The Detroit Lions have the opportunity to play in the first Super Bowl ever. Knowing that then, it might shock some NFL fans to know just how deep and storied the Lions are when it comes to football legends.
There were plenty of star Detroit players before Barry Sanders ran through town. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is littered with legendary Lions from the beginning of the NFL.
Let’s take a look at the 10 best Detroit Lions of all time.
10. Doak Walker, running back
Doak Walker is perhaps best known now as the name of the annual award for college football’s top running back, but he was also a fantastic running back for the Lions as well. The Heisman Trophy winner spent six seasons with Detroit and in that time he became NFL Rookie of the Year, a five-time Pro Bowler, a two-time league-leading scorer, and a two-time NFL champion. A member of the Detriot Lions All-Time Team, the franchise retired his jersey and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
9. Chris Spielman, linebacker
One of the most beloved Lions of all time has to be Chris Spielman. The two-time All-American out of Ohio State played the majority of his NFL career in Detroit. In his eight years with the Lions, he became a four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro. He remains the all-time leader in career tackles for the Lions with 1,138, while also recording 10 sacks, four interceptions, 30 pass defenses, 13 forced fumbles, and 17 fumble recoveries with the franchise. He is a member of the Pride of the Lions and the Detroit Lions All-Time Team.
8. Billy Sims, running back
A Heisman Trophy winner out of Oklahoma, Billy Sims remained a star after being selected with the first overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft by Detroit. In his five seasons with the Lions, he made the Pro Bowl three times and led the team to the playoffs twice. Sadly, he suffered a catastrophic knee injury in 1984 that ended his playing career. At the time, he set several all-time team records with 5,106 yards on 1,131 carries (4.5 YPC). His jersey was retired and he is a member of the Detroit Lions All-Time Team.
7. Lem Barney, cornerback
Lem Barney was one of the best NFL corners in the game in the 1960s and 1970s. Barney played his entire 11-year career with the Lions and racked up tons of accolades, including Defensive Rookie of the Year, seven Pro Bowls, and two All-Pro nods. He also led the NFL interceptions in 1967 and finished his career with 56 picks and 8 touchdowns. A member of the NFL’s All-Decade Team in the 1960s, Barney is also a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
6. Matthew Stafford, quarterback
It might be strange to see Matthew Stafford on this list but before he led the Los Angeles Rams to the Super Bowl, Stafford played the majority of his NFL career with blue and silver. Stafford is a two-time Pro Bowler and won NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2011. The quarterback has thrown for 357 touchdowns in his career so far and over 56,000 yards, which is why he’s the all-time passing leader in Lions history.
5. Bobby Layne, quarterback
Did you know Bobby Layne and Doak Walker went to high school together in Texas? It’s pretty amazing then that they ended up playing together for the Lions years later. Layne was the Lions’ QB for eight seasons and, during that time, he was a six-time Pro Bowler, two-time NFL passing leader, 1951 NFL passing leader, 1956 NFL scoring leader, and was named to the NFL’s 1950s All-Decade team. He ended his career with over 26,000 yards and 196 touchdowns. Layne is part of both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
4. Dick “Night Train” Lane, cornerback
The Detroit Lions of the 1950s were a dominant force in the NFL and one of the biggest reasons why was Dick “Night Train” Lane. Simply put, Lane is one of the best cornerbacks in NFL history. In his 14-year NFL career, he was a seven-time Pro Bowler, two-time NFL interception leader, and 1o-time All-Pro. So accomplished was he that he was named to the NFL’s 50th, 75th, and 100th Anniversary teams. While Lane spent six seasons in Detroit, he finished his storied career with 68 interceptions, seven fumble recoveries, and seven defensive touchdowns.
3. Alex Karras, defensive tackle
While younger generations remember Alex Karras as Mongo in Blazing Saddles or as the dad on Webster, Karras made his name as an unstoppable force on the Detroit Lions’ defense. In his 12-year career with the franchise, the Iowa Hawkeyes legend was named second-time All-Pro six times, first-team All-Pro three times, and made four Pro Bowls. He’s also a member of the NFL 1960s All-Decade Team and the Detroit Lions All-Time Team.
2. Calvin Johnson, wide receiver
When Calvin Johnson arrived from Georgia Tech, expectations were high but few knew he would become one of the greatest NFL wide receivers of all time. “Megatron” spent nine seasons with the Lions and was a six-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro having led the NFL in receptions in 2012 and receiving touchdowns in 2008. A member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and the Detroit Lions All-Time Team, he finished his storied career with 731 receptions, 11,619 yards, and 83 touchdowns.
1. Barry Sanders, running back
Was there any doubt that Barry Sanders was going to top this list? Sanders is synonymous with the Lions and came to define the franchise for the 1990s and arguably since. The Oklahoma State product led the NFL in rushing four times, was named an All-Pro ten times, named NFL Offensive Player of the Year twice, and named NFL MVP in 1997. The Heisman Trophy winner is a member of the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team and a Detroit Lions All-Time Team and has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He ended his illustrious nine-season career with 15,269 rushing yards, 352 receptions, and 109 total touchdowns.
