Detroit Lions · Franchise era 7 of 7
Restore the roar: the Detroit Lions story
The story in one sentence
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.
Culture, line play and a fearless contender
Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Aidan Hutchinson gave the era its recognizable core.
Its final meaning is still being written.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 2021
What came before
Stafford and Johnson powered explosive offenses and three playoff trips, but Detroit could not turn their peak into a postseason victory.
- 03TradeMarch 18, 2021
March 18, 2021
The quarterback swap that worked both ways
Los Angeles valued an immediate quarterback upgrade; Detroit valued time, draft capital and the upside of rehabilitating Goff.
To LAR
To DET20213RDround asset20221STround asset+1 assetsStafford–Goff swapLAR receives Matthew StaffordDET receives Jared Goff, 2021 third · No. 101, 2022 first · No. 32 + 1 more5 original assets · 3 outcomes tracedOpen trade → 2024-01-14
Wild Card: Los Angeles Rams vs Detroit Lions
2024-01-21
Divisional Round: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Detroit Lions
2024-01-28
Conference Championship: Detroit Lions vs San Francisco 49ers
Still unfolding
Where the story stands
This chapter remains active, so its final place in franchise history is still being written.
The core