The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the North Division of the National Football Conference. The franchise was founded in Portsmouth, Ohio, as the Portsmouth Spartans and joined the NFL on July 12, 1930, making them the fifth oldest franchise in the league. After being purchased by George A. Richards in 1934, the franchise was relocated to Detroit and renamed to the Detroit Lions in reference to the city's Major League Baseball franchise, the Detroit Tigers.

In 1963, the Pro Football Hall of Fame was created to honor the history of professional American football and the individuals who have greatly influenced it. Since the charter induction class of 1963, 23 individuals who have played, coached, or held an administrative position for the Lions have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Of the 23 inductees, 17 made their primary contribution to football with the Lions, while the other 6 contributed only a minor portion of their career with the Lions. Dwight Freeney was the most recent Lion selected to the Hall of Fame as part of the 2024 class.

Inductees

+ Class Inductee Position(s) Seasons with the Lions Career accomplishments All-Pros Pro Bowls Awards First-team Second-team 1963 Quarterback 1931–1932 1934–1938 6 0 0 1930s All-Decade Team 100th Anniversary All-Time Team General manager 1936–1938 Head coach 1937–1938 1966 Halfback 1947–1949 4 2 2 1× () 1940s All-Decade Team 1967 Quarterback 1950–1958 2 4 6 1950s All-Decade Team 1968 Center Linebacker 1938–1946 2 0 0 1940s All-Decade Team 1970 Defensive back 1951–1958 6 0 5 1950s All-Decade Team Halfback 1964 5 0 6 1950s All-Decade Team 100th Anniversary All-Time Team 1972 Running back 1963 7 0 6 1950s All-Decade Team 1973 Linebacker 1953–1965 8 2 10 1950s All-Decade Team 100th Anniversary All-Time Team Coach 1966–1972 1974 Cornerback 1960–1965 7 0 7 1950s All-Decade Team 50th Anniversary All-Time Team 75th Anniversary All-Time Team 100th Anniversary All-Time Team 1979 Defensive back Punter 1952–1953 1956–1964 3 2 9 1950s All-Decade Team 1985 Center 1957 4 0 1 1986 Halfback Kicker 1950–1955 4 0 5 1987 Fullback 1957–1959 0 2 4 1992 Defensive back 1967–1977 2 0 7 1× () 1960s All-Decade Team 1996 Offensive lineman 1950–1959 7 0 8 2004 Running back 1989–1998 6 4 10 1× () 2× (, ) 1× () 1990s All-Decade Team 100th Anniversary All-Time Team 2007 Tight end 1968–1977 3 0 7 1970s All-Decade Team 2010 Defensive back 1959–1972 0 3 3 2013 Defensive tackle 1980–1981 1 4 6 1× () 2016 Guard 1952–1955 5 0 5 1950s All-Decade Team 2020 Defensive tackle 1958–1970 3 6 4 1960s All-Decade Team 2021 Wide receiver 2007–2015 3 1 6 2010s All-Decade Team 2024 Defensive end 2017 3 1 7 2000s All-Decade Team

Footnotes

See also History of the Detroit Lions Portsmouth Spartans

References