1984 Detroit Lions season


The 1984 Detroit Lions season was their 55th in the National Football League. The team failed to improve upon their previous season's output of 9–7, winning only four games. The team missed the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. In a Lions season littered with numerous key injuries, the most painful was star running back Billy Sims suffering a career-ending knee injury in a game against the Minnesota Vikings during the season. In just five seasons in the NFL since joining Detroit in 1980, Sims had set the Lions career rushing mark at 5,106.

Offseason

NFL Draft

RoundPickPlayerPositionSchool
120David LewisTECalifornia
247Pete MandleyWRNorthern Arizona
362Eric WilliamsDTWashington State
374Ernest AndersonRBOklahoma State
375Steve BaackDEOregon
4106Dave D'AddioRBMaryland
6160John WitkowskiQBColumbia
7178Jimmie CarterLBNew Mexico
7187Renwick AtkinsOTKansas
8214David JonesCTexas
9246Rich HollinsWRWest Virginia
10259William FrizzellCBNorth Carolina Central
10273James ThaxtonSLouisiana Tech
11300Mike SaxonPSan Diego State
12327Glenn StrenoCTennessee

Roster

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultAttendance
1September 2San Francisco 49ersL 30–27
56,782
2September 9at Atlanta FalconsW 27–24 OT
49,878
3September 16at Tampa Bay BuccaneersL 21–17
44,560
4September 23Minnesota VikingsL 29–28
57,511
5September 30at San Diego ChargersL 27–24
53,509
6October 7Denver BroncosL 28–7
55,836
7October 14Tampa Bay BuccaneersW 13–7 OT
44,308
8October 21at Minnesota VikingsW 16–14
57,953
9October 28at Green Bay PackersL 41–9
54,289
10November 4Philadelphia EaglesT 23–23 OT
59,141
11November 11at Washington RedskinsL 28–14
50,212
12November 18at Chicago BearsL 16–14
54,911
13November 22Green Bay PackersW 31–28
63,698
14December 2at Seattle SeahawksL 38–17
62,441
15December 10Los Angeles RaidersL 24–3
66,710
16December 16Chicago BearsL 30–13
53,252

Game summaries

Week 2: at Atlanta Falcons

Week 14: at Seattle Seahawks

Standings