The 2021 season was the

Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at For ...

' 92nd season in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the majo ...

, the 20th playing their home games at

Ford Field Ford Field is a domed American football stadium located in Downtown Detroit. It primarily serves as the home of the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL), as well as the annual Quick Lane Bowl college football bowl game, state cha ...

and their first under the

head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in asso ...

/general manager tandem of Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes. The Lions finished 3–13–1, failing to improve upon their 5–11 record from the previous season. The Lions began their season 0–8 before tying with the

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...

in Week 10, in which they nearly beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh for the first time since

1955 Events January * January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama. * January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut. * January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijiangs ...

. However, the Lions would not win a game until Week 13 against the division rival

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...

, ending a 15-game, 364-day winless streak. In Week 14, the Lions were eliminated from playoff contention for the fifth consecutive year. They finished the season at the bottom of the NFC North for the fourth consecutive season. However they ended the season on a high note, upsetting two playoff bound teams; the

Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play th ...

in Week 15 and the top-seeded

Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. It is the t ...

in Week 18. This was the Lions' first season since

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

without longtime quarterback

Matthew Stafford John Matthew Stafford (born February 7, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia, where he was a first-team All-American, and was selected ...

, as he was traded to the

Los Angeles Rams The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC Wes ...

in exchange for quarterback

Jared Goff Jared Thomas Goff (born October 14, 1994) is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at California, where he set the Pac-12 Conference season records for pas ...

and three draft picks on January 31, 2021. Stafford would go onto win his first

Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the gam ...

Super Bowl LVI Super Bowl LVI was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2021 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Los Angeles Rams defeated the American Football Conference ...

with the Rams later that postseason. With the

Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The club's home ...

defeating the

Las Vegas Raiders The Las Vegas Raiders are a professional American football team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Raiders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West div ...

in the postseason, the Lions officially held the longest playoff victory drought in the NFL, not winning a playoff game since the

1991 season File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, 1991 Russian presidential election, elected as Russia's first President of Russia, president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated ...

Offseason

Coaching changes

From January 19 to February 9, the Lions hired 13 coaches *January 19: Aaron Glenn as defensive coordinator. *January 20: Dan Campbell as head coach. *January 23: Anthony Lynn as offensive coordinator. *January 25: Aubrey Pleasant as defensive back coach and Duce Staley as running backs and assistant head coach. *January 26: Dave Fipp as special teams coordinator. *January 28:

Mark Brunell Mark Allen Brunell (born September 17, 1970) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the quarterbacks coach for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played in the NFL for nineteen seasons and is best k ...

as quarterbacks coach. *January 29:

Dom Capers Ernest Dominic Capers (born August 7, 1950) is an American football coach who is a senior defensive assistant for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the inaugural head coach of the Carolina Panthers and ...

as a senior defensive assistant. *February 3: Todd Wash as defensive line coach, Kelvin Sheppard and Brian Duker as defensive assistants, and Seth Ryan as assistant wide receivers coach. *February 9: Antwaan Randle El as wide receivers coach.

Additions

Departures

Re-signings

Trades

*On March 17, the Lions acquired

defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the l ...

Michael Brockers Michael Seth Brockers (born December 21, 1990) is an American football defensive tackle who is a free agent. He played college football at LSU. He was considered to be one of the best defensive tackle prospects in the 2012 NFL Draft, where he w ...

from the

in exchange for a seventh-round draft pick in 2023.

Retirements

Draft

Pre-draft trades

* The Lions received a 2021 third-round selection as well as 2022 and 2023 first-round selections and quarterback

from the

in exchange for quarterback

. * The Lions traded a conditional sixth-round selection, which could become a fifth rounder, to

Dallas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County ...

in exchange for defensive end

Everson Griffen Everson Griffen (born December 22, 1987) is an American football defensive end who is a free agent. A graduate of Agua Fria High School, Griffen attended and played college football at USC. He was selected by the Vikings in the fourth round o ...

. * The Lions traded safety

Quandre Diggs Quandre Diggs (born January 22, 1993) is an American football free safety for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas, and was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 201 ...

and a 2021 seventh-round selection to

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region o ...

in exchange for a

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...

fifth-round selection.

Staff

Final roster

Preseason

The Lions' preliminary preseason schedule was announced on May 13. The exact dates and times were announced on May 20.

Regular season

Schedule

The Lions schedule was released on May 13, 2021. Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. San Francisco 49ers

The Lions hosted the

San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's Nationa ...

to kick off the regular season. The 49ers opened the scoring in the first quarter via a five-yard touchdown pass from

Trey Lance Trey Lance (born May 9, 2000) is an American football quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Dakota State, where he received the Walter Payton and Jerry Rice Awards as ...

Trent Sherfield Trent Sherfield (born February 26, 1996) is an American football wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Vanderbilt. College career Sherfield finished his Vanderbilt career w ...

. The Lions responded with a six-yard touchdown pass from

T. J. Hockenson Thomas James Hockenson (born July 3, 1997) is an American football tight end for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted in the first round (eighth selection overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lion ...

to tie the game. The 49ers added 24 points in the second quarter via a 38-yard touchdown run from Elijah Mitchell, a three-yard touchdown run from JaMycal Hasty, a 39-yard interception return by Dre Greenlaw and a 40-yard field goal by Robbie Gould. The Lions added 49-yard field goal by

Austin Seibert Austin Seibert (born November 15, 1996) is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He played college football at Oklahoma and was selected in fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Early years Seibert attended ...

, making the score 31–10 in favor of San Francisco at half-time. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the third quarter, first a 79-yard touchdown pass from

Jimmy Garoppolo James Richard Garoppolo (born November 2, 1991), nicknamed Jimmy G, is an American football quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Eastern Illinois, where he set the school r ...

to Deebo Samuel for San Francisco, then a 43-yard touchdown pass from Goff to D'Andre Swift. The 49ers extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a 52-yard field goal by Gouble. The Lions added 16 points via a one-yard touchdown run from

Jamaal Williams Jamaal Malik Williams (born April 3, 1995) is an American football running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at BYU and was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 2 ...

and a two-point conversion pass from Goff to Hockenson, and a two-yard touchdown pass from Goff to

Quintez Cephus Quintez Cephus (born April 1, 1998) is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Wisconsin. High school career While playing high school football at Stratfo ...

and a two-point conversion pass from Goff to Cephus. The Lions' attempted comeback failed when they failed to convert from the 49ers' 19-yard line late in the fourth quarter, making the final score 41–33 in favor of San Francisco.

Week 2: at Green Bay Packers

In week 2, the Lions visited their divisional rival the

on ''

Monday Night Football ''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, ...

.'' The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a five-yard touchdown pass from

. The Packers responded with a four-yard touchdown pass from

Aaron Rodgers Aaron Charles Rodgers (born December 2, 1983) is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Rodgers began his college football career at Butte College in 2002 before transferring to t ...

to Aaron Jones to tie the game. The Lions regained the lead in the second quarter via an eight-yard touchdown pass from Goff to

. The Packers again tied the game via a one-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Jones. The Lions responded with a 43-yard field goal by

, making the score 17–14 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Lions were held scoreless in the second half. The Packers scored 14 points in the third quarter via a 22-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to

Robert Tonyan Robert Joseph Tonyan Jr. ( /tʌnjən/ TUN-yun; born April 30, 1994) is an American football tight end for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Indiana State and signed with the Detroit L ...

, and an 11-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Jones. The Packers extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from Jones, making the final score 35–17 in favor of Green Bay.

Week 3: vs. Baltimore Ravens

In week 3, the Lions hosted the

Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...

. After a scoreless first quarter, the Ravens scored ten points in the second quarter via a 39-yard field goal by

Justin Tucker Justin Paul Tucker (born November 21, 1989) is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas and was signed by the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 201 ...

and a 19-yard touchdown pass from

Lamar Jackson Lamar Demeatrice Jackson Jr. (born January 7, 1997) is an American football quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at University of Louisville, Louisville, where he won the Heisma ...

Devin Duvernay Devin Duvernay (born September 12, 1997) is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas and was drafted by the Ravens in the th ...

, making the score 10–0 in favor of Baltimore at half-time. The Ravens extended their lead in the third quarter via two field goals by Tucker, from 50-yards, and 32-yards, respectively. The Lions finally got on the board via a two-yard touchdown run from D'Andre Swift. The Lions added ten points in the fourth quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from

, and a 35-yard field goal by Ryan Santoso, giving the Lions their first lead of the game. The Ravens responded with a NFL-record 66-yard field goal by Tucker, making the final score 19–17 in favor of Baltimore. After the game, controversy arose when it was shown that the officials failed to call a delay of game on the Ravens at the Lions' 48 yard line with seven seconds left in the game, which would've pushed the Ravens to their own 47 yard line. Had the officials called the delay of game, the Ravens would've attempted a 71-yard field goal or had a 10-second runoff called against them.

Week 4: at Chicago Bears

In week 4, the Lions visited their divisional rival the

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine ...

. The Bears opened the scoring in the first quarter via a four-yard touchdown run from David Montgomery. The Bears scored the only points of the second quarter via a nine-yard touchdown run from Montgomery, making the score 14–0 in favor of Chicago at half-time. The Bears scored ten points in the third quarter via a four-yard touchdown run from

Damien Williams Damien Williams (born April 3, 1992) is an American football running back who is a free agent. He played college football at Oklahoma Sooners football, Oklahoma. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He has als ...

and a 33-yard field goal by

Cairo Santos Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metrop ...

. The Lions finally got on the board via a four-yard touchdown pass from

Kalif Raymond Kalif Raymond (born August 8, 1994) is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia, U.S. to an African-American father and a Chinese mother. He played c ...

. The Lions scored the only points of the fourth quarter via a 25-yard touchdown pass from Goff to Raymond, making the final score 24–14 in favor of Chicago.

Week 5: at Minnesota Vikings

In week 5, the Lions visited their divisional rival the

. The teams exchanged field goals in the first quarter, first a 39-yard field goal by

for the Lions, then a 38-yard field goal by Greg Joseph for the Vikings. The Vikings added 10 points in the second quarter via a 38-yard field goal by Joseph, and a 15-yard touchdown pass from Kirk Cousins to

Alexander Mattison Alexander Mattison (born June 19, 1998) is an American football running back for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boise State and was drafted by the Vikings in the third round, 102nd o ...

. The Lions responded with a 52-yard field goal by Seibert, making the score 13–6 in favor of Minnesota at half-time. After a scoreless third quarter, the Vikings extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a 55-yard field goal by Joseph. The Lions responded with 11 points via a 40-yard field goal by Seibert and a seven-yard touchdown run from D'Andre Swift and a two-point conversion pass from

KhaDarel Hodge KhaDarel Hodge (born January 3, 1995) is an American football wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Prairie View A&M. Early years and high school career Hodge was born in D ...

, giving the Lions the lead with 37 seconds left in the quarter. The Vikings responded with a 54-yard field goal by Joseph as time expired, making the final score 19–17 in favor of Minnesota.

Week 6: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

In week 6, the Lions hosted the

. The Bengals opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 24-yard touchdown pass from

Joe Burrow Joseph Lee Burrow (born December 10, 1996) is an American football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). Following a stint with Ohio State, Burrow played college football at LSU, where he won the Heisma ...

to Chris Evans. The Bengals extended their lead in the second quarter via a 38-yard field goal by

Evan McPherson Evan McPherson (born July 21, 1999) is an American football placekicker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida before being drafted by the Bengals in the fifth round of the 2021 N ...

, making the score 10–0 in favor of Cincinnati at half-time. The Bengals added 10 points in the third quarter via a 40-yard touchdown pass from Burrow to

Joe Mixon Joseph Tyler Mixon (born July 24, 1996) is an American football running back for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma, where he was a first-team All-Big 12, and was selected by t ...

and a 40-yard field goal by McPherson. The Bengals extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a two-yard touchdown pass from Burrow to C. J. Uzomah. The Lions finally got on the board via a 35-yard field goal

. The teams exchanged touchdowns, first a seven-yard touchdown pass from Brandon Allen to

Auden Tate Auden Heanon Tate (born February 3, 1997) is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State, and was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 20 ...

for the Bengals, then a one-yard touchdown run from D'Andre Swift and a two-point conversion pass from

Amon-Ra St. Brown Amon-Ra Julian Heru J. St. Brown (born October 24, 1999) is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at USC Trojans football, USC and was drafted by the Lions in ...

for the Lions, making the final score 34–11 in favor of Cincinnati. With the loss, the Lions fell to 0–6 to start the season for the first time since

when they finished the season 0–16. With the

Jaguars The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the th ...

' first win over the

Dolphins A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (t ...

earlier in the day, the Lions became the NFL's lone winless team.

Week 7: at Los Angeles Rams

In week 7, the Lions visited the

. The Lions faced their former quarterback,

, for the first time since being traded in the offseason, while current Lions quarterback

also faced his former team. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 63-yard touchdown pass from Goff to D'Andre Swift. The Lions extended their lead via a 37-yard field goal by

. The Rams responded with a 33-yard field goal by Matt Gay. The Lions extended their lead in the second quarter via a 47-yard field goal by Seibert. The Rams responded with 14 points via an 11-yard touchdown pass from

Van Jefferson Vanchi LaShawn Jefferson Jr. (born July 26, 1996) is an American football wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ole Miss and Florida and was selected by the Los Angeles Ra ...

and a two-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to

Cooper Kupp Cooper Douglas Kupp (born June 15, 1993) is an American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Eastern Washington, where he won the Walter Payton Award as a junior, ...

, giving the Rams their first lead of the game. The Lions responded with a 41-yard field goal by Seibert, making the score 17–16 in favor of Los Angeles at half-time. The Lions scored the only points of the third quarter via a 31-yard field goal by Seibert to regain the lead. In the fourth quarter, the Rams responded with a five-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Kupp and a two-point conversion pass from Stafford to Robert Woods to regain the lead. The Lions' attempted comeback failed following an interception by Goff to

Jalen Ramsey Jalen Lattrel Ramsey (born October 24, 1994) is an American football cornerback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State and was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars fifth ov ...

in the red zone. The Rams extended their lead via a 47-yard field goal by Gay, making the final score 28–19 in favor of Los Angeles.

Week 8: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

In week 8, the Lions hosted the

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...

. The Eagles opened the scoring in the first quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from

Boston Scott Boston Scott (born April 27, 1995) is an American football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL) and professional ''Rocket League'' esports player of Dignitas. He played college football at Louisian ...

. The Eagles added 10 points in the second quarter via a 43-yard field goal by

Jake Elliott Jake Daniel Elliott (born January 21, 1995) is an American football placekicker for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Memphis. He was part of the Eagles' Super Bowl LII championship team ...

and a four-yard touchdown run from

Jordan Howard Jordan Reginald Howard (born November 2, 1994) is an American football running back who is a free agent. He played college football at UAB and Indiana. High school career Howard played high school football at Gardendale High School in Gardend ...

, making the score 17–0 in favor of Philadelphia at half-time. The Eagles added 21 points in the third quarter via a three-yard touchdown run from Scott, a two-yard touchdown run from Howard and a 33-yard fumble recovery by

Darius Slay Darius Demetrius Slay Jr. (born January 1, 1991) is an American football cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Mississippi State and was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the ...

. The Eagles added six points in the fourth quarter via two field goals by Elliott from 26-yards, and 41-yards, respectively. The Lions finally got on the board via an eight-yard touchdown run from

Jermar Jefferson Jermar Jefferson (born April 15, 2000) is an American football running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon State Beavers football, Oregon State and was drafted by the Lions in th ...

, making the final score 44–6 in favor of Philadelphia. With the loss, the Lions went into their bye week with an 0–8 record.

Week 10: at Pittsburgh Steelers

In week 10, the Lions visited the

. The Steelers opened the scoring in the first quarter via a nine-yard touchdown pass from Mason Rudolph to James Washington. In the second quarter the Lions responded with a 28-yard touchdown run from

to tie the game. The teams then exchanged field goals, first a 20-yard field goal by Chris Boswell for the Steelers, then a 20-yard field goal by Ryan Santoso for the Lions, making the score 10–10 at half-time. In the third quarter the Lions took their first lead of the game via a 42-yard touchdown run from

Godwin Igwebuike Godwin Eric Igwebuike (born September 10, 1994) is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Northwestern, Igwebuike was an undrafted free agent in 2018 ...

and a missed extra point by Santoso. The Steelers responded with a 23-yard field goal by Boswell. The Steelers scored the only points of the fourth quarter via a 51-yard field goal by Boswell to tie the game and force overtime. After neither team scored in overtime, the game resulted in a 16–16 tie.

Week 11: at Cleveland Browns

In week 11 the Lions visited the

Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conferenc ...

. After a scoreless first quarter, the Browns scored 13 points in the second quarter via a 16-yard touchdown run from Jarvis Landry and a five-yard touchdown pass from

Baker Mayfield Baker Reagan Mayfield (born April 14, 1995) is an American football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). Following a stint with Texas Tech, Mayfield played college football at Oklahoma, where he won the ...

to Nick Chubb, making the score 13–0 in favor of Cleveland at half-time. The Lions finally got on the board in the third quarter via a 57-yard touchdown run from D'Andre Swift. The Lions scored the only points of the fourth quarter via a 43-yard field goal by

Aldrick Rosas Aldrick Rosas (born December 30, 1994) is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He was selected to the Pro Bowl for the 2018 season as a member of the New York Giants. College career Rosas who is of Mexican–American descen ...

, making the final score 13–10 in favor of Cleveland.

Week 12: vs. Chicago Bears

For their annual Thanksgiving Day game, the Lions hosted a rematch against their divisional rival the

. The Lions unsuccessfully attempted to win their first game on Thanksgiving since

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses duri ...

, as well as end their 14-game non-winning streak dating back to week 13 of the 2020 season, which was also against the Bears. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 39-yard touchdown pass from

to Josh Reynolds. The Bears scored 13 points in the second quarter via a 28-yard field goal by

, a 17-yard touchdown pass from Andy Dalton to

Jimmy Graham Jimmy Graham (born November 24, 1986) is an American football tight end who is a free agent. He played only one year of college football at University of Miami after playing four years of basketball. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in ...

, and a 43-yard field goal by Santos, which made the score 13–7 in favor of Chicago at half-time. The Lions scored the only points of the third quarter via a 17-yard touchdown pass from Goff to

to regain the lead. The Bears responded with a 28-yard field goal by Santos as time expired, making the final score 16–14 in favor of Chicago.

Week 13: vs. Minnesota Vikings

In week 13, the Lions hosted a rematch against their divisional rival the

. The Vikings scored six points in the first quarter via two field goals by Greg Joseph, from 41-yards, and 31-yards, respectively. The Lions scored 20 points in the second quarter via a nine-yard touchdown pass from

, a 23-yard touchdown pass from Goff to Brock Wright, and two field goals by

Riley Patterson Riley Patterson (born September 7, 1999) is an American football placekicker for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Memphis. High school career Patterson played high school footbal ...

, from 31-yards, and 41-yards, respectively, making the score 20–6 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Vikings scored nine points in the third quarter via a 31-yard field goal by Joseph, and an eight-yard touchdown run from

. The Lions extended their lead via a 49-yard field goal by Patterson. The Vikings regained the lead in the fourth quarter after they scored 12 points via a five-yard touchdown pass from Kirk Cousins to K. J. Osborn, and a three-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to

Justin Jefferson Justin Jamal Jefferson (born June 16, 1999) is an American football wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at LSU and was drafted by the Vikings in the first round of the 2020 ...

. The Lions responded with a game-winning drive down the field, and an 11-yard touchdown pass from Goff to

as time expired, making the final score 29–27 in favor of Detroit, ending the Lions' 15 game winless streak, their last win being 364 days before. The Lions dedicated the win to the four victims who were killed in the

Oxford High School shooting On November 30, 2021, a mass shooting occurred at Oxford High School in the Detroit exurb of Oxford Township, Michigan, United States. 15-year old Ethan Crumbley, armed with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, murdered four students and injured se ...

Week 14: at Denver Broncos

In week 14, the Lions visited the

Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...

. The Broncos scored 14 points in the first quarter via a five-yard touchdown run from Javonte Williams and a one-yard touchdown run from

Melvin Gordon Melvin Gordon III (born April 13, 1993) is an American football running back for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Wisconsin, and was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the first round ...

. The Lions scored 10 points in the second quarter via a seven-yard touchdown pass from

and a 36-yard field goal by

. The Broncos responded with a 52-yard field goal by

Brandon McManus Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...

, which made the score 17–10 in favor of Denver at half-time. The Lions were held scoreless in the second half. The Broncos scored 14 points in the third quarter via a 10-yard touchdown pass from

Teddy Bridgewater Theodore Edmond Bridgewater Jr. (born November 10, 1992) is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). Born and raised in Miami, Florida, he graduated from Miami Northwestern high school ...

to Williams and a 14-yard touchdown run from Gordon. The Broncos scored the only points of the fourth quarter via a four-yard touchdown pass from Bridgewater to Albert Okwuegbunam, making the final score 38–10 in favor of Denver. With the loss, the Lions were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention for the fifth straight year.

Week 15: vs. Arizona Cardinals

In week 15, the Lions hosted the

. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 37-yard field goal by

. The Lions scored 14 points in the second quarter via a 37-yard touchdown pass from

and a 22-yard touchdown pass from Goff to Josh Reynolds, which made the score 17–0 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Cardinals finally got on the board in the third quarter via a 29-yard field goal by Matt Prater. The Lions extended their lead via a six-yard touchdown pass from Goff to

Jason Cabinda Jason W. Cabinda (born March 17, 1996) is an American football fullback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Penn State and signed with the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 201 ...

. The Cardinals responded with a 29-yard field goal by Prater. The Lions extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a 47-yard field goal by Patterson. The Cardinals responded with a 26-yard touchdown pass from Kyler Murray to Christian Kirk. The Lions scored the final points of the game via a 45-yard field goal by Patterson, making the final score 30–12 in favor of Detroit.

Week 16: at Atlanta Falcons

In week 16, the Lions visited the

Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcon ...

. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 26-yard field goal by

. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the second quarter, first a six-yard touchdown run from Cordarrelle Patterson for the Falcons, then a 20-yard touchdown pass from Tim Boyle to

for the Lions. The Falcons scored the final points of the half via a 53-yard field goal by

Younghoe Koo Younghoe Koo (; pronounced ; born August 3, 1994) is a South Korean player of American football who is a placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2020. Koo played college fo ...

, tying the score at 10–10 at half-time. The teams exchanged field goals in the third quarter, first a 48-yard field goal by Koo for the Falcons, then a 37-yard field goal by Patterson for the Lions. The Falcons took their first lead of the game in the fourth quarter via a 12-yard touchdown pass from Matt Ryan to Hayden Hurst. The Lions responded with a 26-yard field goal by Patterson, making the final score 20–16 in favor of Atlanta.

Week 17: at Seattle Seahawks

In week 17, the Lions visited the

Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 a ...

. The Seahawks scored ten points in the first quarter via a 15-yard touchdown run from Rashaad Penny and a 51-yard field goal by

Jason Myers Jason Myers (born May 12, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Marist Red Foxes football, Marist. Professional career Arena Football League In th ...

. The Lions finally got on the board in the second quarter via a 26-yard touchdown run from

. The Seahawks scored 21 points in the quarter via a six-yard touchdown run from Penny, a 13-yard touchdown pass from

Russell Wilson Russell Carrington Wilson (born November 29, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played his first 10 seasons for the Seattle Seahawks. Wilson is widely regarded ...

DK Metcalf DeKaylin Zecharius "DK" Metcalf (born December 14, 1997) is an American football wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ole Miss. He is the son of former NFL guard Terrence ...

and a one-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to

Tyler Lockett Tyler Deron Lockett (born September 28, 1992) is an American football wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Seahawks in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He played college foo ...

, which made the score 31–7 in favor of Seattle at half-time. The Seahawks extended their lead in the third quarter via a 13-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Metcalf. The Lions responded with 15 points via a one-yard touchdown run from

and two-point conversion pass from Tim Boyle to St. Brown, and a six-yard touchdown pass from Boyle to

Taylor Decker Taylor Decker (born August 23, 1993) is an American football offensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State. Early years Decker attended Butler High School in Vandalia ...

. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the fourth quarter, first a one-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Metcalf for the Seahawks, then a one-yard touchdown run from Williams for the Lions. The Seahawks extended their lead via two field goals by Myers from 36-yards, and 42-yards, respectively, making the final score 51–29 in favor of Seattle. The loss also meant the Lions finished last in the NFC for the first time since

, when they finished 0–16.

Week 18: vs. Green Bay Packers

To finish their season, the Lions hosted a rematch with their divisional rival, the

. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the first quarter, first a one-yard touchdown pass from

Allen Lazard Allen Jamel Lazard (born December 11, 1995) is an American football wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Iowa State University and was originally signed by the Jackso ...

for the Packers, then a 75-yard touchdown pass from

Tom Kennedy Thomas or Tom Kennedy may refer to: Politics * Thomas Kennedy (Scottish judge) (1673–1754), joint Solicitor General for Scotland 1709–14, Lord Advocate 1714, Member of Parliament for Ayr Burghs 1720–21 *Thomas Kennedy, 9th Earl of Cassilis ...

for the Lions. The Lions took their first lead of the game in the second quarter via a two-yard touchdown pass from

. The Packers responded with a 29-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Lazard, and a missed extra point by Mason Crosby. The Lions scored the final points of the half via a 34-yard field goal by

, which made the score 17–13 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Lions extended their lead in the third quarter via a 36-yard touchdown pass from Goff to Brock Wright. The Packers responded with a 36-yard field goal by Crosby. The Packers scored 14 points in the fourth quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from

Patrick Taylor Patrick or Pat Taylor may refer to: * Patrick Taylor (American football) (born 1998), American football running back * Patrick Taylor (author) (born 1941), Irish-Canadian author and doctor * Patrick Taylor (politician) (1862–1922), Australian po ...

and a failed two-point conversion attempt, then a 62-yard touchdown pass from

Jordan Love Jordan Alexander Love (born November 2, 1998) is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Utah State and was drafted by the Packers in the first round of the ...

to Josiah Deguara and a two-point conversion run from Love to regain the lead for the first time since the first quarter. The Lions scored 13 points in the quarter via a 36-yard field goal by Patterson, a 14-yard touchdown run from D'Andre Swift and a 27-yard field goal by Patterson, making the final score 37–30 in favor of Detroit.

Standings

Division

Conference

References

External links

* {{2021 NFL season by team

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

Detroit Lions seasons