Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and called the Cats, the team began play in 1929 as an independent professional team, one of many such teams in the Ohio and Scioto River valleys. For the 1930 season, the Spartans formally joined the NFL as the other area independents folded because of the Great Depression. Despite success within the NFL, they could not survive in Portsmouth, then the NFL's smallest city. The team was purchased and moved to Detroit for the 1934 season.
The Lions have won four NFL Championships, tied for 9th overall in total championships amongst all 32 NFL franchises; although the last was in 1957, which gives the club the second-longest NFL championship drought behind the Arizona Cardinals. They are one of four current teams to have never played in the Super Bowl.
↑Detroit traded their first- and sixteenth-round selections, as well as Charley Schroll, Ed Wood, and cash to the Cleveland Browns for Jim Martin, Ed Pasky, Tom Lucia, Lowell Tew, and Dave Rakestraw on June 12, 1951.
↑Detroit traded their first-round selection and linebacker Bob Long to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for quarterback Jim Ninowski on July 19, 1960.
↑Detroit acquired this addition selection by trading defensive tackle Roger Brown to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for their 1968 first-round selection as well as their 1969 second- and third-round selections on September 7, 1967.
↑Detroit traded their first-round selection, punter and wide receiver Pat Studstill, running back Tom Watkins, and quarterback Milt Plum to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for quarterback Bill Munson and the Rams third-round selection on May 1, 1968.
↑Detroit traded their first-round selection (No. 19 overall) and tight end Craig Cotton to the Chicago Bears in exchange for their first- and third-round selections (Nos. 17 and 58 overall) on January 30, 1973.
↑Detroit traded their first-round selection (No. 13 overall) and center Dave Thompson to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for their first-round selection (No. 8 overall) and 1975 sixth-round selection January 29, 1974.
↑Detroit acquired an additional selection (No. 8 overall) from the Los Angeles Rams as compensation for free agent wide receiver Ron Jessie. Detroit traded the 8th selection to the Chicago Bears in exchange for their first- and third-round selections (Nos. 10 and 68 overall).
↑Detroit traded their first-round selection to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for wide receiver J. D. Hill on July 22, 1976.
↑Detroit traded their first-round selection (No. 2 overall) to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their first- and second-round selection (Nos. 3 and 29 overall) on April 20, 1988.
↑Detroit traded their first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 8 and 89 overall) to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for linebacker Pat Swilling on April 25, 1993.
↑During the 1995 NFL Draft, Detroit acquired an additional first-round selection in 1996 (No. 21 overall) from the San Diego Chargers in exchange for Detroit's 1995 second-round selection (No. 51 overall). Detroit traded the 21st overall selection and their third-round selection (No. 91 overall) to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for their first-round selection (No. 17 overall).
↑Detroit traded their second-, third-, and fourth-round selection (Nos. 39, 70, and 142 overall) to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for their first-round selection (No. 27 overall).
↑Detroit traded their first-round selection (No. 6 overall) to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for their first- and second-round selections (Nos. 7 and 37 overall).
↑Detroit traded their second- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 36 and 105 overall), as well as their fifth-round selection in 2005 to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their first-round selection (No. 30 overall).
↑Detroit traded their first- and third-round selections (Nos. 15 and 76 overall) to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their first-, third-, and fifth-round selections (Nos. 17, 66, and 136 overall).
↑Detroit traded wide receiver Roy Williams and their seventh-round selection (No. 210 overall) to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for their first-, third-, and sixth-round selections (Nos. 20, 82, and 192 overall) on October 14, 2008.
↑Detroit traded their second-, fourth-, and seventh-round selections (Nos. 34, 100, and 214 overall) to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for their first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 30 and 128 overall).