By Darin From the rolling hills of southern Ohio to the bustling streets of the Motor City, the history of the Detroit Lions is one of the most storied—and resilient—narratives in the NFL. Long before they were a fixture of Thanksgiving Day, the franchise had a humble, small-town beginning that few fans realize.
The Portsmouth Spartans (1928–1933)
The franchise was originally established in 1928 as the Portsmouth Spartans in Portsmouth, Ohio. As one of the many “small-town” teams in the early NFL, the Spartans were a powerhouse. In 1932, they participated in one of the most pivotal games in league history: a playoff game against the Chicago Bears to break a first-place tie. Because of a blizzard, the game was moved indoors to the Chicago Stadium, played on a 60-yard field of dirt and hay.
While the Spartans lost 9–0, the immense public interest in the game led the NFL to split into two divisions and establish an annual championship game the following year.
Moving to the Motor City (1934)
Despite their on-field success, the Great Depression hit Portsmouth hard. In 1934, radio executive George A. Richards (owner of WJR in Detroit) purchased the team for the then-significant sum of $8,000. Richards moved the team to Detroit and rebranded them as the Lions. Legend has it he chose the name because the lion is the “king of the jungle,” a fitting counterpart to Detroit’s already established baseball team, the Tigers.
The Golden Era and “Honolulu Blue”
The Lions didn’t wait long for glory, winning their first NFL Championship in 1935 led by Hall of Famer Dutch Clark. It was during this era that the team adopted its signature Honolulu Blue and Silver. The color was personally selected by Richards and was inspired by the blue of the Pacific waves off the coast of Hawaii.
The 1950s served as the franchise’s “Golden Age.” Behind the grit of quarterback Bobby Layne and kicker/halfback Doak Walker, the Lions won three more NFL Championships in 1952, 1953, and 1957, largely through an intense rivalry with the Cleveland Browns.
Modern Traditions and Icons
Since that 1957 title, the Lions have faced a long road toward reclaiming the summit, but the era has been punctuated by legendary individual talent:
- The Thanksgiving Tradition: Started by George Richards in 1934 as a marketing ploy to gain national radio exposure, the Lions have played on Thanksgiving every year (except during WWII).
- Barry Sanders: Widely considered the greatest running back in history, Sanders’ decade of dominance in the 1990s remains the benchmark for excellence in Detroit.
- Calvin “Megatron” Johnson: A physical marvel who redefined the wide receiver position in the 2000s and 2010s.
Today, under the leadership of the Ford family (who purchased the team in 1963) and a renewed culture under Dan Campbell, the “One Pride” faithful continue to roar in anticipation of the next chapter of championship history at Ford Field.
