The 2023 season was the Detroit Lions' 94th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 90th In Detroit, and their third under the head coach/general manager tandem of Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes.
The Lions improved upon their 9–8 record from the previous season, after a Week 15 win against the Denver Broncos gave them their first 10-win season since 2014. The Lions finished the regular season with a 12–5 record, tying a franchise record for wins and ending up in a three-way tie with the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys for the best record in the NFC. Their .706 winning percentage was their best since 1991.
After a win against the Chicago Bears in Week 11, the Lions started 8–2 for the first time since 1962. After a Week 16 win against the Minnesota Vikings, the Lions won their first division title since 1993, and their first ever as a member of the NFC North following the NFL's division realignment in 2002. This also marks their first playoff appearance since 2016. The win assured them their first home playoff game since 1993 and only their third since winning their last NFL title in 1957.
However, they were seeded third for the NFC playoffs, having lost the conference record tiebreaker to both the 49ers and Cowboys, whom they also lost head-to-head. In their first playoff game at Ford Field, the Lions defeated their former quarterback Matthew Stafford and current quarterback Jared Goff's former team, the Los Angeles Rams 24–23 in the Wild Card game for their first playoff victory since the 1991 season, ending the longest winless post-season drought in the NFL. The Lions hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round, which marked the first time the Lions hosted two playoff games in the same season in franchise history. The Lions defeated the Buccaneers 31–23 to advance to the NFC Championship for the first time since 1991. However, they blew a 24–7 lead at halftime and lost in the NFC Championship Game to the San Francisco 49ers 34–31.
The Detroit Lions drew an average home attendance of 64,850 in 8 home games in the 2023 NFL season, the 25th highest in the league.
Player movements Free agents PositionPlayerFree agencytagDate signed2023 teamSource LB Alex Anzalone UFA March 15 Detroit Lions K Michael Badgley UFA March 20 Detroit Lions LB Chris Board UFA March 22 New England Patriots G Evan Brown UFA April 3 Seattle Seahawks DE Austin Bryant UFA March 23 San Francisco 49ers DT Isaiah Buggs UFA March 13 Detroit Lions WR D. J. Chark UFA March 24 Carolina Panthers DE John Cominsky UFA March 15 Detroit Lions LS Scott Daly ERFA March 22 Detroit Lions S DeShon Elliott UFA March 17 Miami Dolphins S Will Harris UFA March 16 Detroit Lions RB Justin Jackson UFA July 22 Detroit Lions CB Mike Hughes UFA March 20 Atlanta Falcons DT Benito Jones ERFA April 26 Detroit Lions G Tommy Kraemer ERFA August 2 New Orleans Saints S C. J. Moore UFA March 20 Detroit Lions OT Matt Nelson RFA March 14 Detroit Lions CB Amani Oruwariye UFA March 23 New York Giants C Ross Pierschbacher RFA March 8 Detroit Lions LB Anthony Pittman ERFA March 13 Detroit Lions CB Bobby Price RFA June 5 Arizona Cardinals RB Craig Reynolds ERFA March 13 Detroit Lions G Dan Skipper RFA August 1 Indianapolis Colts QB Nate Sudfeld UFA March 24 Detroit Lions RB Jamaal Williams UFA March 17 New Orleans Saints LB Josh Woods UFA March 23 Arizona Cardinals TE Brock Wright ERFA March 13 Detroit Lions TE Shane Zylstra ERFA March 13 Detroit Lions
Additions Position Player Previous team Date Source S C. J. Gardner-Johnson Philadelphia Eagles March 20 G Graham Glasgow Denver Broncos March 20 WR Marvin Jones Jr. Jacksonville Jaguars April 5 CB Mac McCain Philadelphia Eagles February 23 LS Jake McQuaide Dallas Cowboys March 20 RB David Montgomery Chicago Bears March 16 CB Emmanuel Moseley San Francisco 49ers March 16 LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin Houston Texans March 27 CB Cameron Sutton Pittsburgh Steelers March 16 TE Patrick Murtaugh N/A May 4
Releases PositionPlayer2023 teamRelease dateSource DT Michael Brockers February 24 CB Jeff Okudah Atlanta Falcons April 11 WR Quintez Cephus April 21 S C. J. Moore April 21RB D'Andre Swift Philadelphia Eagles April 29 G Logan Stenberg Chicago Bears August 10 WRMarvin Jones Jr.October 24
Draft
+ 2023 Detroit Lions draft selections Round Selection Player Position College Notes Source 1 6 Traded to the Arizona Cardinals From Rams 12 Jahmyr Gibbs RB Alabama From Browns via Texans and Cardinals 18 Jack Campbell LB Iowa 2 34 Sam LaPorta TE Iowa From Cardinals 45 Brian Branch S Alabama From Packers 48 Traded to the Green Bay Packers 55 Traded to the Kansas City Chiefs From Vikings 63 Traded to the Denver Broncos From Chiefs 3 68 Hendon Hooker QB Tennessee From Broncos 81 Traded to the Arizona Cardinals 96 Brodric Martin DT Western Kentucky From Cardinals 4 119 Traded to the Minnesota Vikings 122 Traded to the Arizona Cardinals From Dolphins via Chiefs 5 139 Traded to the Arizona Cardinals From Broncos 152 Colby Sorsdal OT William & Mary 159 Traded to the Green Bay Packers From Jaguars via Falcons 168 Traded to the Arizona Cardinals From Cardinals 6 183 Traded to the Denver Broncos From Broncos 194 Traded to the Kansas City Chiefs 7 219 Antoine Green WR North Carolina From Texans via Vikings and Eagles 235 Traded to the Los Angeles Rams 249 Traded to the Philadelphia Eagles From Chiefs
+ 2023 Detroit Lions undrafted free agents Name Position College Ref. Brad Cecil C South Florida Chase Cota WR Oregon Isaac Darkangelo LB Illinois Dylan Drummond WR Eastern Michigan Cory Durden DT NC State Connor Galvin OT Baylor Steven Gilmore Jr. CB Marshall Mohamed Ibrahim RB Minnesota Brandon Joseph S Notre Dame Adrian Martinez QB Kansas State Zach Morton DE Akron Trevor Nowaske LB Saginaw Valley State Chris Smith DT Notre Dame Ryan Swoboda OT UCF Starling Thomas V CB UAB Keytaon Thompson WR Virginia
Draft trades
Staff
Final roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 New York Giants W 21–16 1–0 Ford Field Recap 2 Jacksonville Jaguars L 7–25 1–1 Ford Field Recap 3 at Carolina Panthers W 26–17 2–1 Bank of America Stadium Recap
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 7 at Kansas City Chiefs W 21–20 1–0 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 2 September 17 Seattle Seahawks L 31–37 1–1 Ford Field Recap 3 September 24 Atlanta Falcons W 20–6 2–1 Ford Field Recap 4 at Green Bay Packers W 34–20 3–1 Lambeau Field Recap 5 October 8 Carolina Panthers W 42–24 4–1 Ford Field Recap 6 October 15 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 20–6 5–1 Raymond James Stadium Recap 7 October 22 at Baltimore Ravens L 6–38 5–2 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 8 Las Vegas Raiders W 26–14 6–2 Ford Field Recap 9Bye 10 November 12 at Los Angeles Chargers W 41–38 7–2 SoFi Stadium Recap 11 November 19 Chicago Bears W 31–26 8–2 Ford Field Recap 12 November 23 Green Bay Packers L 22–29 8–3 Ford Field Recap 13 December 3 at New Orleans Saints W 33–28 9–3 Caesars Superdome Recap 14 December 10 at Chicago Bears L 13–28 9–4 Soldier Field Recap 15 Denver Broncos W 42–17 10–4 Ford Field Recap 16 December 24 at Minnesota Vikings W 30–24 11–4 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 17 at Dallas Cowboys L 19–20 11–5 AT&T Stadium Recap 18 January 7 Minnesota Vikings W 30–20 12–5 Ford Field Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: at Kansas City Chiefs
To open the regular season, the Lions visited the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in the annual NFL Kickoff Game. The Lions took advantage of the Chiefs not having Travis Kelce, their star tight end, due to a knee injury sustained in their practice just two days prior to this game. The Lions started off hot, scoring in the first quarter after a nine-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown. The Chiefs scored 14 points in the second quarter via a one-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes to Rashee Rice and a four-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes to Blake Bell, which made the score 14–7 in favor of Kansas City at half-time. The Lions responded with a 50-yard interception return by Brian Branch in the third quarter to tie the game. The Chiefs regained the lead during a 35-yard field goal by Harrison Butker, and scored again in the fourth quarter when Butker hit 39-yard field goal. The Lions scored the final points of the game, an eight-yard touchdown run from David Montgomery, making the final score 21–20 in favor of Detroit. With the upset win, the Lions started the season 1–0 for the first time since 2017. They also won their first game at Arrowhead Stadium since 1988, which, coincidentally, was also won by a mere point.
Week 2: vs. Seattle Seahawks
In week 2, for their home opener, the Lions hosted the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks opened the scoring in the first quarter on a Kenneth Walker III run. The Lions responded with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Josh Reynolds to tie the game 7-7. The Lions scored the only points of the second quarter during a 36-yard touchdown pass from Goff to Kalif Raymond, which made the score 14–7 in favor of Detroit at halftime. The Seahawks scored 10 points in the third quarter, a three-yard touchdown run from Walker III, and a 25-yard field goal by Jason Myers. The Lions answered with a four-yard touchdown run from David Montgomery to regain the lead 21–17. The Seahawks came back in the fourth quarter via a three-yard touchdown pass from Geno Smith to Tyler Lockett and a 40-yard interception return by Tre Brown. The Lions responded with a four-yard touchdown pass from Goff to Reynolds and a 38-yard field goal by Riley Patterson as time expired in the game to force overtime 31-31. During overtime, the Seahawks scored a six-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Lockett, making the final score 37–31 in favor of Seattle. With the loss, the Lions fell to 1–1. They once again failed to beat the Seahawks, not having done so since 2012, although they would break the streak the year after.
Week 3: vs. Atlanta Falcons
In week 3, the Lions hosted the Atlanta Falcons. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 37-yard field goal by Riley Patterson. The Falcons responded with a 48-yard field goal by Younghoe Koo in the second quarter to tie the game 3 to 3. The Lions scored 10 points in the quarter with a 45-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Sam LaPorta and a 24-yard field goal by Patterson, which made the score 13–3 in favor of Detroit at half-time. After a scoreless third quarter, the Lions extended their lead in the fourth quarter to 20–3 in a three-yard touchdown run from Goff. The Falcons had the final score of the game, a 24-yard field goal by Koo, making the final score 20–6 in favor of Detroit. With the win, the Lions improved to 2–1.
Week 4: at Green Bay Packers
In week 4, the Lions visited their divisional rival, the Green Bay Packers. The Packers opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 34-yard field goal by Anders Carlson. The Lions scored 14 points via a 34-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown and a three-yard touchdown run from David Montgomery. The Lions scored 13 points in the second quarter via a 33-yard field goal by Riley Patterson, a two-yard touchdown run from Montgomery and a 37-yard field goal by Patterson, which made the score 27–3 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Packers scored the only points of the third quarter via a one-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Love to Christian Watson and a two-point conversion pass from Love to Jayden Reed. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the fourth quarter, first a nine-yard touchdown run from Love for the Packers, then a one-yard touchdown run from Montgomery for the Lions. The Packers scored the final points of the game via a 50-yard field goal by Carlson, making the final score 34–20 in favor of Detroit. With the win, the Lions improved to 3–1 and extended their winning streak against the Packers to four games.
Week 5: vs. Carolina Panthers