| 2001 Detroit Lions season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | William Clay Ford Sr. |
| General manager | Matt Millen |
| Head coach | Marty Mornhinweg |
| Home field | Pontiac Silverdome |
| Results | |
| Record | 2–14 |
| Division place | 5th NFC Central |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers | DE Robert Porcher |
| AP All-Pros | None |
| Uniform | |
 | |
The 2001 Detroit Lions season was the franchise's 72nd season in the National Football League (NFL). Marty Mornhinweg was named the 21st head coach in franchise history on January 21, 2001,[1] after owner William Clay Ford Sr. controversially fired 2000 interim coach Gary Moeller.[2]
The season began with much optimism, with the Lions hoping to improve on their 9–7 record from 2000; however, the Lions were extremely disappointing and had the worst start to an NFL season since the 1986 Indianapolis Colts began 0–13. They were widely believed to be likely to suffer the NFL’s first 0–16 season[3] before they defeated the Minnesota Vikings. Prior to that, they had lost an NFL record nine consecutive games by eight points or less.[3]
Seven seasons later, the Lions went 0–16 after a week 17 loss to the Green Bay Packers.[4]
This was the final season that the Lions played at the Pontiac Silverdome before moving to Ford Field the following season, as well as the final season for the NFC Central Division, which would dissolve following the NFL's realignment in 2002, although all NFC Central teams except the Tampa Bay Buccaneers formed the new NFC North Division.
The Lions closed the Silverdome by defeating the Dallas Cowboys 15–10 in the regular season finale. Coincidentally, the Cowboys defeated the Lions 36–10 in the first regular season game at the Silverdome (then known as Pontiac Metropolitan Stadium) in 1975.
This would also be the first season under new general manager Matt Millen, as he would be the team's general manager for the next six seasons and first 3 games of the 2008 season. This would start a stage of futility for the Lions, as they would fail to post a winning record with Millen as general manager.
- ^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p.117
- ^ "Mornhinweg Hired To Coach the Lions." New York Times, January 25, 2001. Retrieved on July 14, 2009.
- ^ a b “Infamy Awaits the Lions” in The Free Lance Star, Sunday December 16, 2001; p. C11
- ^ "Bloomberg Politics - Bloomberg". Bloomberg News.