Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we maintain and update our existing Top 50 lists annually.  We are pleased to present our pre-2026 revision of our top 50 Detroit Lions.

As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following: 

1.  Duration and Impact.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3.  Advanced Statistics.

4.  Playoff performance.

5. Their respective legacy on the team.

6. How successful the team was when he was there.

7. Respecting the era in which they played.

Criteria 1-4 will make up the lion’s share of the algorithm.  Please note that we have implemented this for the first time.  This has changed the rankings all throughout the board.

Last year, the Lions had high expectations but fell to a 9-8 record.  Nevertheless, the team had been so bad for so long that, despite the organization's longevity, four new entrants made our top 50.

As always, we present our top five, with no changes occurring.

1. Barry Sanders
2. Joe Schmidt
3. Bobby Layne
4. Dutch Clark
5. Lem Barney

You can find the complete list https://www.notinhalloffame.com/football/top-50-football-players-by-franchise/top-50-detroit-lions">here:

The first new entrant is Offensive Lineman, Penei Sewell.  He explodes into the #30 spot.

Quarterback Jared Goff enters the list at #42.

Wide Receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown debuts at #43.

The fourth and final new entrant is Offensive Lineman Taylor Decker.  He enters at #50.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Selected in the first round (16th overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Ohio State—where he anchored a national championship offensive line—Taylor Decker stepped directly into Detroit's starting lineup as a rookie and immediately solidified the critical left tackle position. Starting all 16 games and earning PFWA All-Rookie Team honors in his inaugural campaign, Decker became a reliable cornerstone of the Lions' front line through multiple coaching regimes, quarterback changes, and organizational rebuilds.

For a decade in Honolulu Blue, Decker defined consistency on the blind side. His rare blend of length, footwork, and textbook technique allowed him to match up against the league's elite edge rushers, shielding signal-callers from Matthew Stafford to Jared Goff. Alongside center Frank Ragnow and tackle Penei Sewell, Decker was an indispensable pillar of one of the NFL's most physical and dominant offensive lines, helping pave the way for Detroit's rise into a premier contender.

Beyond his pass-blocking credentials and run-clearing power, Decker carved out a unique place in franchise folklore as a surprisingly clutch goal-line receiver. He hauled in three career receptions for 15 yards and two touchdowns—scoring against the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 and the Seattle Seahawks in 2021—while also becoming the focal point of the infamous reporting controversy against Dallas late in the 2023 season.

Decker’s individual excellence and team leadership peaked in 2023, when he earned his first career Pro Bowl selection while helping guide the Lions to an NFC North title and their first NFC Championship Game appearance in over three decades. Through ten active seasons in Detroit, his durability remained his calling card, battling through hand, shoulder, and ankle injuries to start every game he suited up for.

After a ten-year run that included 140 consecutive starts, Decker's tenure in Detroit ended after the 2025 season. 

Arriving in Detroit in 2021 via the blockbuster trade that sent Matthew Stafford to Los Angeles, Jared Goff was initially viewed by national analysts as little more than a bridge quarterback or a thrown-in piece of compensation. Yet under head coach Dan Campbell and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, the former No. 1 overall pick quickly shed that label, orchestrating a career total reinvention that turned him into the beloved, steady field general of a championship-caliber Motown renaissance.

After navigating a difficult transitional year in 2021, Goff found his groove in 2022, throwing for 4,438 yards and 29 touchdowns to launch one of the league's most lethal offenses. His surgical accuracy and mastery of pre-snap reads became the heartbeat of the team's upward trajectory. By 2023, Goff cemented his status in Lions lore by steering Detroit to its first division title in 30 years and powering the franchise to two home playoff victories, reaching the NFC Championship Game.

Goff took his play even higher in the 2024 and 2025 campaigns, establishing himself as one of the most efficient pocket passers in modern NFL history. During a historic 2024 season, he set a franchise record with a 72.4% completion rate, threw 37 touchdown passes, and earned an AP MVP Award candidacy. He backed that up in 2025 with another stellar 4,564-yard, 34-touchdown output, becoming the first quarterback in Detroit Lions history to record three consecutive seasons with 30 or more touchdown passes.

Entering the 2026 season as the undisputed leader of a Motown powerhouse, Goff holds the highest career passer rating (101.3) and completion percentage (67.9%) in Lions franchise history. Behind a dominant offensive line and surrounded by explosive weapons, the veteran signal-caller has transformed Ford Field into one of the most intimidating environments in football, entering the current campaign with his sights firmly set on delivering Detroit its first Lombardi Trophy.

Thus far, Goff has 149 touchdown passes with a 149-47 TD-INT ratio.

Selected in the fourth round (112th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft out of USC, Amon-Ra St. Brown arrived in Detroit carrying a permanent chip on his shoulder, famously memorizing the names of all 16 receivers drafted before him. That relentless drive and obsession with proving his doubters wrong paid off immediately. St. Brown rapidly established himself as the ultimate slot disrupter and contested-catch specialist, delivering a 90-reception, 912-yard rookie campaign that signaled the birth of an elite playmaker in Motown.

Operating as Jared Goff’s primary security blanket and tactical focal point, St. Brown evolved into one of the most complete, fearless wideouts in professional football. Known for his brutal, physical blocking in the run game, razor-sharp route precision, and uncanny hands in traffic, "The Sun God" posted four consecutive 1,000-yard receiving campaigns from 2022 through 2025. His rare ability to manufacture yards after the catch turned simple intermediate routes into explosive downfield gains.

The apex of his career to date arrived during his extraordinary 2023 and 2024 campaigns, establishing him as an undisputed First-Team AP All-Pro selection in both years. In 2023, he hauled in 119 receptions for 1,515 yards and 10 touchdowns, powering the Lions to their first division title in three decades. He backed that up with a staggering 2024 performance, catching 115 passes for 1,263 yards and a career-high 12 touchdowns. Across that two-year peak, St. Brown stood as the single most dependable target in the NFC, converting third downs at an unprecedented rate.

St. Brown kept his foot on the gas throughout the 2025 season, catching 108 passes for 1,320 yards and 11 touchdowns to log his third straight 100-reception year. By becoming the fastest receiver in franchise history to eclipse 400 career receptions and 5,000 career receiving yards, he solidified his standing alongside Calvin Johnson and Herman Moore among Detroit's wide receiver royalty, cementing his place as the undisputed emotional engine of the locker room.

Heading into the 2026 season, St. Brown stands as the cultural heart and primary engine of a Lions offense poised for another championship run. At just 26 years old, his rare combination of interior toughness, pre-snap intelligence, and obsessive work ethic makes him virtually impossible for opposing secondary schemes to neutralize. With three Pro Bowl nods and two First-Team AP All-Pro selections already under his belt, St. Brown enters the 2026 campaign aiming to rewrite every remaining franchise receiving mark.

Selected seventh overall out of Oregon in the 2021 NFL Draft, Penei Sewell entered the professional ranks burdened by immense expectations as one of the most physically gifted offensive line prospects of a generation. He quickly erased any doubt about his adjustment to the pro game, stepping onto the field as an instantaneous force of nature who redefined the ceiling of modern offensive tackle play.

Possessing rare agility for a 335-pound anchor, brutal core power, and a relentless mean streak in the running game, Sewell made a seamless transition across both edges of Motown's front five. He started at left tackle as a 20-year-old rookie before kicking over to right tackle, establishing himself as the emotional and physical heartbeat of Detroit's powerhouse offense. His combination of zone-blocking reach and downfield athleticism turned him into a highlight reel out in space, while his lockdown pass protection made him a cornerstone of the Lions' resurgence under Dan Campbell.

By his fifth NFL season, Sewell had compiled a resume that placed him at the absolute summit of his position. He captured three consecutive First-Team AP All-Pro selections (2023–2025) and four straight Pro Bowl nods (2022–2025), matching legendary franchise figures like Lou Creekmur for individual accolades while anchoring one of the most feared offensive lines in gridiron history.

Heading into the 2026 campaign at just 25 years old, Sewell remains firmly entrenched as the premier tackle in professional football. Rewarded with a massive contract extension to keep him in Detroit, he is the man who holds the key to the offensive line anchor.

Detroit lost a legend today.

Joe Schmidt, who played for the Lions from 1953 to 1965, passed away at 92.

Easily the best defensive player the Detroit Lions have ever had, Joe Schmidt was a dominating Middle Linebacker who became the team's defensive captain in 1956 and continued in that role for nine more years.

Joe Schmidt's loyalty to Detroit was unwavering. He never left as a player, and his unequalled toughness was a defining characteristic. His role in the last two NFL titles that the Lions won is a testament to his dedication.  The 1973 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee was an eight-time First Team All-Pro and was named the league MVP by United Press.

He entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973.

We at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to Joe Schmidt's fans, friends, and family.

2025 Pre-Season Rank #68, 2024: Pre-Season Rank: #121.  Peak Period: 2021-25*

Standing at 6'5” and 330 pounds, Penei Sewell can state that going into 2025, he is the most athletic and explosive Tackle in the game of football.  One of the rare Linemen that is dominant on the run and pass, his power and speed have made him and many around him All-Pros.  Only a five-year veteran, Sewell has already been named a First Team All-Pro three times, with a four-year Pro Bowl streak.  Who is to say he can't do the same think in the next five years?

*Sewell has only played five seasons.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2023 revision of our top 50 Detroit Lions.

As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Lions made it to the NFC Championship Final and have finally built a contender after decades of mediocrity.  That being said, this is one of the oldest teams in the NFL, and with their stars being so young, none of them broke into the Top 50.  Nevertheless, we always acknowledge that we took the previous season into account.

As always, we present our top five, which (obviously) saw no changes:

1. Barry Sanders
2. Joe Schmidt
3. Bobby Layne
4. Dutch Clark
5. Lem Barney

You can find the entire list here.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Regular visitors of Notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the top 50 of every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB. Once that is done, we will examine how each team honors its past players, coaches, and executives. As such, it is important that the Detroit Lions have announced that Calvin Johnson will be inducted into their Pride of the Lions.

Nicknamed “Megatron,” Johnson was the most dynamic wide receiver of his day, making impossible catches and making them look easy.

A Lion for the entirety of his career, Johnson was taken second overall in 2007 and would twice lead the NFL in Receiving Yards.   In only nine seasons, Johnson accumulated 11,619 Yards with 93 Touchdowns, with his last six campaigns yielding Pro Bowl Selection.  Johnson was also a three-time First Team All-Pro and was named to the 2010s All-Decade Team.

Johnson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021 in his first year of eligibility. 

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate Calvin Johnson for his impending honor.

Had the NFL officially tracked Sacks in the years leading up to 1982, Al “Bubba” Baker might have gained some Hall of Fame traction.

Baker began his professional career with the Detroit Lions and instantly became the heart of Detroit’s Silver Rush Defense.  The former Colorado State Ram led the league (unofficially) in Sacks as a rookie with 23.  He easily won the Defensive Rookie of the Year, was a First Team All-Pro, and was the scariest pass rusher in the league.  He dominated again in 1979 with 16 Sacks and had his second “unofficial” sack crown with 17.5 in 1980.   Yep, 56.5 in his first three years!

Baker remained a potent player, but he ne did not go to another Pro Bowl beyond his first three seasons.  He was sent to the St. Louis Cardinals following a contract dispute, and in his four years under the Arch, he recorded 37.5 Sacks, with three double-digit years.  Baker played four more years, mostly in a reserve capacity, with three years in Cleveland and one in Minnesota.

He retired with 131.0 Sacks, a colossal number that remains unofficial, but those are not disputed metrics.

Sometimes, you were born to do something, even if you grew up having never seen it.

Born and raised in Ghana, Ezekiel Ansah was an excellent student and natural athlete.  He received an academic scholarship from BYU, and tried out for the basketball team (which he did not make), but did earn a spot in track.  With his size, Ansah was persuaded to try out for football, and despite not even knowing how to put on shoulder pads, he made the team.  Three years later, he had impressed scouts so much that he was the Fifth Overall Pick in the 2013 Draft.

Taken by the Detroit Lions, Ansah became a starter as a rookie, and proved quickly he was a very good pass rusher.  Ansah made the Pro Bowl in 2015 off of a 14.5 Sack year, and he had another double-digit Sack year (12) in 2017.  He recorded 50.5 Sacks over his eight NFL seasons; six with Detroit, and one each in Seattle and San Francisco.  What a career for someone who never picked up a football until college!

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity. As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022 revision of our top 50 Detroit Lions.

As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following:

1. Advanced Statistics.

2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3. Playoff accomplishments.

4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Lions again failed to make the post-season, but the second half saw a team on the rise, and it could bode well this upcoming season. Despite the promise, this is a young squad, and 2022 did not yield any changes in our Top 50. Despite this, we always aim for transparency, and want to show that 2022 was factored into this rank.

As always, we present our top five, which had no changes (obviously).

1. Barry Sanders

2. Joe Schmidt

3. Bobby Layne

4. Dutch Clark

5. Lem Barney

You can find the entire list here.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post-2021 revision of our top 50 Detroit Lions.

As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League. 

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Lions again failed to make the playoffs and their poor 2021 led to zero changes in our top 50, nevertheless, the year is now factored in to the rankings.

As always, we present our top five:

1. Barry Sanders

2. Joe Schmidt

3. Bobby Layne

4. Dutch Clark 

5. Lem Barney

You can find the entire list here.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

A dynamic offensive weapon for the Lions in the 1990s, Herman Moore would twice lead the National Football League in Receptions.  Moore may have been overshadowed by Barry Sanders, but Moore was a four-time Pro Bowl selection who had over 1,000 Yards in each of those campaigns.  He held all the major franchise receiving records until Calvin Johnson broke them.

Known as “The Hatchet” (which is reason enough to rank him on any football list), the small-framed cornerback was one of the most punishing tacklers of his day and a major cog in the wheel of those three NFL Championship Teams in the 1950’s.  It is definitely worth noting that Jim David recorded an Interception in all three of those Lions NFL Championships.  Seriously, how impressive is that!

David was a six-time Pro Bowl Selection and two-time Second Team All-Pro.

From Idaho, Wayne Walker spent all 15 seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions and was a rare dual threat as a Linebacker and placekicker.  Walker was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and was named the team’s Defensive MVP in 1968.  Walker had 14 career Interceptions, and might be the most underrated player in Lions history.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity. As such, we are very happy to present the first revision of our top 50 Detroit Lions of all-time.

As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League. 

3. Playoff accomplishments.

4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

This is the second revision of the Lions, and our first since last year.

The complete list can be found here, but as always we announce our top five in this article.  They are:

1. Joe Schmidt

2. Barry Sanders 

3. Bobby Layne

4. Lem Barney

5. Doak Walker

The top five remains unaltered from our last rank and there are no new entries, however, minor changes were made.

We welcome your input and commentsand as always, we thank you for your support.

2025 Pre-Season Rank #46, pSeason 2024 Pre-Season Rank #89, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #100, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #112. 2021 Pre-Season Rank #106, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #117.  Peak Period: 2021-25

In 2018, Jared Goff led the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl appearance.  They did not win, and although he won two Pro Bowls, the Rams gave up on him and traded the Quarterback to the Detroit Lions.  In Stafford’s first season in L.A., he won a Super Bowl, making Goff look bad in the process, but years later, Goff and the Lions proved it was not a one-sided transaction.

Goff brought Detroit to the NFC Championship Game in 2023 and was a Pro Bowl Selection in 2022 and 2024.  In 2023, Goff had his best year to date, throwing for 4,629 Yards and 37 Touchdowns, but the potent Lions were bounced early in the playoffs.  Nevertheless, Goff finished fifth in the MVP race that year, and is still young and talented enough to take the talented Lions to a Super Bowl win.   If that happens, this will result in a colossal jump for Goff.  

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present the first revision of our top 50 Detroit Lions of all-time.

As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the NFL.

3. Playoff accomplishments.

4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Remember, this is ONLY based on what a player does on that particular team and not what he accomplished elsewhere and also note that we have placed an increased importance on the first two categories, which has altered the rankings considerably.

This list is updated up until the end of the 2018 Season.

The complete list can be found here, but as always we announce our top five in this article.  They are:

1. Joe Schmidt

2. Barry Sanders

3. Bobby Layne

4. Lem Barney

5. Doak Walker

We have used a different algorithm from our initial list, and this has resulted in Lions who have long since retired being shuffled despite not having added any accomplishments.  

We have since rectified that.

As always, we thank you for your support.

Selected in the ninth round of the 1948 NFL Draft out of USC—where he was a versatile star running back, safety, and punter for the Trojans—Don Doll arrived in Detroit in 1949 and quickly became one of the premier defensive backs in professional football. Stepping into the secondary for the Lions, the ball-hawking safety delivered a sensational rookie campaign, snatching 11 interceptions to jumpstart a dominant era for Detroit's defense.

Doll followed up his brilliant debut with an equally astonishing sophomore performance in 1950, picking off another 12 passes. By recording back-to-back double-digit interception seasons to open his NFL career, he accomplished a feat that remains unprecedented in league history. His rare closing speed, range from a single-high safety, and offensive instincts made passing anywhere near his zone a high-stakes gamble for opposing quarterbacks.

His early-career dominance earned him three consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 1951 through 1953, alongside a First-Team AP All-Pro selection in 1951. Doll served as a defensive cornerstone during the franchise's rapid rise into an NFL powerhouse. His turnover creation in the secondary provided key momentum turns that propelled Detroit to the 1952 NFL Championship, defeating the Cleveland Browns 17–7 to claim the franchise's first league title in nearly two decades.

After four brilliant seasons with the Lions, Doll played single seasons with the Washington Redskins (1953) and Los Angeles Rams (1954) before retiring at age 28.  He compiled 26 interceptions for 464 return yards with Detroit.