On Thursday, the 2026 NFL schedule was released, and now we can all see when each Detroit Lions game is taking place after already knowing who they’d play.
Detroit, MI
Detroit Lions have NFL’s second-longest active championship drought at 67 years
Detroit Lions fans share personal stories of family, tradition
We asked Detroit Lions fans to share their stories. Many talked about family tradition, and how Lions fandom was passed down to them.
The Detroit Lions are trying to shed some franchise history during the 2025 NFL playoffs.
The Lions are the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the first time and host the Washington Commanders Saturday in the divisional round. With a win, the Lions could reach the NFC championship game for a second consecutive year and host the game for the first time in franchise history.
If the Lions can win two playoff games against Washington and then the winner of the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams, Detroit they would reach the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. They are the only NFC team to never reach the big game.
The Lions’ history has not been kind regarding championships. Detroit is one of 12 teams not to win a Super Bowl since it began in the 1966 season. The Lions are one of seven teams to win a championship before the Super Bowl era but haven’t won in the 66 seasons since their 1957 triumph.
The Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans (then known as the Houston Oilers), Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills are the other teams to have a championship in history but no Super Bowl.
NFL longest active championship droughts
The Lions have the second-longest active drought, trailing the Cardinals by a decade. The Lions, who won four NFL championships, most recently finished at the top of the league in 1957 (other championship years are 1935, 1952 and 1953). Famously after the 1957 championship, the Lions traded quarterback Bobby Layne, who starred on the three championship teams, and he cursed the franchise for 50 years without another championship.
The Lions are now at 67 years, but might have gotten some recent help from actor and fan Jeff Daniels.
The Cardinals, along with the Chicago Bears, are the oldest team in NFL history founded in 1920. The Cardinals have two championships, but last won in 1947 when they were based in Chicago. Their championship drought is at 77 years. The Cardinals lost in a classic Super Bowl to the Pittsburgh Steelers to conclude the 2008 season.
The Oilers won their only two championships in the AFL in 1960-61.
The Chargers won their only championship in the AFL in 1963.
The Bills won consecutive AFL championships in 1964-65.
The Vikings won the NFL championship in 1969 but lost Super Bowl 4 to the Kansas City Chiefs in the final season before the AFL and NFL merged into one league.
Five franchises founded during the Super Bowl era — the Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans and Carolina Panthers — have never won a championship.
The four teams without a Super Bowl appearance are the Lions, Browns, Texans and Jaguars, though the Lions are the only team to play in every season of the Super Bowl era and still be left out.
Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22, and email him at jramsey@freepress.com.
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Here are three things that I love when looking at the 2026 schedule for the Lions.
1 p.m. ET start times get an uptick
I don’t know about you, but while I do love primetime games, my favorite time for the Lions to play is at 1 p.m. ET. Once the game is over, you still have a handful of games to watch in the 4 p.m. window. You can have them on in the background and eat dinner, and do a few things to prepare for Monday. After that, you have “Sunday Night Football” to end the weekend.
This season, the Lions have eight games that start at 1 p.m., compared to the five they had last year. That is the perk of having a weak schedule, playing teams that not many people want to see.
Only one “Monday Night Football” appearance
While I love primetime games, I don’t care for “Monday Night Football,” at least when the Lions are scheduled for it. It’s an extra day I have to wait to watch my team play, and they’re on a short rest for the following game.
I get the big appeal for “Monday Night Football,” don’t get me wrong. It gets more pregame coverage, more eyes than the Sunday night game, and has a special broadcast. The Lions’ only “Monday Night Football” game is Week 16 against the New York Giants, and thankfully it’s at Ford Field rather than in New Jersey.
Weak first half could give cushion for later in the season
While the Lions are supposed to have one of the easiest schedules in the NFL this season, anything can still happen in the league. Looking at the first half of the season (Weeks 1-9), the schedule is front-loaded with lower-tier opponents, so that when the second half comes around, the team might have some wiggle room if they go on a losing streak.
The first half opponents’ combined record from 2025 is 57-78-1. Their toughest game in the first nine weeks is on the road against the Buffalo Bills in Week 2 on” Thursday Night Football.“ Outside of that, they play the New Orleans Saints to start the 2026 campaign. Afterwards, they have a matchup with former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and the New York Jets, then against the Arizona Cardinals, who currently have question marks at the quarterback position. Both of those teams finished last season with a paltry 3-14 record.
The back half is where things get tough, as the Lions’ opponents combined record from 2025 is 77-85-1. They start the second half in Germany against defending AFC Champion New England Patriots, who finished 14-3. They take on the defending NFC North champion Chicago Bears (11-5 last year) twice in the back half. Detroit also renews its rivalry with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who finished 8-9.
While the second half schedule is still below .500, it’s got some tougher matchups and schedule issues with it. From travelling overseas to playing three divisional road games in four weeks, if the Lions don’t start hot, the back half of the season could be punishing. I believe the Lions will start with a strong record before they face some bumps in the middle of the season, and they finish out with an above .500 record and a return to the playoffs.
Detroit Public Schools Community District hosting 5th annual alumni event
DETROIT – Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) will host their fifth annual alumni event.
On May 16, the foundation will host their Tyrone E. Winfrey Hall of Fame Alumni Gala.
The Gala honors distinguished DPSCD alumni who have made a major impact in our community and beyond.
The night is a celebration of Detroit’s success stories and a fundraiser to create new opportunities for the next generation of students.
Organizers say there will be a major live announcement aimed at helping Detroit High School students build brighter futures.
Kerrie Mitchell, the president and CEO of the DPSCD Foundation, joined Local 4 Live to talk more about the gala, the foundation’s mission and what the announcement could mean for students across the city.
You can watch the full interview in the video at the beginning of this article.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
The Detroit Zoo welcomed a new giraffe, Nguvu, to the herd, officials announced on Wednesday.
Officials say 1-year-old Nguvu came from Utah’s Hogle Zoo as part of the zoo’s “long-term plan for the giraffe herd.”
“This move was recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Giraffe Species Survival Plan, which promotes the health, genetic diversity and overall sustainability of giraffe populations in zoos – and we’re eager to support Nguvu as he adjusts to his new home,” the Detroit Zoo says.
Officials say Nguvu has been working with the animal care teams for several days and will be introduced to the herd soon.
According to Utah’s Hogle Zoo, Nguvu was born in February 2025. His name means “strength” in Swahili.
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