Detroit Lions Once Lost Nine Playoff Games in a Row

Published on December 4th, 2024 8:29 pm EST
Written By: Dave Manuel


Times are certainly better if you are a Lions fan but there is no doubt that you suffered through some extremely bleak times.

There were extremely long playoff draughts that were interrupted by seasons of hope that only resulted in more heartbreak.

Look no further than the nine-game playoff losing streak that the Lions endured from 1991 to 2016.

In 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2011, 2014 and 2016, the Detroit Lions raised the hopes of their fans, only to suffer a terrible playoff loss.

This stretch of playoff futility was made even tougher by the fact that the Lions had some superstars on their teams during these years, including Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson, to name a few.

1991 was a particularly painful year for the team, as they went 12-4, which was the most wins in the history of the franchise.

The team won their first playoff game that year, causing the Dallas Cowboys at home by a score of 38-6.

The very next week, in the Conference Championship game, the Lions were annihilated by a score of 41-10, which started their long nine-game playoff losing streak.

In 1993, the Lions managed to turn things around after a terrible 1992 campaign, finishing with a record of 10-6. The Lions lost their Wild Card game, at home, to the Green Bay Packers by a score of 28-24.

In 1994, the Lions squeaked into the playoffs with a record of 9-7, only to lose to the Packers AGAIN, this time by a score of 16-12.

In 1995, the Lions finished with a record of 10-6 before losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card game by a score of 58-37.

In 1997, the Lions finished with a record of 9-7, eventually losing to the Tampa Bay Bucs in the Wild Card game by a score of 20-10.

In 1999, the Lions finished with a record of 8-8, eventually losing to the Washington Redskins in the Wild Card game by a score of 27-13.

In 2011, the Lions would return to the playoffs after a lengthy time away, finishing with a record of 10-6-0. The result was the same, as the Lions lost 45-28 to the New Orleans Saints in the Wild Card game.

In 2014, the Lions seemingly had one of their best teams in years, as they finished with a record of 11-5-0. Again, the Lions couldn't shake the playoff curse, as they lost 24-20 to the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card game.

Finally, in 2016, the Detroit Lions went 9-7 before losing to the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

Nine glimpses of hope, and nine losses.