The Detroit Lions were one of the standout teams in the early NFL, originally known as the Plymouth Spartans in 1930 before changing their name to the Lions in 1934. They won four NFL championships between 1935 and 1957.
However, the post-merger era has been challenging for the Lions, despite the fact that they’ve still produced several legendary players. Since the 1970 season, Detroit has made the playoffs only 13 times, winning just three playoff games during those appearances.
Nonetheless, the pre-merger teams featured some remarkable Hall of Famers, and in more recent years, Detroit has seen some of the most exciting players of the 20th and 21st centuries. Here’s a look at the five greatest players in Lions history.
| Rank | Player | Position | |
| 1 | Barry Sanders | RB | |
| 2 | Calvin Johnson | WR | |
| 3 | Matthew Stafford | QB | |
| 4 | Alex Karras | DL | |
| 5 | Bobby Layne | QB/K |
