PRESEASON EditiON - Detroit Lions
PRESEASON EditiON - Detroit Lions
PRESEASON EditiON - Detroit Lions
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History Book<br />
<strong>Detroit</strong>lions.com<br />
Media.<strong>Detroit</strong>lions.com<br />
Jan. 8, 2000<br />
Nov. 6, 2000<br />
Jan. 9, 2001<br />
Jan. 24, 2001<br />
Jan. 25, 2001<br />
Jan. 6, 2002<br />
April 1, 2002<br />
Aug. 24, 2002<br />
Sept. 22, 2002<br />
Nov. 28, 2002<br />
Jan. 28, 2003<br />
Feb. 4, 2003<br />
April 24, 2003<br />
Sept. 7, 2003<br />
Jan. 31, 2004<br />
Aug. 7, 2004<br />
Nov. 7, 2004<br />
Nov. 28, 2005<br />
Jan. 19, 2006<br />
Dec. 31, 2006<br />
Feb. 3, 2007<br />
Aug. 4. 2007<br />
Dec. 30, 2007<br />
Ground Up” at the old Hudson’s Warehouse building<br />
in downtown <strong>Detroit</strong> to unveil renderings and<br />
officially announce the name of their new stadium,<br />
Ford Field.<br />
<strong>Lions</strong> reach the playoffs for the second time in three<br />
years under Bobby ross, losing a wild card contest<br />
at Washington 27-13.<br />
Bobby ross resigns as head coach following nine<br />
games and Gary Moeller is named Head Coach.<br />
Matt Millen is hired as President and CEo and<br />
assumes control of team operations. Chuck schmidt<br />
resigns as Executive Vice President and Chief<br />
operating officer.<br />
Gary Moeller and his coaching staff are dismissed.<br />
Marty Mornhinweg is named head coach.<br />
<strong>Lions</strong> defeat the Dallas Cowboys 15-10 in their final<br />
game played at the Pontiac silverdome.<br />
<strong>Lions</strong>’ front office moves from the silverdome to the<br />
team’s new Headquarters and training Facility in<br />
Allen Park.<br />
<strong>Lions</strong> play first game at Ford Field, dropping an<br />
exhibition contest 34-22 to the Pittsburgh steelers.<br />
inaugural game at Ford Field is played as the <strong>Lions</strong><br />
fall to the Green Bay Packers 37-31.<br />
<strong>Lions</strong> host New England Patriots at Ford Field in<br />
first thanksgiving Day game played in downtown<br />
<strong>Detroit</strong> since 1974.<br />
Marty Mornhinweg is dismissed as head coach.<br />
steve Mariucci named head coach.<br />
<strong>Lions</strong> introduce first major addition to the team’s<br />
classic uniform since the Leaping Lion logo was<br />
placed on the helmet in 1961. the new uniform now<br />
features black trim on the helmet, jerseys and pants,<br />
black shoes and black facemasks.<br />
<strong>Lions</strong> defeat the Arizona Cardinals 42-24 at Ford<br />
Field in Head Coach steve Mariucci’s <strong>Detroit</strong> debut.<br />
Barry sanders selected as a member of the Pro<br />
Football Hall of Fame Class of 2004.<br />
Barry sanders officially enshrined in the Pro Football<br />
Hall of Fame in a ceremony held in Canton, ohio.<br />
Jason Hanson plays in his 201st career game as a<br />
Lion, and breaks Wayne Walker’s all-time franchise<br />
record for career games played.<br />
steve Mariucci is dismissed as head coach and<br />
defensive coordinator Dick Jauron is named interim<br />
head coach.<br />
rod Marinelli is named head coach.<br />
Jon kitna becomes second quarterback in team<br />
history to throw for 4,000 yards in a single season.<br />
Charlie sanders is selected as a member of the Pro<br />
Football Hall of Fame Class of 2007.<br />
Charlie sanders is officially enshrined in the Pro<br />
Football Hall of Fame in a ceremony held in Canton,<br />
ohio.<br />
Jon kitna reaches 4,068 passing yards on the season<br />
becoming the first quarterback in team history to<br />
NAMING THE LIONS<br />
When the team moved to <strong>Detroit</strong> from Portsmouth, ohio in 1934, the<br />
organization settled on the name that would be uttered in <strong>Detroit</strong> and<br />
all around the league to this very day. After deciding to be known as<br />
the <strong>Lions</strong>, (staying consistent with the jungle cat image of the city’s<br />
baseball team, the tigers) two Lion cubs were given to the team by<br />
John Millen of the <strong>Detroit</strong> Zoo. their names were “Grid” and “iron.”<br />
they accompanied the team to all of their games.<br />
‣ the previous <strong>Detroit</strong> professional football teams were known as<br />
the Heralds, Panthers and the Wolverines.<br />
Sept. 24 2008<br />
Nov. 9, 2008<br />
Dec. 14, 2008<br />
Dec. 29, 2008<br />
Jan. 16, 2009<br />
Apr. 20, 2009<br />
Apr. 25, 2009<br />
Feb. 6, 2010<br />
Feb. 4, 2011<br />
Sept. 19, 2011<br />
Oct. 10, 2012<br />
Dec. 5, 2011<br />
Dec. 18, 2011<br />
Dec. 24, 2012<br />
Jan. 1, 2012<br />
Feb. 4, 2012<br />
<strong>Lions</strong> tALes<br />
record back-to-back 4,000-yards seasons and the<br />
first to do it twice in their career as a <strong>Lions</strong> passer.<br />
Matt Millen is dismissed as President and CEo.<br />
team honors 75th season All-time team, 36 of the<br />
greatest players in team history, during weekend<br />
activities.<br />
Jason Hanson connects on 51-yard field goal at<br />
indianapolis to set NFL record for most 50-yard field<br />
goals in a career.<br />
tom Lewand is named President and Martin Mayhew<br />
is named General Manager.<br />
Jim schwartz named head coach.<br />
President tom Lewand introduces the team’s new<br />
comprehensive brand that includes a new <strong>Lions</strong> logo,<br />
logotype and new proprietary font. Along with the<br />
new brand, the <strong>Lions</strong> unveiled new home and road<br />
uniforms.<br />
<strong>Lions</strong> select Georgia QB Matthew stafford with the<br />
first overall pick in the NFL Draft.<br />
Dick LeBeau is selected as a member of the Pro<br />
Football Hall of Fame Class of 2010. LeBeau<br />
becomes the 18th player in <strong>Lions</strong> history elected for<br />
the Hall of Fame.<br />
rookie Dt Ndamukong suh named AP Defensive<br />
rookie of the year. suh was also named All-Pro and<br />
voted as a starter in the Pro Bowl.<br />
k Jason Hanson played in his 297th career games<br />
and set a new NFL record for the most games played<br />
with one team.<br />
in front of the largest <strong>Lions</strong> crowd in Ford Field<br />
history (67,861) and an EsPN MNF audience, the<br />
<strong>Lions</strong> defeated Chicago 24-13 to extend its win<br />
streak to nine games, the second longest in team<br />
history. the win gave <strong>Detroit</strong> its first 5-0 start since<br />
1954.<br />
t Jeff Backus started his 172nd consecutive game<br />
and set a new franchise record for concecutive<br />
starts, surpassing Hall of Fame CB Dick LeBeau.<br />
k Jason Hanson became the sixth player in NFL<br />
history to reach 2,000 career points, and the first to<br />
do so with one team.<br />
By defeating the san Diego Chargers 38-10 at Ford<br />
Field, the <strong>Lions</strong> earned the team’s first playoff berth<br />
for the first time since 1999.<br />
QB Matthew stafford finished the season setting<br />
new single-season franchise passing records,<br />
including yards (5,038), touchdowns passes (41),<br />
completions (421) and passer rating (97.2), and he<br />
became the fourth player in NFL history with 5,000<br />
passing yards. stafford also set a team record with<br />
520 passing yards in the season finale at Green<br />
Bay. Wr Calvin Johnson set a new team record for<br />
touchdown receptions (16) in a season.<br />
QB Matthew stafford named the AP NFL Comeback<br />
Player of the year.<br />
GRIDIRON HEROES<br />
As the new pro football franchise took root in <strong>Detroit</strong>, owner G.A.<br />
richards called for an original fight song to be written for the <strong>Lions</strong>.<br />
in the late 1930s, Wayne state University director of bands Graham<br />
t. overgard, who was also the <strong>Lions</strong>’ director of entertainment,<br />
penned the lyrics and music for “Gridiron Heroes± The Victory Song<br />
of the <strong>Detroit</strong> <strong>Lions</strong>.”<br />
‣ “Gridiron Heroes” has become one of the NFL’s oldest and most<br />
popular songs today, and it is still played after each <strong>Lions</strong>’ score.<br />
HOMES OF THE DETROIT LIONS<br />
in 2002, the <strong>Lions</strong> moved into their current home, Ford Field, in<br />
downtown <strong>Detroit</strong>. it marked the team’s return to the city for the<br />
first time since 1974.<br />
StADiuM .....................................................................YeArS<br />
spartan stadium (Portsmouth, ohio) .........................................1930-33<br />
University of <strong>Detroit</strong> stadium ......................................................1934-37<br />
Briggs stadium (later named tiger stadium) ...........................1938-74<br />
Pontiac silverdome .........................................................................1975-01<br />
Ford Field ..............................................................................................2002-<br />
(Verse) Hail the colors Blue and Silver let them wave.<br />
Sing the song and cheer the Gridiron Heroes brave,<br />
Fighting for fame, winning the game.<br />
Dashing to victory as they go.<br />
(Chorus) Forward down the field,<br />
A charging team that will not yield.<br />
And when the Blue and Silver wave,<br />
Stand and cheer the brave.<br />
Rah, Rah, Rah!<br />
Go hard win the game.<br />
With honor you will keep your fame<br />
Down the field and gain, A Lion victory!