These quarterbacks have started at least one game for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). Since the beginning of the 2021 season, their starting quarterback has been Jared Goff.
The early era of the NFL and American football in general was not conducive to passing the football, with the forward pass not being legalized until the early 1900s and not fully adopted for many more years. Although the quarterback position has historically been the one to receive the snap and thus handle the football on every offensive play, the importance of the position during this era was limited by various rules, like having to be five yards behind the line of scrimmage before a forward pass could be attempted. These rules and the tactical focus on rushing the ball limited the importance of the quarterback position while enhancing the value of different types of backs, such as the halfback and the fullback. Some of these backs were considered triple-threat men, capable of rushing, passing or kicking the football, making it common for multiple players to attempt a pass during a game.
As rules changed and the NFL began adopting a more pass-centric approach to offensive football, the importance of the quarterback position grew. Beginning in 1950, total wins and losses by a team's starting quarterback were tracked. Prior to 1950, the Lions had numerous players identified as playing the quarterback position. However, the combination of unreliable statistics in the early era of the NFL and the differences in the early quarterback position make tracking starts by quarterbacks impractical for this timeframe.
Regular season
The number of games they started during the season is listed to the right:
Season(s)Quarterback(s) Ref(s) 1950 Bobby Layne (12) 1951 Bobby Layne (12) 1952 Bobby Layne (11) / Jim Hardy (1) 1953 Bobby Layne (11) / Tom Dublinski (1) 1954 Bobby Layne (8) / Tom Dublinski (4) 1955 Bobby Layne (10) / Harry Gilmer (2) 1956 Bobby Layne (12) 1957 Bobby Layne (7) / Tobin Rote (5) 1958 Tobin Rote (11) / Bobby Layne (1) 1959 Tobin Rote (7) / Earl Morrall (5) 1960 Jim Ninowski (10) / Earl Morrall (2) 1961 Jim Ninowski (8) / Earl Morrall (6) 1962 Milt Plum (14) 1963 Earl Morrall (10) / Milt Plum (4) 1964 Milt Plum (11) / Earl Morrall (3) 1965 Milt Plum (11) / George Izo (3) 1966 Karl Sweetan (8) / Milt Plum (6) 1967 Karl Sweetan (8) / Milt Plum (6) 1968 Bill Munson (12) / Greg Landry (2) 1969 Bill Munson (7) / Greg Landry (7) 1970 Bill Munson (8) / Greg Landry (6) 1971 Greg Landry (14) 1972 Greg Landry (14) 1973 Greg Landry (7) / Bill Munson (7) 1974 Bill Munson (11) / Greg Landry (3) 1975 Joe Reed (8) / Bill Munson (3) / Greg Landry (3) 1976 Greg Landry (12) / Joe Reed (2) 1977 Greg Landry (11) / Gary Danielson (2) / Joe Reed (1) 1978 Gary Danielson (11) / Greg Landry (5) 1979 Jeff Komlo (14) / Joe Reed (1) / Jerry Golsteyn (1) 1980 Gary Danielson (16) 1981 Eric Hipple (10) / Gary Danielson (4) / Jeff Komlo (2) 1982 Gary Danielson (5) / Eric Hipple (4) 1983 Eric Hipple (16) 1984 Gary Danielson (14) / John Witkowski (1) / Eric Hipple (1) 1985 Eric Hipple (15) / Joe Ferguson (1) 1986 Eric Hipple (10) / Joe Ferguson (4) / Chuck Long (2) 1987 Chuck Long (12) / Todd Hons (3) 1988 Rusty Hilger (9) / Chuck Long (7) 1989 Rodney Peete (8) / Bob Gagliano (7) / Eric Hipple (1) 1990 Rodney Peete (11) / Bob Gagliano (4) / Andre Ware (1) 1991 Rodney Peete (8) / Erik Kramer (8) 1992 Rodney Peete (10) / Erik Kramer (3) / Andre Ware (3) 1993 Rodney Peete (10) / Erik Kramer (4) / Andre Ware (2) 1994 Scott Mitchell (9) / Dave Krieg (7) 1995 Scott Mitchell (16) 1996 Scott Mitchell (14) / Don Majkowski (2) 1997 Scott Mitchell (16) 1998 Charlie Batch (12) / Frank Reich (2) / Scott Mitchell (2) 1999 Charlie Batch (10) / Gus Frerotte (6) 2000 Charlie Batch (15) / Stoney Case (1) 2001 Charlie Batch (9) / Ty Detmer (4) / Mike McMahon (3) 2002 Joey Harrington (12) / Mike McMahon (4) 2003 Joey Harrington (16) 2004 Joey Harrington (16) 2005 Joey Harrington (11) / Jeff Garcia (5) 2006 Jon Kitna (16) 2007 Jon Kitna (16) 2008 Dan Orlovsky (7) / Daunte Culpepper (5) / Jon Kitna (4) 2009 Matthew Stafford (10) / Daunte Culpepper (5) / Drew Stanton (1) 2010 Shaun Hill (10) / Matthew Stafford (3) / Drew Stanton (3) 2011 Matthew Stafford (16) 2012 Matthew Stafford (16) 2013 Matthew Stafford (16) 2014 Matthew Stafford (16) 2015 Matthew Stafford (16) 2016 Matthew Stafford (16) 2017 Matthew Stafford (16) 2018 Matthew Stafford (16) 2019 Matthew Stafford (8) / David Blough (5) / Jeff Driskel (3) 2020 Matthew Stafford (16) 2021 Jared Goff (14) / Tim Boyle (3) 2022 Jared Goff (17) 2023Jared Goff (17)2024Jared Goff (17)2025Jared Goff (17)2026Jared Goff (3)
Postseason Season(s) Quarterback(s)1952Bobby Layne (2–0)1953Bobby Layne (1–0)1954Bobby Layne (0–1)1957Tobin Rote (2–0)1970Greg Landry (0–1)1982Eric Hipple (0–1)1983Gary Danielson (0–1)1991Erik Kramer (1–1)1993Erik Kramer (0–1)1994Dave Krieg (0–1)1995Scott Mitchell (0–1)1997Scott Mitchell (0–1)1999Gus Frerotte (0–1)2011Matthew Stafford (0–1)2014Matthew Stafford (0–1)2016Matthew Stafford (0–1)2023Jared Goff (2–1)2024Jared Goff (0–1)
Team career passing records Through the 2026 NFL Regular Season NameMatthew Stafford3,8986,22462.645,109282141Jared Goff1,9562,88067.921,98415547Bobby Layne1,0742,19349.015,710118142Scott Mitchell1,0491,85056.712,6477957Greg Landry9571,74754.812,4518081Gary Danielson9521,68456.511,8856971Eric Hipple8301,54653.710,7115570Joey Harrington9861,80254.710,2426062
Team career win / loss record Through the 2026 NFL regular season Record (W–L–T) % Quarterback(s) Matthew Stafford Bobby Layne Jared Goff Greg Landry Eric Hipple Scott Mitchell Bill Munson Milt Plum Gary Danielson Rodney Peete
References