List of Detroit Lions in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Joe Schmidt, a linebacker and former head coach for the Lions
Dick "Night Train" Lane, a defensive back who played six seasons for the Lions
Barry Sanders, a running back for the Lions
Calvin Johnson, wide receiver for the Lions
Doak Walker, a halfback and placekicker for the Lions

The Detroit Lions were founded in 1928, in Portsmouth, Ohio, as the Portsmouth Spartans and have been based in Detroit since 1934 when the team was relocated and renamed to the Detroit Lions.[1] The Lions organization are the National Football League's (NFL's) 5th oldest franchise[2] and compete in the NFL as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The franchise has won four NFL championships.

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.[3] 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 24 inductees, 17 made their primary contribution to football with the Lions, while the other 7 contributed only a minor portion of their career with the Lions.[4] Calvin Johnson was the most recent Lion selected to the Hall of Fame as part of the 2021 class.[5]

Inductees

Class Inductee No. Position Career span Seasons w/ Team All-Pros Pro Bowls Notes
1963 Dutch Clark 7 Quarterback
Head coach
General manager 		1931–1932
1934–1938 		1931–1932
1934–1938 		6× First-team All-Pro 0 [6]
1966 Bill Dudley 35, 44 Halfback 1942
1945–1951
1953 		1947–1949 4× First-team All-Pro
2× Second-team All-Pro 		2 [7]
1967 Bobby Layne 22 Quarterback 1948–1962 1950–1958 2× First-team All-Pro
4× Second-team All-Pro 		6 [8]
1968 Alex Wojciechowicz 30, 50 Center
Linebacker 		1938–1946 1938–1946 2× First-team All-Pro 0 [9]
1970 Hugh McElhenny 39 Halfback 1952–1964 1964 5× First-team All-Pro 6 [a][10]
1970 Jack Christiansen 19, 24 Defensive back 1951–1958 1951–1958 6× First-team All-Pro 5 [11]
1972 Ollie Matson 30 Running back 1952–1966 1963 7× First-team All-Pro 6 [b] [12]
1973 Joe Schmidt 56 Linebacker
Head coach 		1953–1965 1953–1965

1967–1972

8× First-team All-Pro
2× Second-team All-Pro 		10 [13]
1974 Dick "Night Train" Lane 81 Cornerback 1952–1965 1960–1965 7× First-team All-Pro 7 [14]
1979 Yale Lary 28 Defensive back
Punter 		1952–1953
1956–1964 		1952–1953
1956–1964 		5× All-Pro 9 [15]
1985 Frank Gatski 52 Center 1946–1957 1957 4× First-team All-Pro 1 [c] [16]
1986 Doak Walker 37 Halfback
Placekicker
Punter 		1950–1955 1950–1955 4× First-team All-Pro 5 [17]
1987 John Henry Johnson 35 Fullback 1953–1966 1957–1959 2× Second-team All-Pro 4 [d] [18]
1992 Lem Barney 20 Defensive back 1967–1977 1967–1977 2× First-team All-Pro 7 [19]
1996 Lou Creekmur 76 Guard/Tackle 1950–1959 1950–1959 7× First-team All-Pro 8 [20]
1997 Don Shula Defensive backs coach
Defensive coordinator 		1960–1995 1960–1962 [21]
2004 Barry Sanders 20 Running back 1989–1998 1989–1998 6× First-team All-Pro
4× Second-team All-Pro 		10 [22]
2007 Charlie Sanders 88 Tight end 1968–1977 1968–1977 3× First-team All-Pro 7 [23]
2010 Dick LeBeau 24, 44 Defensive back 1959–1972 1959–1972 3× Second-team All-Pro 3 [24]
2013 Curley Culp 77 Defensive tackle 1968–1981 1980–1981 1× First-team All-Pro
4× Second-team All-Pro 		6 [e] [25]
2016 Dick Stanfel 63 Offensive guard 1952–1958 1952–1955 5× First-team All-Pro 5 [26]
2020 Alex Karras 71 Defensive tackle 1958–1970 1958–1970 3× First-team All-Pro
6× Second-team All-Pro 		4 [27]
2021 Calvin Johnson 81 Wide receiver 2007–2015 2007–2015 3× First-team All-Pro
1× Second-team All-Pro 		6 [28]
2024 Dwight Freeney 93 Defensive end 2002–2017 2017 3× First-team All-Pro
1× Second-team All-Pro 		7 [29]

Footnotes

  • a Hugh McElhenny spent only a minor portion of his career with the Lions.
  • b Ollie Matson spent only a minor portion of his career with the Lions.
  • c Frank Gatski spent only a minor portion of his career with the Lions.
  • d John Henry Johnson spent only a minor portion of his career with the Lions.
  • e Curley Culp spent only a minor portion of his career with the Lions.

See also

References

General
  • "Hall of Famers by Franchise - Hall of Famers | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
Specific
  1. ^ "Detroit Lions Team Facts". ProFootballHOF.com. NFL Enterprises. Archived from the original on April 12, 2019. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  2. ^ "10 Oldest Teams in the NFL". Oldest.org. 3 April 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  3. ^ "The Pro Football Hall of Fame: Then and Now (Mission Statement)". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 3, 2011.
  4. ^ "Hall of Famers by Franchise - Hall of Famers | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 27 October 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2021 | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Earl (Dutch) Clark | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Bill Dudley | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 7 May 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Bobby Layne | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 31 October 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Alex Wojciechowicz | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 30 June 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Hugh McElhenny | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Jack Christiansen | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Ollie Matson | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Joe Schmidt | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  14. ^ "Dick (Night Train) Lane | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  15. ^ "Yale Lary | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 30 June 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Frank Gatski | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  17. ^ "Doak Walker | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 27 February 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  18. ^ "John Henry Johnson | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 18 February 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  19. ^ "Lem Barney | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  20. ^ "Lou Creekmur | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  21. ^ "Don Shula | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  22. ^ "Barry Sanders | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  23. ^ "Charlie Sanders | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 31 July 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  24. ^ "Dick LeBeau | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  25. ^ "Curley Culp | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  26. ^ "Dick Stanfel | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  27. ^ "Alex Karras | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 18 December 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  28. ^ "Calvin Johnson | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  29. ^ "Dwight Freeney | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
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