IThe Lions won their first NFL championship in 1935. After that their most successful years were in the 1950’s. Under the leadership of quarterback Bobby Layne, they won the NFL Championship in 1952, 1953 and 1957. They defeated the Cleveland Browns in each of those games but lost to them in the 1954 game. After the NFL wins, Layne was injured and the Lions decided to trade him because they thought he could not perform anymore. It is said that when he was leaving he told them they would not win for the next fifty years, and this was known as the “Curse of Bobby Layne”. It is interesting to note that after he left, the Lions did not win a single championship game and only won one playoff in forty-nine years.

The Home Field Of The Lions

The first home field of the Detroit Lions was the Universal Stadium from 1930 to 1933. They then moved to the University of Detroit Stadium where they played their home games for a few years. The Tiger Stadium was their home field for the longest time from 1935 to 1974. It was also known as Navin Field and Briggs Stadium. Their last game at the Tiger Stadium was in 1974, after which they moved to the Pontiac Silverdome where they played till 2001. Their current home stadium is the Ford Field since 2002.

The Lions made a comeback of sorts to win the NFC Division Championship in 1991. The 1990’s were very successful for the Lions as they made it to the playoffs in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997 and 1999. Barry Sanders played for the Detroit Lions in the 1990’s and he was one of the greatest running backs to play in the NFL. He retired in 1998 and after that the Lions have yet to win a victory.

After the Lions owner hired Matt Millen as President and CEO of the team, the team started declining. He had no experience in the business of running a football team. In 2001, 2002 and 2003, the team went without a single win on the road making them the only team in NFL to do so. In spite of the team’s poor record since Millen took over, he still continues as the President and CEO of the team.