Detroit Lions · Franchise era 7 of 7
Restore the roar: the Detroit Lions story
Franchise era
2021—present
Restore the roar
Detroit Lions
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.
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.
03Win-now meets rebuildMarch 18, 2021LAR⇄DETStafford–Goff swapThe Rams acquired Matthew Stafford to finish a championship roster. Detroit accepted Jared Goff and three picks to start a wider rebuild.5 assets · 3 outcomes＋
The original receipt
Los Angeles Rams received
- • Matthew Stafford
Detroit Lions received
- • Jared Goff
- • 2021 third · No. 101
- • 2022 first · No. 32
- • 2023 first · No. 6
Stafford won the Super Bowl in year one. Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta and the larger pick tree helped Detroit build a contender of its own.
Open full trade tree →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