The Lions entered Week 16 with an easy scenario to clinch the NFC North. They just had to beat the Vikings to be crowned division champions with two weeks left in the season.
They managed to do just that to earn a division title, which is a big deal for the Lions.
Winning the NFC North guarantees the Lions a chance to host a playoff game. That is important for the team considering that Jared Goff tends to thrive at home, and it could help Detroit to mount its first-ever Super Bowl run.
But even if the Lions fail to make that noise in the postseason, winning the NFC North is a big-time achievement. Why? Because they have never done it before.
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Here’s what to know about Detroit’s history as a division champion.
When did the Lions last win the NFC North?
The NFC North officially formed in 2002 when the NFL added the Houston Texans as an expansion franchise. That led the league to realign its divisions and split the then-NFC Central into two divisions.
Before the 2023 NFL season, the Lions hadn’t ever won the NFC North. The Packers have won the division the most since it was created in 2002 while the Lions were the only of the four teams to fail to win it in its current alignment.
| Team | NFC North titles (entering 2023) |
| Packers | 12 |
| Vikings | 5 |
| Bears | 4 |
| Lions | 0 |
But the 2023 Lions have changed their ignominious history. They now have one NFC North title to their names and will battle with the 49ers, Eagles and Cowboys for the No. 1 seed in the conference.
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How many division titles have the Lions won?
The Lions entered the 2023 NFL season having won just three division titles since the Super Bowl era began in 1966. Now, they have four to their names.
The Lions’ three division titles all came over an 11-year span. Their most recent before 2023 came in 1993 when the team went 10-6 to pace the NFC Central.
Below is a look at their results from those seasons, including their record and playoff results.
| Year | Record | Coach | Playoff results |
| 1983 | 9-7 | Monte Clark | Divisional round, lost to 49ers 24-23 |
| 1991 | 12-4 | Wayne Fontes | NFC championship, lost to Redskins 41-10 |
| 1993 | 10-6 | Wayne Fontes | Wild-card round, lost to Packers 28-24 |
| 2023 | 11-4 | Dan Campbel | TBD |
Dan Campbell already has led the Lions to double-digit wins. So, if he matches or exceeds Fontes’ record, many will debate whether the 2023 Lions are the most impressive of Detroit’s teams to date.
Of course, to officially avoid debate in that category, the Lions would have to go on a lengthy playoff run.
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Have the Lions ever won the Super Bowl?
The Lions are one of the 12 NFL teams that have never won a Super Bowl. They won four NFL championships in the early stages of their franchise’s history — 1933, 1952, 1953 and 1957 — but they have not won the big game since the start of the Super Bowl era.
Detroit has never even played in a Super Bowl. The closest the Lions came was in 1991, when Washington beat them 41-10 in the NFC championship game. Barry Sanders was limited to 44 yards on 11 carries in that contest while Mark Rypien and Gerald Riggs each scored twice to send Detroit home.
Campbell’s Lions will hope to improve upon that history in 2023. But again, even if the Lions can’t make it to the Super Bowl, the coach’s third season with the franchise should be viewed as a success after taking home the NFC North crown.