2021 Detroit Lions season

2021 Detroit Lions season
2021 Detroit Lions season
Owner	Sheila Ford Hamp
General manager	Brad Holmes
Head coach	Dan Campbell
Home field	Ford Field
Results
Record	3–13–1
Division place	4th NFC North
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	OG Jonah Jackson
Uniform
	← 2020; Lions seasons; 2022 →;

The 2021 season was the Detroit Lions' 92nd season in the National Football League (NFL), the 20th playing their home games at Ford Field and their first under the head coach/general manager tandem of Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes.^[1]^[2] 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 in Week 10, in which they nearly beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh for the first time since 1955. However, the Lions would not win a game until Week 13 against the division rival Minnesota Vikings, ending a 15-game, 364-day winless streak. In Week 14, the Lions were eliminated from playoff contention for the fifth consecutive year.^[3] 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 in Week 15 and the top-seeded Green Bay Packers in Week 18.

This was the Lions' first season since 2008 without longtime quarterback Matthew Stafford, as he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for quarterback Jared Goff and three draft picks on January 31, 2021.^[4] Stafford would go onto win his first Super Bowl in Super Bowl LVI with the Rams later that postseason and for first time since 2003 Don Muhlbach was not on the opening day roster.

With the Cincinnati Bengals defeating the Las Vegas Raiders in the postseason, the Lions officially held the longest playoff victory drought in the NFL, not winning a playoff game since the 1991 season.^[5]

^ "Dan Campbell as the new Head Coach". detroitlions.com. January 20, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
^ Patra, Kevin (January 14, 2021). "Lions agree to terms with Brad Holmes on five-year deal as new GM". NFL.com. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
^ Maakaron, John. "4 Takeaways Following Lions' 38-10 Loss to Broncos". Sports Illustrated Detroit Lions News, Analysis and More. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
^ "Lions acquire QB Jared Goff via trade with Los Angeles Rams". Detroit Lions. March 18, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
^ Birkett, Dave. "Detroit Lions have longest playoff drought after Cincinnati Bengals top Las Vegas Raiders". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved January 16, 2022.

[1] "Dan Campbell as the new Head Coach". detroitlions.com. January 20, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2021.

[2] Patra, Kevin (January 14, 2021). "Lions agree to terms with Brad Holmes on five-year deal as new GM". NFL.com. Retrieved January 14, 2021.

[3] Maakaron, John. "4 Takeaways Following Lions' 38-10 Loss to Broncos". Sports Illustrated Detroit Lions News, Analysis and More. Retrieved December 13, 2021.

[Stafford-4] "Lions acquire QB Jared Goff via trade with Los Angeles Rams". Detroit Lions. March 18, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.

[5] Birkett, Dave. "Detroit Lions have longest playoff drought after Cincinnati Bengals top Las Vegas Raiders". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved January 16, 2022.

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