jason Hanson must be considered one of the greatest kickers in team history.

He was selected in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft and produced consistently for the Lions for 21 years. He was twenty-two when he entered the NFL and forty-two when he retired. He holds NFL records for the most games played with a single club (327), as well as the most years played with a single franchise (21). During his career, he tried 601 field goals and made 495 of them. He scored 2,150 points, and his longest was 56 yards. He has almost 1,000 more points than any other player in the Lions’ history.

He was named to the Lions All-Time Team, two Pro Bowls, one second-team All-Pro, and a member of the Pride of the Lions.

Was there been a Super Bowl appearance by the Lions?
Which NFL teams have never taken home a championship?
Super Bowl 59 Forecasts, Picks, Odds, and Futures 2024–2025 wagers NFL MVP Forecasts, Best Bets, and Odds

 

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