Detroit Lions · Franchise era 6 of 7
Stafford and Calvin: the Detroit Lions story
Franchise era
2009—2020
Stafford and Calvin
Detroit Lions
The story in one sentence
Stafford and Johnson powered explosive offenses and three playoff trips, but Detroit could not turn their peak into a postseason victory.
Spectacular talent fights organizational instability
Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and Ndamukong Suh gave the era its recognizable core.
Its ending created the conditions for restore the roar.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 2009
What came before
Sanders retired abruptly and years of poor roster construction culminated in the league's first 0–16 season.
2012-01-07
Wild Card: Detroit Lions vs New Orleans Saints
2015-01-04
Wild Card: Detroit Lions vs Dallas Cowboys
2017-01-07
Wild Card: Detroit Lions vs Seattle Seahawks
After 2020
What came next
Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell converted the Stafford trade into a deep core, won the division and reached the NFC Championship Game while reconnecting team and city.
The core