The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are currently a member of the North Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The franchise has had 30 head coaches in team history, which includes its existence as the Portsmouth (Ohio) Spartans (1930–1933). In the 1934 NFL season, the franchise moved to Detroit and changed their name to the Lions.
George "Potsy" Clark is the only coach to have more than one tenure. Three coaches have won NFL championships with the team: Potsy Clark in 1935, Buddy Parker in 1952 and 1953, and George Wilson in 1957. Wayne Fontes is the all-time leader in games coached and wins, and Clark leads all coaches in winning percentage with .679 (with at least one full season coached). John Karcis is statistically the worst coach the Lions have had as he never won a game. Karcis is followed by Marty Mornhinweg with a winning percentage of .156. Of the 30 Lions coaches, two have been elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Dutch Clark and Joe Schmidt. Gus Dorais was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1954. Several former players have been head coach for the Lions, including Dutch Edwards, Buddy Parker, Harry Gilmer, Joe Schmidt, Dick Jauron, and the current head coach Dan Campbell, who was hired on January 20, 2021.
Coaches Note: Statistics are accurate through Week 18 of the 2025 NFL season. GCGames coachedWWinsLLossesTTiesWin%Win – Loss percentageDivDivision titles*Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame†Spent entire professional head coaching career with the Lions
# Image Name Term Regular season Division titles Playoffs Awards GC W L T Win% GC W LWin% Portsmouth Spartans1Hal Griffen†1930145630––– Portsmouth Spartans / Detroit Lions2George "Potsy" Clark1931–1936744820611103Earl "Dutch" Clark*1937–19382214800–––4Gus Henderson†1939116500––––George "Potsy" Clark*1940115510–––5Bill Edwards†1941–1942144910–––6John Karcis†19428080.0000–––7Gus Dorais†1943–194753203120–––8Bo McMillin1948–195036122400–––9Buddy Parker1951–195672472323431UPI NFL Coach of the Year (1956)10George Wilson1957–1964104534561220AP Coach of the Year (1957)11Harry Gilmer†1965–196628101620–––12Joe Schmidt*1967–19728443347010113Don McCafferty1973146710–––14Rick Forzano†1974–197632151700–––15Tommy Hudspeth†1976–197724111300–––16Monte Clark1978–198410543611120217Darryl Rogers†1985–198858184000–––18Wayne Fontes†1988–1996133666702514AP Coach of the Year (1991)Pro Football Weekly Coach of the Year (1991)UPI NFC Coach of the Year (1991)19Bobby Ross1997–20005727300020220Gary Moeller†200074300–––21Marty Mornhinweg†2001–20023252700–––22Steve Mariucci2003–200543152800–––23Dick Jauron20055140.2000–––24Rod Marinelli†2006–200848103800–––25Jim Schwartz†2009–20138029510010126Jim Caldwell2014–20176436280020227Matt Patricia†2018–202043132910–––28Darrell Bevell202041300–––29Robert Prince†202010100––– 30 2021–present 85 48 36 1 .571 2 4 2 2
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