The2009Detroit Lions season was the franchise's 80th season overall in theNational Football League (NFL). It was the first season with the Lions for new head coachJim Schwartz, and most of his new coaching staff. The Lions also introduced slightly new uniforms and logos. The Lions improved upon their 0–16 record from the previous season. However, they missed the playoffs for the 10th straight season, which meant the Lions were one of twofranchises, not including theHouston Texans (anexpansion team that began play in 2002), to not qualify for the playoffs in the 2000s, with the other team being theBuffalo Bills.

This season combined with the Lions' 0–16 record theprevious year was the worst two season record (2–30) since the merger until the Cleveland Browns had a 1–15 record in 2016, followed by an 0–16 record in 2017 (1–31).

On December 29, 2008, the day after the last game of the 0–16 2008 season, Detroit Lions ownerWilliam Clay Ford Sr. announced head coachRod Marinelli had been fired.^[1] His record with the Lions was 10–38 in three seasons.

He also announced:

• The promotion ofTom Lewand to team president.
• The promotion ofMartin Mayhew to general manager.
• The following assistant coaches were not retained:Joe Barry (defensive coordinator),Mike Barry (assistant offensive line) andJimmy Lake (secondary).
• The contract ofJoe Cullen (defensive line) will not be renewed.
• The team also announced thatJim Colletto has been reassigned to offensive line coach. He ultimately left football altogether and would be replaced byGeorge Yarno as offensive line coach.
• Additionally, Dave Boller (assistant director of pro personnel) was not retained.

The Lions officially unveiled a somewhat new logo design and uniforms on April 20, 2009, at a public press conference at a localDunham's Sports store. The Lion on the helmet now has a flowing mane and fangs, and the font of "Lions" is more modern and stylish.^[2]

The Lions' throwback uniforms that were used in 2008 became their official third uniform, however they were not used in 2009. The black jerseys used from 2005 to 2007 were officially discontinued on February 9, 2009, according to Lions team president Tom Lewand.^[3]

This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding missing information.(April 2009)

• On February 28, 2009, the Lions traded quarterbackJon Kitna, who sat out most of the 2008 season with a back injury, to theDallas Cowboys for cornerbackAnthony Henry.^[4]
• On March 14, 2009, the Lions traded defensive tackleCory Redding and a fifth round draft pick to theSeattle Seahawks for linebackerJulian Peterson.^[5]

This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding missing information.(April 2009)

• On May 7, 2009, the Lions signed Detroit native and formerMichigan Wolverine linebackerLarry Foote.^[6] He played on the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008.

On March 1, 2009, it was reported that free agent defensive endCorey Smith (who played for the Lions from 2006 to 2008) boarded a fishing boat off the Gulf Coast of Florida with former teammateMarquis Cooper (most recently of theOakland Raiders) and formerUniversity of South Florida players Nick Schuyler and William Blakely on February 28. Smith and Cooper played together on theTampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004. They did not return as expected and the men and their boat were searched for by theU.S. Coast Guard for three days. TheNational Weather Service said waves were about two to four feet Saturday morning and increased to between three and five feet in the afternoon. Late Saturday night, a small craft advisory was issued, when winds were around twenty knots and waves were up to seven feet or more.^[7] On March 2, at approximately 1:30 pm, Coast Guard Petty Official James Harless reported that Schuyler had been found alive "clinging to an overturned vessel". He was later diagnosed withhypothermia anddehydration.^[8]On March 3, the Coast Guard called off the search.^[9]Later that day, the Lions released this statement:^[10]

Today’s news is a sobering reminder about how truly precious and fragile life can be. We will continue to pray for a miracle, though we fully understand and respect the decision of the Coast Guard.

We were thrilled yesterday with the news of Nick’s rescue, and it gave all of us hope that Corey, Will and Marquis would also be found alive.

While we still have that hope, we have begun to cope with the grim reality of this sad and tragic situation.

We cannot adequately express our heartfelt appreciation to the Coast Guard and all the Florida authorities involved in the rescue mission. Their heroic efforts saved at least one life, and we know they did everything possible for Corey, Will and Marquis.

We also want to thank everyone across the country for their expressions of support. We ask that you join us as we continue to pray for Corey, Will, Marquis and their families.

A private search led by the families of the still missing men began on March 4.^[9]

The Lions also announced that Smith's jersey number, 93, would not be issued for the 2009 season.^[11]The Lions also wore a 93 on the back of their helmets.

With their league worst record in 2008, the Lions secured the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Detroit also had the No. 20 overall pick in the first round, which they received fromthe Dallas Cowboys as part of theRoy Williams trade in 2008. The trade also gave them additional picks in the 3rd and 6th rounds.

The Lions traded its 2009 fourth-round selection (101st overall) and its 2008 third-round selection (111th overall, which was traded to Cleveland) to Dallas for its 2008 third-round selection (92nd overall, used to selectCliff Avril).

The Lions selectedUniversity of GeorgiaquarterbackMatthew Stafford for the No. 1 overall pick. The six-year contract reportedly contained $41.7 million in guaranteed money, which was the most guaranteed to any player in NFL history up to that point, and carried a total value of up to $78 million.^[12][13]

^a from Dallas^[14]

^b from New Orleans via New York Jets

^c from Washington via New York Jets

^d from New York Jets

^e from Atlanta via Denver

• On January 15, 2009, the Lions hiredJim Schwartz as head coach. He spent ten seasons with theTennessee Titans, eight of them as defensive coordinator, helping them compile a 13–3 record and first place in theAFC South in2008, before being eliminated in theAFC Divisional playoffs by theBaltimore Ravens.^[15]
• On January 21, 2009, the Lions hired veteran coach and defensive coordinatorGunther Cunningham as defensive coordinator and assistant head coach. Cunningham worked with Schwartz on the Titans from 2001 to 2003, and has several years of coaching and defensive coordinating experience with theKansas City Chiefs andOakland Raiders.^[16]
• On January 23, 2009, the Lions hiredScott Linehan as the offensive coordinator. Linehan held the head coaching position of theSt. Louis Rams from 2006 to 2008 but was fired after losing the first four games of the2008 season. This is the second time in three years the Lions have turned to a former Rams coach. He also served as the offensive coordinator for theMiami Dolphins in 2005 and theMinnesota Vikings for three seasons (2002–2004).^[17]

The Lions began their season down south, taking onthe New Orleans Saints. The Saints struck first with just over 12 minutes left in the first quarter with a 9-yard TD catch byMarques Colston fromDrew Brees. They made it 14–0 3 minutes later whenRobert Meachem caught a 29-yard TD pass by Brees. The Lions got on the board with just over 5 minutes left in the first quarter with a 47-yardJason Hanson field goal. They scored again just after the start of the second quarter whenKevin Smith ran in a TD from 4 yards out. The Saints responded 10 minutes later with 2 back to back touchdowns byJeremy Shockey: from 1 yard and 15 yards respectively, putting the Saints up 28–10 at halftime. After the break, Lions QBMatthew Stafford ran a TD in himself from 1 yard out. The Saints responded a few minutes later with a 39-yard field goal byJohn Carney. The Lions countered with a 24-yard Jason Hanson field goal 3 minutes later. Less than 20 seconds later, the Saints'Devery Henderson caught a 58 TD-yard pass. The Lions responded whenLouis Delmas picked up a Saints fumble and ran it back 65 yards for a TD. The only score of the 4th quarter was a 13-yard TD catch byHeath Evans of the Saints.With this loss, the Lions began 2009 0–1 which brought theirlosing streak to eighteen consecutive regular season games.^[18]

For their home opener, the Lions hosted division rivalsthe Minnesota Vikings. The Lions struck first with a 30-yardJason Hanson field goal in the first quarter. They went ahead 10–0 in the second quarter whenCalvin Johnson caught an 8-yard TD pass fromMatthew Stafford. The Vikings got on the board a few minutes later whenVisanthe Shiancoe caught a 1-yard TD pass fromBrett Favre.The third quarter was all Minnesota: first a 26-yard field goal byRyan Longwell, then a 27-yard TD run byAdrian Peterson. The Vikings added to their lead in the fourth quarter with another field goal, this one from 46 yards out; then a 3-yard TD catch byPercy Harvin. The Lions got their only points of the second half with a 48-yard field goal.With their 19th straight regular season loss, the Lions fell to 0–2.^[19]

In week 3, the Lions hostedthe Washington Redskins. The first half was all Detroit. After a goal line stand on a Redskins 4th and 1, the Lions drove 99 yards and scored with a Bryant Johnson 21-yard TD catch. Next in the second quarter were two field goals by Jason Hanson, from 39 yards and 26 yards out respectively, putting the Lions up 13–0 at halftime. The Redskins got on the board in the third quarter with a 57-yard TD catch bySantana Moss. The Lions scored next with a 2-yard TD run byMaurice Morris but failed on the 2-point conversion. The final score of the game was a 4-yard TD pass byRock Cartwright. The Lions defense prevented the Redskins' comeback, stopping a touchdown drive in the final seconds of the game. This win was the Lions' first regular-season victory since December 23, 2007, and improved the team's record to 1–2. It ended a franchise-record nineteen consecutive losses, which was also the second-longest losing streak in NFL history behind the1976–77 Tampa Bay Buccaneers' streak of twenty-six straight losses.^[21]Lions radio play-by-play manDan Miller said of the win and end to the streak, "Nightmare over."^[a][22]

In week 4, the Lions flew toThe Windy City for a NFC North duel withthe Chicago Bears. Detroit threw the opening punch in the first quarter with running back Kevin Smith's 1-yard touchdown run. The Bears would respond with quarterbackJay Cutler's 5-yard touchdown run, yet Detroit answered with rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford completing a 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Will Heller. Chicago took the lead in the second quarter with Cutler's 2-yard touchdown pass to tight endKellen Davis and a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight endGreg Olsen, but the Lions would tie the game prior to halftime with Smith's 3-yard touchdown run, capping off a 98-yard drive. However, in the third quarter, the Bears would set the tempo for the second half. It immediately began with wide receiverJohnny Knox returning the half's opening kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown, followed by a 52-yard and a 22-yard field goal from kickerRobbie Gould. Detroit tried to rally in the fourth quarter with kicker Jason Hanson's 35-yard field goal, but Chicago pulled away with running backMatt Forté's 37-yard touchdown run and running backGarrett Wolfe's 2-yard touchdown run. Stafford (24-of-36, 296 yards, TD, INT) left the game during the fourth quarter with a knee injury.With the loss, the Lions fell to 1–3.^[23]

In week 5, the Lions hosted the defending Super Bowl ChampionPittsburgh Steelers. The Lions scored first with a 46-yardJason Hanson field goal. The Steelers responded with a 7-yard TD run byRashard Mendenhall. The Lions replied with another 46-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Pittsburgh scored first with a 15-yard TD catch byHeath Miller fromBen Roethlisberger. The Lions retaliated with a 38-yard interception run for a touchdown byWilliam James.Hines Ward of the Steelers next got a touchdown of his own, a 17-yard catch, making the halftime score 21–13 Pittsburgh. After the break,Mike Wallace of Pittsburgh caught a 47-yard TD pass. The final score of the game was a 25-yard catch by Detroit'sDennis Northcutt. Lions backup QBDaunte Culpepper was sacked 7 times in the loss, 3 of which were on consecutive downs.^[24]

In week 6, the Lions traveled toGreen Bay, Wisconsin to take on NFC North Division foesthe Green Bay Packers. They were shut out for the first time since 2001, and the first time by the Packers since 1946. The Packers scored two touchdowns in the first quarter: a 47-yard catch byJames Jones fromAaron Rodgers, then a 1-yard catch byJohn Kuhn. In the second quarterMason Crosby kicked 3 field goals from 46, 28 and 31 yards respectively. The only score of the second half was a 26-yard field goal. The loss made the losing streak in Wisconsin 18 games, dating back to 1992. Despite the loss, the Lions defense recorded 5 sacks.^[25]

In week 8, the Lions hosted the then winlessSt. Louis Rams. The Rams got on the board first in the first quarter with a 41-yard field goal byJosh Brown. In the second quarter, the Lions' Matthew Stafford threw an interception into the end zone toJames Butler but he was tackled by running backKevin Smith for a Lions safety. Near halftime, the Rams performed a successful fake field goal when kicker Josh Brown passed it toDaniel Fells and he ran it in 36 yards for a touchdown. Both teams went scoreless in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Lions' QB Matthew Stafford ran it in himself from 4 yards out for a TD, and tied it up with a 2-point conversion catch by Maurice Morris. The Rams took the lead near the end though with a 25-yard run bySteven Jackson.^[27]

This would prove to be the Rams' only victory of the season, preventing them from duplicating the Lions' dubious accomplishment of the previous season.^[b]

In week 9, the Lions traveled toSeattle, Washington to take onthe Seattle Seahawks. The Lions took an early lead in the first quarter, scoring 17 unanswered points. First came 2 TD's: a Brandon Pettigrew 7-yard catch, then a Bryant Johnson 29-yard catch, and afterward was a 41-yard field goal. The Seahawks responded in the second quarter with a TD and 2 field goals. First the TD, a 3-yard run byJulius Jones. The field goals byOlindo Mare were both from 37 yards out. In the 3rd quarter came another Seattle field goal, from 24 yards out. Then,T.J. Houshmandzadeh scored on a 2-yard TD catch to give Seattle the lead. However, the fake field goal for a 2-point conversion was no good. The Lions' only score of the second half was a 50-yard field goal. The Seahawks sealed their win with a 61-yard interception for a TD byJosh Wilson.^[29]

In week 10, the Lions traveled toMinneapolis, Minnesota for a rematch with NFC North foes the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings scored the only points of the first quarter with a 22-yardRyan Longwell field goal. They added to their lead in the second quarter with a 22-yard TD run byAdrian Peterson. The Lions' only score of the first half was a 38-yard Jason Hanson field goal just before halftime. In the 3rd quarter the Vikings further added to their lead with a 1-yard run by Adrian Peterson, his 2nd TD of the game. The Lions responded with an 8-yard TD from Matthew Stafford to Will Heller. The Vikings sealed their win with a TD and field goal in the 4th. First an 8-yard TD catch byJeff Dugan fromBrett Favre, and finally a 35-yard field goal.^[30]

In Week 11, the Lions hostedthe Cleveland Browns in an interconference shootout. The Browns built a big lead in the first quarter, scoring first with a 44-yard field goal byPhil Dawson. After a 31-yardJason Hanson field goal, Cleveland scored 21 points onBrady Quinn touchdowns toMohamed Massaquoi (59 yards),Chansi Stuckey (40 yards),Joshua Cribbs (four yards). The Lions answered with three consecutive TD passes fromMatthew Stafford to Aaron Brown (26 yards) and Kevin Smith (25 yards) and a 75-yard catch and run TD forCalvin Johnson. The Browns responded with a 29-yard field goal just before halftime. In the 3rd quarterWill Heller of the Lions caught a one-yard TD pass. The Browns received a safety when Stafford was tackled in his own end zone and called for intentional grounding. The Browns retook the lead on a two-yard TD catch byMichael Gaines and aJamal Lewis two-point conversion. Stafford was intercepted on the next Lions possession, but the Lions stopped the Browns on 4th and 5. Then they drove 88 yards. With 2 seconds left, Stafford raced out of the pocket and threw a pass into the end zone which was intercepted byBrodney Pool, but the pick was nullified on aHank Poteat pass interference penalty, giving the Lions one more play with no time left on the clock. Stafford was brutally hit by two Browns defenders on the play, and suffered what turned out to be a major shoulder separation of his left (non-throwing) arm; he had to come out for the final play and backupDaunte Culpepper went in, but the Browns called time-out; under NFL rules injured players must come out for one play, and the Browns timeout thus made Stafford eligible to return to the field; he told the coaches he wanted to return for the final play (pleading to coaches "If you need me to throw the ball, I can throw the ball") and was allowed to go back in. He then threw a touchdown toBrandon Pettigrew, andJason Hanson tacked on the extra point for the win. Stafford became the youngest QB to throw five touchdown passes in a game since theAFL-NFL merger in 1970. He also set a record for passing yards in a game by a rookie with 422.^[32] For his performance, Stafford won NFC Offensive Player of the Week and Pepsi Rookie of the Week.^[33][34]

The game was made into anNFL Film, withMatthew Stafford mic'ed up. It was shown onNFL Network'sNFL Replay andWired for Sound and became a segment in the "Quarterback Duels" episode ofNFL Top 10, as well asShowtime'sInside the NFL. The company's founderSteve Sabol said the Lions' game-winning drive was the most dramatic film he has seen in over 30 years.^[35]

For their 70thannual Thanksgiving Day game, the Lions hosted a rematch with division rivals theGreen Bay Packers. Detroit got an early lead when Matthew Stafford threw a 1-yard TD pass to Calvin Johnson, the only Lions score of the first half. The Packers responded with a TD of their own, a 7-yard toss toDonald Lee. The Packers then kicked 2 field goals: first a 20 yarder and just before halftime a 25 yarder. The Packers scored 2 touchdowns in the 3rd quarter. First a 7-yard catch byDonald Driver, then a 21-yard catch byJames Jones. The Lions picked up a safety when the PackersRyan Grant had his left arm down before he fumbled the ball in their own end zone in the fourth quarter. They then kicked a 22-yard field goal. The Packers sealed their win whenCharles Woodson intercepted a Stafford pass and ran it back 38 yards for a touchdown. The Thanksgiving Day losing streak for the Lions is now six, the longest in franchise history.^[36] With the loss combined with theEagles win over theRedskins, the Lions were officially eliminated from postseason contention. This would also become the Packers' 9th straight victory over the Lions, dating back to the second game between the teams in the 2005 season.

In week 13, the Lions traveled toCincinnati, Ohio for an interconference contest with theCincinnati Bengals. Detroit got an early lead in the first quarter with a 54-yard catch and run by Calvin Johnson. The Bengals tied it up in the second whenJonathan Fanene caught a tipped Matthew Stafford pass and ran it back 45 yards for a touchdown. Cincinnati then took the lead and did not give it back whenChad Ochocinco caught a 36-yard TD. The Bengals closed out the first half with a 44-yard field goal byShayne Graham. In the second half the Bengals scored 2 more field goals, from 39 and 23 yards respectively. The Lions scored the game's final points late in the 4th quarter with a 2-yard run by Kevin Smith. The Lions went for a 2-point conversion but failed.^[37]

In week 14, the Lions traveled to rainyBaltimore, Maryland for an interconference duel withthe Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore led for almost the entire game. They scored first late in the first quarter with a 38-yard field goal byBilly Cundiff. They added to their lead with a 62-yard catch and run TD byDerrick Mason fromJoe Flacco. The Lions scored their only points of the game near the end of the second quarter with a 22-yard Jason Hanson field goal. A minute later the Ravens responded with a 59-yard rushing TD byRay Rice. Baltimore finished out the first half with a 25-yard field goal. In the second half the Ravens scored 4 consecutive touchdowns. First aLe'Ron McClain 3-yard run. Then 2 byWillis McGahee: first an 8-yard run, then a 19-yard run. In the fourth quarter, the Ravens capped off their huge victory whenTroy Smith ran in a TD from 15 yards. Lions backup quarterback Daunte Culpepper completed less than half of his passes (16 for 34) and threw 2 interceptions.^[38]

In week 15, the Lions hosted the defending the NFC ChampionArizona Cardinals. The first half was all Arizona. First was aLarry Fitzgerald 1-yard catch fromKurt Warner. Next in the second quarter a 48-yard field goal byMike Nugent. Then near halftime a 1-yard rush byTim Hightower. After his unproductive first half (6 for 12 and only 64 yards passing and an interception) Lions backup quarterback Daunte Culpepper was replaced by third stringer Drew Stanton who breathed some life into the offense. First though came an interception and 100 yard Lions TD run by Louis Delmas, a tie for the third longest interception TD in team history. A few minutes later Detroit's Maurice Morris ran in a career-high 64-yard TD. In the 4th quarter, the Cardinals responded with an 18-yardChris Wells TD run. The Lions tied it back up when Stanton ran in his first career rushing TD from 1 yard out. The Cardinals sealed their victory though with just under 2 minutes left whenAnquan Boldin caught a 5-yard TD pass. The Lions attempted to tie it back up soon after but were stopped on 4th and 1.^[40]

For their last road game of the season, in week 16 the Lions traveled west to San Francisco to playthe San Francisco 49ers. The Lions took an early lead midway through the first quarter with a 27-yard Jason Hanson field goal. The 49ers tied it up at the end of the first quarter with a 33-yard field goal byRicky Schmitt. The only score of the 2nd quarter was a 39-yard 49ers field goal just before halftime. In the third quarter came 2 San Francisco TD's. First a 2-yard catch byVernon Davis, then a 1-yard run byFrank Gore. The Lions kicked another field goal late in the 4th quarter from 38 yards out. The Lions road losing streak now stands at 20.^[41]And for the win, the 49ers improved their record to 7–8.With the loss, the Lions dropped their record to 2–13.

For their season finale, the Lions hosted a rematch with division rivalsthe Chicago Bears. The Bears started the scoring in the first quarter with a 44-yard field goal byRobbie Gould. The Lions responded with a 42-yard field goal of their own. Then in the second quarter the Bears kicked another field goal, from 28 yards out. The Lions then took the lead with a 12-yard Bryant Johnson TD catch. The Bears took it back just before halftime with a 7-yardGreg Olsen TD catch. In the third quarter the Bears added to their lead with aDevin Aromashodu 9-yard TD catch. The Lions responded with a 48-yard field goal. Later, in the fourth quarter, the Lions tied it up with a 5-yard Calvin Johnson TD catch. The Bears took the lead back though with aDesmond Clark 1-yard TD catch. The Lions then scored their final points of the season, a 32-yard field goal. The Bears responded with another Devin Aromashodu TD catch, this one from 12 yards. The Bears closed out the scoring with a 34-yard field goal.^[42]

The loss allowed the Lions to clinch the second overall selection in the2010 NFL draft behind theSt. Louis Rams, who finished 1–15, with their lone victory at Detroit's expense in week 8.

Matthew Stafford

• Most passing touchdowns by a rookie quarterback in a single game (5)

In the 2009 season, the Lions had four of their 8 home games televised on local TV. The Lions sold out their home opener against the Vikings, as well as a week 5 match up against the Steelers, the Thanksgiving Classic against Green Bay, and their season finale against the Bears. Both of the Lions wins in 2009 were blacked out on local television (the Detroit, Flint/Tri-Cities, Lansing/Jackson and Toledo markets) because the game did not sell out by the 72-hour deadline. In the games that Detroit did not sell out, the attendances were announced at just over 40,000 and quite often, the stadium looked only half full.

• Detroit Lions Official Site
• 2009 Detroit Lions season at Pro Football Reference
• 2009 Detroit Lions season at ESPN

• Detroit Lions seasons
• 2009 NFL season by team
• 2009 in sports in Michigan
• 2009 in Detroit

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