A Detroit Lion for the best six years of his eleven-year career, with the new return rules, it is safe for us to say that Mel Gray will go down in history as the best return specialist in Lions history.  Gray wasn’t used much in the offense, but he was such a star returner amassing nearly 7,000 Return Yards with 7 TDs that he earned a spot here.  He was a three-time First Team All-Pro because of it.

From the University of Georgia, Matthew Stafford was the Lions' Quarterback from 2009 to 2020, starting every game he appeared in.  

The Lions had Calvin Johnson for the first part of Stafford's Detroit run, but he did not have much more help, and the defense was generally poor.  Stafford was considered to be an above-average QB, but his record was 16 Games below .500.  Despite his won-loss record, Stafford broke the 40-year drought by making the Pro Bowl (2014) as a Lions Quarterback.  He threw for over 4,000 Yards annually from 2011 to 2017, and did so again in 2020, his last season with Detroit, as he was traded to the Rams, becoming a household name by winning the Super Bowl in his first year there.

Overall, he threw for 45,109 Yards with 282 Touchdowns, impressive numbers that should be celebrated more than it is.

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A four time Pro Bowler, Ed Flanagan anchored the Detroit Lions Offensive Line for a decade and despite his Pro Bowls was not the most well known player in the NFL.  Still, Ed Flanagan was one of the most respected players amongst defensive players in the NFC and helmed the Center position better than most of his day.  Flanagan started all of his 139 Games with Detroit.

A member of the Detroit Lions for all thirteen of his NFL seasons, Larry Hand would come out of Appalachian State and for a Tenth Round pick would be incredible value for Detroit.  Hand may never have been named to a Pro Bowl, but he was named the Detroit Lions MVP, which he probably held in much higher regard than any Pro Bowl.