Ranking Lions’ Top 10 Quarterbacks of All-Time

The Detroit Lions‘ history is surprisingly light on elite quarterback play. The organization has still never won a Super Bowl, leaving a fan base longing for consistent winning.

Detroit has had strong quarterback play at points in its history, though the organization haz struggled to maximize it. There have also been players tabbed as franchise hopefuls who have not panned out. However, the organization seems to be finding its stride, marked by a trip to the NFC Championship in 2023.

Here is a comprehensive ranking of the top 10 Lions quarterbacks of all time.

10. Rodney Peete

Peete had a promising start to his career, with just under 2,000 passing yards in his second NFL season. However, he suffered an ACL injury midway through the following campaign and struggled to cement his place with the organization.

Eventually, the USC product left the Lions and went on to have a lengthy NFL career. Peete played for six NFL teams and started 87 career games before retiring in 2004.

9. Eric Hipple

Hipple was a career Lion. Though he didn’t get a firm grasp on winning during his time in Detroit, he still put up strong numbers. His best career season came in 1985, when he threw for 2,952 yards and led Detroit to the postseason.

The passer started 57 games for the Lions and was eventually relegated to backup, but finished his career with the team with a total of 10,711 passing yards.

8. Gary Danielson

A Michigan native, Danielson played all but the final three seasons with the hometown Lions. He started 60 games in his career, but posted just one winning season.

Despite the struggles to string together consistent success, Danielson was a productive passer. In years in which he was the team’s consistent starter, he surpassed 2,200 yards in three separate seasons.

Related: Ranking Lions Position Battles Heading Into Training Camp

7. Dutch Clark

Clark’s style was a unique one, as he was primarily a runner in the earlier days of the league. With the passing game being not nearly as prevalent during his time with the team, Clark made his money as a runner.

In eight seasons, Clark rushed for a total of 2,772 yards and was a six-time All-Pro selection. Clark had a much different impact on the offense than what is traditionally asked of passers in the league today, but ultimately still earned his induction into the Hall of Fame.

During the final three years of his time with the Lions, Clark was also listed as the team’s head coach and general manager. He would leave Detroit after 1938 to join the Cleveland Rams from 1939-1940 while maintaining his role as a player-executive.

6. Earl Morrall

Morrall played for six NFL teams during his lengthy career, with the Lions being the third stop and his longest. He played seven seasons for Detroit, but would start only 26 games. He was part of the team’s trade that sent Bobby Layne to the Steelers, so his presence carried weight.

In his 26 starts, the Lions posted a 15-10-1 record. The game was much different during his tenure, as he surpassed 1,000 passing yards just twice in his time with the team.

The journeyman Morrall would enjoy success at the highest level after leaving Detroit. He won the NFL MVP award in 1968 and came off the bench to lead the Baltimore Colts to the Super Bowl championship in the 1970 season.

5. Scott Mitchell

After beginning his career with the Miami Dolphins, Mitchell had two winning seasons across four seasons with the Lions. His best year came in 1995, when as a 27-year-old he threw for 4,438 yards which was a franchise record at the time.

In his five seasons, he totaled 12,647 passing yards but had a record in starts of just 27-30-1.

However, Mitchell was unable to lead the team to a postseason win despite a 10-6 regular season record. The Lions were beaten handily by the Eagles, 58-37, in the first round. He would lead the team to a 9-7 finish in his final season, 1998.

4. Greg Landry

Playing with the Lions for a decade, Landry was never able to find consistent success throughout his career. He did lead the team to the playoffs in 1970 but was never able to lead the Lions deep into the postseason.

An All-Pro selection in 1971, he is among the more decorated passers in franchise history. However, he struggled throughout the mid-70’s and started a total of just 13 games from 1973-75. Though he won the Comeback Player of The Year award in 1976, he never was able to recapture the winning magic the Lions enjoyed early in his career.

Landry’s time with the Lions came to an end after the 1978 season, when he was traded to the Baltimore Colts.

3. Jared Goff

After a difficult 2021 campaign, Goff has been exceptional for Detroit over the last two seasons. After signing a four-year extension this offseason, he has positioned himself to potentially continue rising these rankings.

The former Ram has been a cornerstone piece for Detroit’s rebuild. Working with offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has proven fruitful, as Goff has finished near the top of several passing categories over the last two seasons.

He’s also been one of the league’s most durable passers, as he’s started every game over the last two se

If Goff takes the Lions to the heights they desire in 2024 or beyond, he will present a strong case to ultimately finish his career at the top of this list.

2. Bobby Layne

Layne had a historic career that sometimes gets overlooked due to the fact that he played in the pre-Super Bowl era. He led the team to three NFL championships, with the last being the most recent time the franchise has won the title.

He was named an All-Pro selection twice in his career and ranks second behind Matthew Stafford in both passing yards and touchdowns. Like Stafford, he was eventually traded away from the Lions and bestowed a curse upon the team when he was dealt.

1. Matthew Stafford

Stafford’s tenure with the Lions may not be remembered fondly due to the team’s inability to produce playoff success, but it was a strong 12 seasons for the passer. Before being traded to the Los Angeles Rams ahead of the 2021 campaign, Stafford set several franchise records that he still holds.

He is the organization’s passing yards leader by a wide margin, posting 45,109 in his tenure. The Georgia product also holds the passing touchdown and completion records and became the first Lion to pass for 5,000 yards in a season in 2011.

Stafford had eight seasons of over 4,000 yards and led the team to the postseason three times. Though he was unable to snap the team’s droughts without a division title or a postseason win, he put together a strong career with the Lions before being traded and winning a Super Bowl with the Rams in 2021.