The 2020 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) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...

' 91st in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL) and their third and final season under

head coach A head coach, senior coach, or manager is a professional responsible for training and developing athletes within a sports team. This role often has a higher public profile and salary than other coaching positions. In some sports, such as associat ...

Matt Patricia Matthew Edward Patricia (born September 13, 1974) is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator at Ohio State. He previously served 15 non-consecutive seasons as an assistant coach with the New England Patriots of the National ...

. The Lions improved on their 3–12–1 record from the previous season, but were eliminated from playoff contention for the fourth consecutive year following their loss to the

Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...

in Week 15. The Lions finished 5–11, and last place in the NFC North for the third consecutive season. Further, the 2020 Lions defense had one of the worst seasons in NFL history, setting franchise records for points allowed (519, 3rd worst in NFL history) and yards allowed (6,716, 3rd worst in NFL history) in a season, both marks topping the 2008 team. 2020 was

Matthew Stafford John Matthew Stafford (born February 7, 1988) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs football, Georg ...

’s twelfth and final year with Detroit, 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, Greater Los Angeles area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West ...

in exchange for quarterback

Jared Goff Jared Thomas Goff (born October 14, 1994) is an American professional football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears, setting Pac-12 Conference single- ...

and three draft picks on January 31, 2021. On June 23, 2020, Detroit Lions' principal owner

Martha Firestone Ford Martha Firestone Ford ( Martha Parke Firestone; born September 16, 1925) is an American businesswoman and former principal owner and chairperson of the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). Ford is also on the board of the Henr ...

stepped down, passing ownership to her daughter

Sheila Ford Hamp Sheila Ford Hamp ( Sheila Firestone Ford; born October 31, 1951) is an American businesswoman and football executive. A descendant of both the Ford and Firestone families, she is the principal owner and chairwoman of the Detroit Lions of the ...

. Following the Lions'

Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in October and November in the United States, Canada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Germany. It is also observed in the Australian territory ...

loss to the

Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...

, both Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn were fired and offensive coordinator

Darrell Bevell Darrell Wayne Bevell (born January 6, 1970) is an American football coach who is the passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as offensive coordinator for ...

took over as interim head coach. Patricia finished his tenure in Detroit with a record of . Additionally, the Lions fired special teams coordinator

Brayden Coombs Brayden Coombs (born October 24, 1986) is a former American football coach who was the special teams coordinator for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 10 years coaching with the Cincinnati Bengals after ...

on December 21.Lions Fire Special Teams Coordinator Brayden Coombs
''Sports Illustrated'' Fan Nation, December 21, 2020

Offseason

Coaching changes

*On December 31, 2019, the Lions fired strength coach

Harold Nash Harold Nash, Jr. (born May 5, 1970) is an American football strength and conditioning coach of the National Football League (NFL). He is also a former defensive back in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Playing career Nash attended St. Aug ...

, special-teams coordinator

John Bonamego John Frank Bonamego (born August 14, 1963) is an American football coach who serves as a special teams assistant for the Tennessee Volunteers. He recently served as a senior coaching assistant for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football Le ...

, defensive backs coach Brian Stewart, linebackers coach

Al Golden Alfred James Golden Jr. (born July 4, 1969) is an American professional football coach and former tight end who is the defensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He served as the head football coach f ...

, tight ends coach Chris White and assistant strength coach Rodney Hill. *On January 2, 2020, defensive coordinator

Paul Pasqualoni Paul Lucian Pasqualoni (; born August 16, 1949) is an American football coach who recently served as the linebackers coach for the Memphis Showboats of the United Football League (UFL). He most recently was the defensive line coach for the Caro ...

retired and offensive line coach

Jeff Davidson Jeff Davidson (born October 3, 1967) is an American professional football coach and former player in the National Football League (NFL). He was the offensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns. Playing career High school ...

took an "indefinite leave" from coaching. *On January 13, the Lions hired

Cory Undlin Cory Undlin (born June 29, 1971) is an American football coach who is the defensive passing game coordinator for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions in ...

as defensive coordinator.

Additions

Departures

Re-signings

Trades

*On March 18, the Lions acquired

safety Safety is the state of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings The word 'safety' entered the English language in the 1 ...

Duron Harmon and a seventh-round pick from the

New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...

in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the

2020 NFL draft The 2020 NFL draft was the 85th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible players for the 2020 NFL season. The first round was held on April 23, followed by the second and third rounds on April 24. The ...

. *On March 19, the Lions traded

cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover Wide receiver, receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such Play from scrimmage, offensive running plays as sweep ...

Darius Slay Darius Demetrius Slay Jr. (born January 1, 1991) is an American professional football cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Itawamba before transferring to Mississippi State ...

to 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 of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...

in exchange for a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. *On October 27, the Lions acquired defensive end

Everson Griffen Everson Griffen (born December 22, 1987) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). A graduate of Agua Fria High School, Griffen played college football for the USC Trojans ...

from the

Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...

in exchange for a conditional sixth-round draft pick in the

2021 NFL draft The 2021 NFL draft was the 86th National Football League draft, the annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible players for the 2021 NFL season. The draft was held in Cleveland, Ohio from April 29 to May ...

Draft

Notes *The

Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. Since the 2008 India ...

traded a third and sixth-round selection (75th and 197th) to Detroit in exchange for a third, fifth, and sixth-round selection (85th, 149th, 182nd). *The Lions traded their fourth-round selection (109th) to the

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

in exchange for a fourth and fifth-round selection (121st and 172nd). *On August 23, 2018, the Lions traded a conditional seventh-round selection to the

San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the 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 ...

in exchange for

linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the line ...

Eli Harold. *On October 22, 2019, the Lions traded

Quandre Diggs Quandre Diggs (born January 22, 1993) is an American professional football safety. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns, and was selected by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL draft. He played his first two years ...

and a seventh-round pick in the

to 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 of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...

in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

The

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

caused the preseason to be cancelled. On July 29, the Lions placed five players, including wide receiver

Kenny Golladay Kenny Golladay (born November 3, 1993) is an American former professional football wide receiver. He has previously played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions and New York Giants. He played college football for the North ...

and tight end T. J. Hockenson, on the

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

reserve list. The following day, two more players, including cornerback

Justin Coleman Justin Jamal Coleman (born March 27, 1993) is an American football cornerback and nickelback who is a free agent. He played college football at Tennessee, and signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He has also been ...

, were placed on the list. On August 1, the Lions placed quarterback

on the list. Three days later, however, Stafford's test was confirmed to be a

false positive A false positive is an error in binary classification in which a test result incorrectly indicates the presence of a condition (such as a disease when the disease is not present), while a false negative is the opposite error, where the test resu ...

and he was removed from the list. Most games this season were played

behind closed doors Behind Closed Doors may refer to: Film, television and radio Film * ''Behind Closed Doors'' (1929 film), an early talkie starring Virginia Valli * Behind Closed Doors (1961 film), ''Behind Closed Doors'' (1961 film), an Italian comedy film by Dino ...

, with crowds at some stadiums limited to friends and families of the players, coaches, and staff members. Several members of the Lions coaching staff, including interim head coach

, had to quarantine during the week 16 game against the

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...

due to an outbreak.Lions could be without several coaches vs. Bucs as team determines high-risk COVID-19 close contacts
NFL.com, December 23, 2020

Staff

Following the Lions'

loss to the

, both Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn were relieved of their duties with offensive coordinator

taking over as interim head coach. Patricia finished his tenure in Detroit with a record of . Additionally, the Lions fired special teams coordinator

on December 21. Due to Coronavirus restrictions, Robert Prince was the acting head coach when the team faced the

Final roster

Preseason

The Lions' preseason schedule was announced on May 7, but was later cancelled due to the

Regular season

Schedule

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Chicago Bears

The Lions began their season by hosting their divisional

rival A rivalry is the state of two people or Social group, groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each ...

, 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 of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...

. Detroit opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 27-yard field goal by

Matt Prater Matthew Phillip Prater (born August 10, 1984) is an American professional football placekicker. Regarded as one of the best long distance kickers in NFL history, he held the NFL record for longest field goal (64 yards) from 2013 until 2021 and ...

. The Bears got on the board in the second quarter via a 35-yard field goal by

Cairo Santos Cairo Fernandes Santos (; born 12 November 1991) is a Brazilian-American professional American football placekicker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tulane Green Wave, and was sig ...

to tie the game. The teams exchanged field goals, first a 32-yard field goal by Prater, then a 28-yard field goal by Santos. The Lions responded with a one-yard touchdown run from

D'Andre Swift D'Andre Tiyon Swift (born January 14, 1999) is an American professional American football, football running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs football, Georgia B ...

, making the score 13–6 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Lions extended their lead in the third quarter via a four-yard touchdown pass from

to T. J. Hockenson and a 44-yard field goal by Prater. The Bears responded with 21-unanswered points in the fourth quarter via a two-yard touchdown pass from

Mitchell Trubisky Mitchell David Trubisky ( ; born August 20, 1994) is an American professional football quarterback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels and was selected second ...

Jimmy Graham Jimmy Graham (born November 24, 1986) is an American professional American football, football tight end. He was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 2010 NFL draft. Graham has also been a member of the Seattle Seahawks, G ...

, a one-yard touchdown pass from Trubisky to

Javon Wims Javon Lamar Wims (born September 11, 1994) is an American professional football wide receiver. He played college football at Georgia. Early life Wims attended and played high school football at Edward H. White High School in Jacksonville, Flor ...

and a 27-yard touchdown pass from Trubisky to Anthony Miller. The Lions' attempted comeback failed when Swift dropped the go-ahead touchdown with 11 seconds remaining in the game, making the final score 27–23 in favor of Chicago. This was the Lions' 10th consecutive loss dating back to Week 9 of last season. It also marks the team's fifth straight loss to Chicago. Jamie Collins, one of the Lions' linebackers got ejected for contacting a referee.

Week 2: at Green Bay Packers

In week 2, the Lions visited their divisional

, the

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 of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...

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

Kerryon Johnson Kerryon Johnson (born June 30, 1997) is an American former professional football player who was a running back who is currently the running backs coach at the East Tennessee State University. He played college football for the Auburn Tigers and ...

. The Packers responded with a 43-yard field goal by

Mason Crosby Mason Walker Crosby (born September 3, 1984) is an American former professional football placekicker. He played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes, and earned unanimous All-American honors. The Green Bay Packers selected him in the sixth ...

. The Lions extended their lead via a four-yard touchdown pass from

to Marvin Jones. The Packers scored 14 points in the second quarter via a seven-yard touchdown pass from

Aaron Rodgers Aaron Charles Rodgers (born December 2, 1983) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears foo ...

to Aaron Jones and an 11-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to

Robert Tonyan Robert Joseph Tonyan Jr. ( /tʌnjən/ TUN-yən; born April 30, 1994) is an American professional football tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). Tonyan played for the Green Bay Packers for five seasons from 2 ...

, making the score 17–14 in favor of Green Bay at half-time. The Packers scored 17 points in the third quarter via a 75-yard touchdown run from Jones, a seven-yard interception return by

Chandon Sullivan Chandon Lamar Sullivan (born August 7, 1996) is an American professional football cornerback. He played college football for the Georgia State Panthers. Early life Sullivan was born on August 7, 1996, to Jannice and Dexter Sullivan.Marvin Hall, then a 14-yard touchdown run from Jones, and a two-point conversion run by

Jamaal Williams Jamaal Malik Williams (born April 3, 1995) is an American professional football running back. He played college football for the BYU Cougars and was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL draft. Early life William ...

, making the final score 42–21 in favor of Green Bay. This was the Lions' 11th consecutive loss dating back to Week 9 of last season.

Week 3: at Arizona Cardinals

In week 3, the Lions visited the 2–0

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) NFC West, West division. The ...

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

. The Cardinals responded with a 13-yard touchdown pass from

Kyler Murray Kyler Cole Murray (born August 7, 1997) is an American professional football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). Following one season of college football with the Texas A&M Aggies, Murray played for the ...

Andy Isabella Andy Isabella (born November 18, 1996) is an American professional football wide receiver. He played college football for the UMass Minutemen, and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft. Early life Isabe ...

. The Lions took the lead in the second quarter via a five-yard touchdown pass from

Jesse James Jesse Woodson James (September 5, 1847April 3, 1882) was an American outlaw, Bank robbery, bank and Train robbery, train robber, guerrilla and leader of the James–Younger Gang. Raised in the "Little Dixie (Missouri), Little Dixie" area of M ...

. The Cardinals responded with a one-yard touchdown run from Murray followed by a failed point-after conversion to take a 13–10 lead. The Lions closed the quarter with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to

, making the score 17–13 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The teams exchanged field goals in the third quarter, first a 54-yard field goal by

Zane Gonzalez Zane Holden Fortunato Gonzalez (born May 7, 1995) is an American professional football placekicker. He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils, finishing as the NCAA Division I leader in field goals made at the time prior to be ...

, then a 24-yard field goal by Prater. The Cardinals responded with a four-yard touchdown pass from Murray to Isabella to regain the lead, 23–20. Prater kicked two field goals in the final quarter: first one from 35 yards to tie the game, then one from 39 yards as time expired, making the final score 26–23 in favor of Detroit. With the win, the Lions snapped an 11-game losing streak dating back to week 8 of last season.

Week 4: vs. New Orleans Saints

In week 4, the Lions hosted the

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...

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

, and a 15-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to

. The Saints responded with a three-yard touchdown run from

Latavius Murray Latavius Rashard Murray (born January 18, 1990) is an American professional American football, football running back. He played college football for the UCF Knights football, UCF Knights and was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the sixth round ...

. The Saints scored 21 points in the second quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from

Alvin Kamara Alvin Mentian Kamara (born July 25, 1995) is an American professional football running back for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers after transferring from Hutchi ...

, and two touchdown passes from

Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is sec ...

Tre'Quan Smith Tre'Quan Smith (born January 7, 1996) is an American professional football wide receiver. He has previously played in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints and Denver Broncos. He played college football at UCF. Early life Smith attended Village A ...

, from two-yards and 20-yards, respectively, making the score 28–14 in favor of New Orleans at half-time. The Saints extended their lead in the third quarter via a six-yard touchdown run from Murray. The Lions responded with a one-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to T. J. Hockenson. The Lions scored the only points of the fourth quarter via a five-yard touchdown run from

Adrian Peterson Adrian Lewis Peterson (; born March 21, 1985) is an American former professional football running back who played 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He is widely considered to be one of the greatest running backs in football hist ...

and a two-point conversion pass from Stafford to Hockenson, making the final score 35–29 in favor of New Orleans. They also dubiously have blown a double-digit lead in five consecutive losses dating back to last season.

Week 6: at Jacksonville Jaguars

Following their bye week, in week 6, the Lions visited the

Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team ...

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

. The Jaguars responded with a 31-yard field goal by Jon Brown. The Lions scored 10 points in the second quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from

and a 31-yard field goal by

, making the score 17–3 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Lions extended their lead in the third quarter via a one-yard touchdown pass from

to T. J. Hockenson. The Jaguars responded with a six-yard touchdown run from

Gardner Minshew Gardner Flint Minshew II (born May 16, 1996) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He began his college football career with the Northwest Mississipp ...

. The Lions scored 10 points in the fourth quarter via a six-yard touchdown run from Swift and a 41-yard field goal by Prater. The Jaguars responded with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Minshew to James Robinson, making the final score 34–16 in favor of Detroit. Swift became the first rookie running back for the Lions to run for 100-plus yards and score two touchdowns in a game since

Barry Sanders Barry Sanders (born July 16, 1968) is an American former professional football running back who played for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. Sanders led the league in rushing yards four times and in rushin ...

1989 1989 was a turning point in political history with the "Revolutions of 1989" which ended communism in Eastern Bloc of Europe, starting in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power-sharing coming to a head with the opening of the Berlin W ...

. Stafford has now thrown a touchdown pass against every NFL team (except his own).

Week 7: at Atlanta Falcons

In week 7, 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 of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...

. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a three-yard touchdown run from

. The Falcons added 14 points in the second quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from

Todd Gurley Todd Jerome Gurley II (born August 3, 1994) is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons, primarily with the Los Angeles Rams. He played college football for the Georg ...

and a four-yard touchdown pass from Matt Ryan to

Calvin Ridley Calvin Orin Ridley (born December 20, 1994) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, where he was a part of the n ...

. The Lions responded with a 50-yard field goal by

, making the score 14–10 in favor of Atlanta at half-time. The Lions scored the only points of the third quarter via a 51-yard field goal by Prater. In the fourth quarter, the Lions regained the lead via a 49-yard field goal by Prater. The Falcons made it all the way to the Detroit red zone and threatened to kick a game-winning field goal. However, Falcons running back

accidentally scored a touchdown, leaving over a minute for the Lions to respond. The Lions ended up scoring a walk-off touchdown from

to T. J. Hockenson, with the help of a long PAT from Matt Prater, to win it 23–22.

Week 8: vs. Indianapolis Colts

In week 8, the Lions hosted the

. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 25-yard touchdown pass from

to Marvin Jones. The Colts scored 20 points in the second quarter via a 22-yard touchdown pass from

Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football for the ...

Nyheim Hines Nyheim Arthur Hines ( ; born November 12, 1996) is an American professional American football, football running back. He played college football at NC State Wolfpack football, NC State, and was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth ro ...

, a seven-yard touchdown pass from Rivers to Jack Doyle, and a 29-yard touchdown pass from Rivers to Hines, making the score 20–7 in favor of Indianapolis at half-time. The Lions scored the only points of the third quarter via a nine-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to

. The Colts scored 21 points in the fourth quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from

Jordan Wilkins Jordan Wilkins (born July 18, 1994) is an American professional football running back. He played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels. Early life Wilkins attended and played high school football at Saint Benedict at Auburndale. He was consi ...

, and two-point conversion run by Wilkins, a 29-yard interception return by Kenny Moore II, and a two-yard touchdown run from

Trey Burton Lawrence Godfrey "Trey" Burton III (born October 29, 1991) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators and was signed by the Phi ...

. The Lions responded with a four-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Jones, making the final score 41–21 in favor of Indianapolis.

Week 9: at Minnesota Vikings

In week 9, the Lions visited their divisional

, the

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

. The Vikings scored 13 points in the first quarter via a five-yard touchdown run from

Dalvin Cook Dalvin James Cook (born August 10, 1995) is an American professional football running back. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles, earning unanimous All-American honors and finishing his career as the school's all-time leadin ...

and a nine-yard touchdown pass from

Kirk Cousins Kirk Daniel Cousins (born August 19, 1988) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans football, Mi ...

Irv Smith Jr. Irvin Martin Smith Jr. (born August 9, 1998) is an American professional football tight end for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide and was selected in the second rou ...

(This marked the first game of the 2020 season in which the Lions did not score first.) The Lions scored ten points in the second quarter via a 23-yard field goal by

and a 15-yard touchdown pass from

to Marvin Jones. The Vikings responded with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to

Ameer Abdullah Ameer Abdullah (born June 13, 1993) is an American professional football running back and kickoff returner, who most recently played for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Detroit Lions in the se ...

, making the score 20–10 in favor of Minnesota at half-time. The Vikings scored the only points of the third quarter via a one-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to Smith Jr. The Lions attempted comeback failed with interceptions on consecutive possessions in the third quarter. Stafford exited the game in the fourth quarter due to concussion protocol. The Lions scored 10 points in the fourth quarter via a 45-yard field goal by Prater and a two-yard touchdown pass from

Chase Daniel William Chase Daniel (born October 7, 1986) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Missouri Tigers, earning second-team All-American hono ...

to T. J. Hockenson. The Vikings responded with a 70-yard touchdown run from Cook, making the final score 34–20 in favor of Minnesota.

Week 10: vs. Washington Football Team

In week 10, the Lions hosted the

Washington Football Team The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...

. Detroit opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 55-yard touchdown pass from

to Marvin Hall. Washington responded with a 38-yard field goal by

Dustin Hopkins Dustin Hopkins (born October 1, 1990) is an American professional football placekicker for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was selected by the Buffalo Bil ...

, their only points of the first half. Detroit added 10 points in the second quarter, via a 27-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Marvin Jones and a 53-yard field goal by

, making the score 17–3 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the third quarter, first a 15-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to

for Detroit, then a two-yard touchdown run from J. D. McKissic for Washington. In the fourth quarter, Washington's

Antonio Gibson Antonio Gibson (born June 23, 1998) is an American professional football running back and kickoff returner for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at East Central Community College in Missis ...

scored back-to-back touchdowns, from two and five-yards, respectively, to tie the score at 24 points. Detroit responded with a 37-yard field goal by Prater to regain the lead. Washington responded with a 41-yard field goal by Hopkins, to tie the score again at 27 points each. Detroit responded with a 59-yard game-winning field goal by Prater as time expired, making the final score 30–27 in favor of Detroit, for their first home win of the season.

Week 11: at Carolina Panthers

In week 11, the Lions visited the

Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...

. The Panthers opened the scoring in the first quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from Mike Davis. After a scoreless second quarter, the Panthers added 10 points in the third quarter via a 17-yard touchdown pass from

P. J. Walker Phillip "P. J." Walker Jr. (born February 26, 1995) is an American professional football quarterback for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Temple, and was signed as an undrafted free ag ...

to Curtis Samuel and a 58-yard field goal by

Joey Slye Joseph David Slye (born April 10, 1996) is an American professional American football, football placekicker for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies football, Virgini ...

. The Panthers extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a 37-yard field goal by Slye, making the final score 20–0 in favor of Carolina. The Lions were

shut out Shut Out may refer to: * Shutout In team sports, a shutout (North American English, US) or clean sheet (Commonwealth English, UK) is a game in which the losing team fails to score. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable ...

for the first time since week 6 of

2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...

Week 12: vs. Houston Texans

For their annual Thanksgiving Day game, the Lions donned throwback uniforms and hosted the

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

. The Texans responded with a 19-yard interception return by J. J. Watt and a two-yard touchdown pass from

Deshaun Watson Derrick Deshaun Watson (born September 14, 1995) is an American professional football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Clemson Tigers, leading the team to a national ...

C. J. Prosise Calvin "C. J." Prosise Jr. (born May 20, 1994) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft. He ...

. In the second quarter, Detroit regained the lead via a one-yard touchdown run from Peterson. Houston responded with 10 points via a 33-yard touchdown pass from Watson to

Duke Johnson Randy "Duke" Johnson Jr. (born September 23, 1993) is an American former professional football running back who played eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round (77th overall) ...

and a 42-yard field goal by

Kaʻimi Fairbairn John Christian Kaiminoeauloamekaikeokekumupaa Fairbairn (born January 29, 1994) is an American professional football placekicker for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). Playing college football for the UCLA Bruins, he was a ...

, making the score 23–14 in favor of Houston at half-time. In the third quarter, the teams exchanged field goals, first a 29-yarder by

for Detroit, then a 26-yarder by Fairbairn for Houston. In the fourth quarter,

Will Fuller William Vincent Fuller V (born April 16, 1994) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, earning second-team ...

of the Texans scored back-to-back touchdown receptions, from 40 and 34 yards, respectively. Detroit scored the game's final points via a 14-yard touchdown pass from

Mohamed Sanu Mohamed Sanu Sr. (born August 22, 1989) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football, Ru ...

and a two-point conversion pass from Stafford to Sanu, making the final score 41–25 in favor of the Texans. With the loss, the Lions fell to 4–7 and lost their fourth consecutive Thanksgiving Day game. Two days after the game, both head coach

and general manager Bob Quinn were fired by the Lions.

Week 13: at Chicago Bears

In week 13, the Lions visited their divisional

rivals A rivalry is the state of two people or Social group, groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each ...

, the

, for a rematch of week 1, in

's debut as interim head coach. The Bears scored nine points in the first quarter via a 45-yard field goal by

and a 13-yard touchdown run from David Montgomery. The Lions responded with a three-yard touchdown run from

. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the second quarter via a five-yard touchdown run from

Cordarrelle Patterson Cordarrelle Patterson ( ; born March 17, 1991), nicknamed "Flash", is an American professional American football, football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). As a versatile utility player, he is also ...

for the Bears and a 49-yard touchdown pass from

to Quintez Cephus for the Lions. The Bears extended their lead via a four-yard touchdown run from Montgomery, making the score 23–13 in favor of Chicago at half-time. The Lions scored the only points of the third quarter via a nine-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to

. The Bears extended their lead in the fourth quarter via an 11-yard touchdown pass from

Cole Kmet Cole Kmet (born March 10, 1999) is an American professional football tight end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and was selected by the Bears in the second ...

. The Lions responded with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Marvin Jones. With under two minutes left in the game, Trubisky was sacked by

Romeo Okwara Romeo Chidozie Okwara (born June 17, 1995) is a Nigerian-born former American football defensive end. He played college football at Notre Dame. Okwara signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2016, and played six seasons wit ...

at the Bears nine-yard line, causing a fumble that was recovered by Detroit's John Penisini. On the ensuing possession, the Lions scored via a five-yard touchdown run from Peterson. The Lions' defense held off the Bears on the next possession, making the final score 34–30 in favor of Detroit. With the win, the Lions snapped a five-game losing streak to the Bears dating back to week 11 of

2017 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. Events January * January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...

. This was their last win until week 13 of the

2021 season 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...

, 364 days later.

Week 14: vs. Green Bay Packers

In week 14, the Lions hosted their divisional

, the

, for a rematch of week 2. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a one-yard touchdown pass from

to T. J. Hockenson. The Packers responded with a 56-yard touchdown pass from

Davante Adams Davante Lavell Adams (born December 24, 1992) is an American professional American football, football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played two seasons of college football for the Fresno State Bu ...

to tie the game. In the second quarter the Packers scored via a 14-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to

Marquez Valdes-Scantling Marquez Reshard Valdes-Scantling (born October 10, 1994), also known by his initials MVS, is an American professional football wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the NC St ...

, to take their first lead of the game. The Lions responded with a three-yard touchdown run from

, tying the score at 14–14 at half-time. The Packers scored the only points of the third quarter via a six-yard touchdown run from Rodgers. The Packers extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a four-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to

. The Lions responded with a two-yard touchdown run from

. The teams then exchanged field goals, first a 57-yard field goal by

for the Packers, then a 32-yard field goal by

for the Lions, making the final score 31–24 in favor of Green Bay.

Week 15: at Tennessee Titans

In week 15, the Lions visited the

, who they had not beaten since

1995 1995 was designated as: * United Nations Year for Tolerance * World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...

when the latter was known as the

Houston Oilers The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston, Texas, from its founding in 1960 Houston Oilers season, 1960 to 1996 Houston Oilers season, 1996. The Houston Oilers began play as a charter member of the Ame ...

. The Titans opened the scoring in the first quarter via a three-yard touchdown run from

Derrick Henry Derrick Lamar Henry Jr. (born January 4, 1994) is an American professional football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "King Henry", he is known for his imposing style of play and larger build t ...

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

to Marvin Jones to tie the game. The Titans regained the lead via a 75-yard touchdown pass from

Ryan Tannehill Ryan Timothy Tannehill III (born July 27, 1988) is an American professional football quarterback. He played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies, playing wide receiver until his junior year, and was selected eighth overall by the Miami Dol ...

to Corey Davis. The Titans extended their lead in the second quarter via a 17-yard touchdown run from Tannehill. The Lions responded with nine points via a

and a two-yard touchdown run from

. The Titans responded with a 38-yard field goal by

Stephen Gostkowski Stephen Carroll Gostkowski ( ; born January 28, 1984) is an American former professional football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons. A member of the New England Patriots for most of his career, he is th ...

, making the score 24–15 in favor of Tennessee at half-time. The Lions scored the only points of the third quarter via a 53-yard field goal by

. In the fourth quarter, the Titans extended their lead via a three-yard touchdown run from Tannehill and a two-point conversion run by Henry, and a two-yard touchdown pass from Tannehill to

A. J. Brown Arthur Juan Brown (born June 30, 1997) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels and was selected by the Tennessee Tit ...

. The Lions responded with a six-yard touchdown run from Swift. The Titans scored the final points of the game via a three-yard touchdown pass from Tannehill to Darrynton Evans, making the final score 46–25 in favor of Tennessee. With the loss, the Lions were eliminated from playoff contention.

Week 16: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In week 16, the Lions hosted the

. Several members of the Lions coaching staff had to quarantine per NFL rules due to COVID-19 contact tracing. Wide receivers coach Robert Prince filled in for interim head coach

. The Buccaneers scored 34 unanswered points in the first half. They scored 13 points in the first quarter via a 33-yard touchdown pass from

Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 23 seasons. He spent his first 20 seasons with the New Engla ...

Rob Gronkowski Robert James Gronkowski (born May 14, 1989) is an American former professional American football, football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. Nicknamed "Gronk", Gronkowski played nine seasons for the Ne ...

and a 27-yard touchdown pass from Brady to

Mike Evans Michael, Mickey, or Mike Evans may refer to: Sports American football * Mike Evans (offensive lineman) (born 1946), American football offensive lineman * Mike Evans (defensive lineman) (born 1967), American football defensive lineman * Mike Evans ...

. The Buccaneers added 21 points in the second quarter, first via a four-yard touchdown run from

Leonard Fournette Leonard Joseph Fournette III (born January 18, 1995) is an American professional football running back. He played college football for the LSU Tigers, and was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the fourth overall pick in the 2017 NFL dra ...

, then touchdown passes from Brady to

Chris Godwin Rod Christopher Godwin Jr. (born February 27, 1996) is an American professional American football, football wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Penn State Nittany L ...

and

Antonio Brown Antonio Tavaris Brown Sr. (born July 10, 1988), nicknamed "AB", is an American former professional American football, football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. During his first nine seasons with t ...

, from seven and 12-yards, respectively, making the score 34–0 in favor of Tampa Bay at half-time. In the third quarter, the Buccaneers extended their lead via a 25 yard-touchdown pass from

Blaine Gabbert Blaine Williamson Gabbert (born October 15, 1989) is an American professional football quarterback. He played college football for the Missouri Tigers before leaving early for the 2011 NFL draft after his junior year. He was selected by the Jack ...

to Gronkowski. The Lions finally got on the board via a 74-yard punt return by

Jamal Agnew Jamal Agnew (born April 3, 1995) is an American professional football wide receiver and return specialist for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the San Diego Toreros. On September 26, 2021, ...

. The Buccaneers scored the game's final points via a 22-yard touchdown pass from Gabbert to Evans, making the final score 47–7 in favor of Tampa Bay.

Week 17: vs. Minnesota Vikings

To finish the season, the Lions hosted their divisional

the

for a rematch of week 9. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 43-yard touchdown pass from

to Marvin Jones. The Vikings responded with a 28-yard touchdown pass from

to Alexander Mattison. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the second quarter, via a 20-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Quintez Cephus for the Lions, and a four-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to

for the Vikings. The Lions regained the lead via a 54-yard field goal by

. The Vikings responded with a 40-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to

Chad Beebe Chad Beebe (born June 1, 1994) is an American former professional football wide receiver. He played college football at Northern Illinois. Early life Born in Buffalo, New York, Beebe attended Aurora Christian Schools, where he played football f ...

, making the score 21–16 in favor of Minnesota at half-time. The Lions regained the lead in the third quarter via a 26-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Jones. The Vikings responded with 10 points via a two-yard touchdown run from Mattison and a 23-yard field goal by Dan Bailey. The Lions responded with a two-yard touchdown run from

. The Vikings extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from Cousins. The Lions scored the final points of the game via a two-yard touchdown run from

, making the final score 37–35 in favor of Minnesota. The Lions finished 5–11, and last place in the NFC North for the third consecutive season.

Standings

Division

Conference

References

External links

* {{2020 NFL season by team

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

Detroit Lions seasons

2020 in Detroit