in 2008 the Detroit Lions defied all expectations by actually not winning a football game. this is the jewel of a era when the Lions 5-47 between 2007 and 2010.
Here are some of the highlights:
Fired GM Matt Millen during the Season.
Placed QB Jon Kitna on the injured reserve.
Traded Roy Williams to the Cowboys.
Kicked WR Mike Furrey thrown out of the lunch room for wanting to play.
Lions were outgained 6,470 to 4,292
outrushed 2,754 to 1332
Threw 19 int only picked 4
surrendered 52 sacks
Gave uo 63 td scored 29
ranked last in defense and 30th pn offense
outscored by 249 points 517 to 266
Head Coach Rod Marinelli
The players
QB
Dan Orlovsky 0-7 record 143/255/8 1616 8td
Orlvosky inherited the starting QB job when Kitna was exiled. He still active and on the Team.
Dante Culpepper 0-5 record 6-/115/6 786 4td
Picked up off his sons little league team. Was just awful. played with the team in 2009.
Jon Kitna 0-4 record 68/120/5 758 5td
A terrible start. Mayhew felt Kitna quit and placed him on the IR. Traded him to Dallas for Anthony Henry in 2009. Kitna played until 2011.
Drew Stanton 3 games 9/17/0 119 1td
Not trusted to start despite being in his 2nd year in Detroit. Still active as a player and left Detroit after 2010.
Drew Henson 2 games 1/2/0 10 yard
last gasp for his career. It didn't work out. Last season in the NFL
Running backs
Kevin Smith 16 games 12 starts 238/976/8 rush 39/286/0 rec
A brash rookie who allegedly harassed a female intern and told her the Lions would win the super bowl. Lasted in Detroit until 2012 playing 54 games
Rudi Johnson 14 games 4 starts 76/237/1 rush 12/86/1 rec
Had his luggage stolen by Tatum Bell. Last season in the NFL.
Aveion Cason 7 games 4/7 rush 4/27 rec 32/746 KOR
A veteran swing back. Didn't do much. Last season in the NFL.
Jerome Felton 13 games 6 starts 2/4 rush 9/53 rec
Lasted in Detroit thru 2010. Still active in the league and made the probowl in 2012.
Moran Norris 11 games 8 starts 1/1 rush 4/16 rec
The only season in Detroit for Norris. Played in the NFL until 2011
Darius Barnes 2 games 1 tackle
Last season in the NFL.
Marcus Thomas 3 games 4/93 KOR
Lasted 3 games in the NFL Last season in the NFL.
Wide receivers
Calvin Johnson 16 games started 78/1331/12 rec
The lone bright spot on the team. Retired after 2015.
Shaun McDonald 12 games 7 starts 35/332/1 rec
Lasting memory fumbling on a short pass on Thanksgiving. Run out of Detroit after the season. Played only 4 more NFL games
Mike Furrey 9 games 2 starts 18/181/0 rec
Suffered a concussion on the Kickoff return team. Fought Mayhew in the lunchroom. Run out of Detroit. Played 2009 in Cleveland before concussions ended his career.
Adam Jennings 7 games 1 PR 0 yards
Last season in Detroit played only 1 game 2009
Roy Williams 5 games 4 starts 17/232/1 rec
Traded to Dallas for draft picks that became Brandon Pettigrew, Derrick Williams and Aaron Brown. He played in the NFL until 2011
John Standeford 9 games 4 starts 15/244
Replaced Roy. played in Detroit thru 2009.
Keary Colbert 4 games 3 starts 5/64rec
Last season in Detroit. Made a comeback for 7 games in 2011 in KC.
Brandon Middleton 8 games 1/23 rec 39/864 KOR
Refugee from NFL Europe. Last season the NFL.
Tight Ends
Michael Gaines 16 games 6 starts 23/260 rec
Had a terrible season. Run out of Detroit. Played 7 more games in the NFL
Casey Fitzsimmons 14 games 1 start 12/85/1 rec
Finished his career in the 2009
John Owens 16 games 7 starts 8/56/1 rec
Last season in Detroit. out of the NFL after 2009.
Dan Campbell 1 game 1/21 rec
Injured on his only catch. Later became the interim head coach of Miami
O-Line
Stephen Peterman 14 starts
Lasted in Detroit until 2012. Used to drink shine with Kid Rock
Jeff Backus 16 starts
Retired in 2012 playing 191 games in Detroit
Gosder Cherlius 16 games 13 starts
1st round pick lasted in Detroit until 2012 (75 games). Played in Tampa in 2015
Damian Cook 7 games 4 starts
Refugee from the Arena League. Last season in the NFL
Andy McCollum 12 games 4 starts
Replaced Dom for the final 4 games. Last season in the NFL
Dom Raiola 12 starts
Fought the fans. Got hurt. Lasted until 2014 starting 203 games.
Edwin Mulitolo 11 starts
Last season in the NFL
George Foster 4 games 3 starts
Acquired when the Lions traded Dre Bly to Denver for Foster and Tatum Bell
Never played int he NFL again
Manny Ramirez 4 games 3 starts
Started a Super Bowl returned to Detroit for 2015. Retired
Defensive Line
Cory Redding 13 starts 38 tackles 3 sacks
Traded out of Detroit following the season for Julian Peterson. Lasted in the NFL thru 2015.
DeWayne White 12 games 11 starts 38 tackles 6.5 sacks 1 int
White played in Detroit thru 2009
Shaun Cody 16 games 4 starts 36 tackles
Millen traded up for him run out after season. Lasted in the NFL until 2012
Chuck Darby 15 starts 32 tackles 1.5 sacks
A great quote from ESPN Replacing Shaun Rogers with Chuck Darby was not a good move.
Played a couple games in 2009.
Corey Smith 12 games 3 starts 30 tackles 3 sacks 1 int
Passed away in a boating accident following the season. RIP
Cliff Avril 15 games 4 starts 23 tackles 5 sacks
Gave up on Detroit. Played awful in 2012 Won Super Bowl in 2013.
Five O 13 games 2 starts 23 tackles 1 sack
Last season in Detroit. Bounced around thru 2011
Langston Moore 9 games 12 tackles 1 sack
Last season in the NFL
Andre Fluellen 8 games 2 starts 7 tackles
Last in Detroit thru 2015. Came over in the Shaun Rogers Trade.
Landon Cohen 6 games 2 tackles
Played in Detroit 2009. Bounced around thru 2014.
Jared Devries 10 starts 29 tackles 2 sacks
Last season in the NFL
Linebackers
Paris Lenon 16 starts 121 tackles 1.5 sacks
Run out of Detroit after the season. Played in the NFL until 2013
Ernie Sims 16 starts 113 tackles 1 sack
1st round bust. Traded after the 2009 season for Tony Scheffler
Ryan Nece 16 games 10 starts 68 tackles 1.5 sacks 1 int
Picked up just before the first game from Tampa. Last season in the NFL
Jordon Dizon 28 tackles
Hurt his neck in the preseason in 2010
Anthony Cannon 9 games
Last season in the NFL
Darnell Bing 1 game 1 tackle
Played a game or 2 in 2009
Gilbert Gardner 2 games
Last season in the NFL
Alex Lewis 11 games 4 starts 41 tackles 1 sack
Last season in the NFL
Corners
Leigh Bodden 16 games 15 starts 73 tackles 1 int
Bodden was so bad in 2008. Lions released him. Part of the Shaun Rogers trade.
Travis Fisher 14 games 8 starts 37 tackles
run out of town, Played 4 games in Seattle in 2009.
Brian Kelly 11 games 10 starts 26 tackles
The only time I have ever witnessed a starting CB pulled out on passing downs.
Ramzee Robinson 16 games 24 tackles
Penalized for taunting in games 16 in Green Bay. Lasted only 7 games in 2009 in the NFL
Keith Smith 10 games 16 tackles
Last season in the NFL
Chris Roberson 1 game 1 tackle
Last season in the NFL
Dexter Wynn 2 games 1 tackle
Last season in the NFL
Safety
Daniel Bullocks 16 games 15 starts 94 tackles
Last season in the NFL
Kalvin Pearson 16 games 10 starts 83 tackles 1 sack
Lasted until 2009
Dwight Smith 10 games 7 starts
Injured on Thanksgiving. Last season in the NFL
Stuart Schweigart 6 games 10 tackles
Last season in the NFL
Gerald Alexander 5 games 1 starts 7 tackles
Adrian Peterson broke his neck. Traded to Jacksonville.
LaMarcus Hicks 7 games 5 tackles
Last season in the NFL
Jason Hanson 16 games 21/22 FG 25/26 XP
Retired after 2012. Lions ring of honor
Nick Harris 16 games 90 punts 43.9 ave
Played until 2012
Don Muhlbach 16 games
Still active
