| 1997 Detroit Lions season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | William Clay Ford Sr. |
| General manager | Chuck Schmidt |
| Head coach | Bobby Ross |
| Home field | Pontiac Silverdome |
| Results | |
| Record | 9–7 |
| Division place | 3rd NFC Central |
| Playoff finish | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Buccaneers) 10–20 |
| Pro Bowlers | 5 |
| AP All-Pros | 4
|
| Uniform | |
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The 1997 Detroit Lions season was their 68th in the National Football League (NFL).
The Lions rebounded from a disastrous 1996 season, finishing 9–7 and qualifying for the playoffs for the fifth time in seven seasons – the best stretch in franchise history.
Bobby Ross replaced Wayne Fontes as head coach. The highlight of the season was Barry Sanders becoming the third player in NFL history to rush for at least 2,000 yards in a season. Sanders shared the 1997 Associated Press MVP Award with Packers quarterback Brett Favre.
As a team, the Lions set an NFL rushing record, gaining 5.51 yards per rushing attempt.[1] The Lions scored 379 points in 1997, the fourth-most of any team in the league.[2]