List of Detroit Lions head coaches
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are currently a member of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League. The franchise has had 27 head coaches in team history, which includes its existence as the Portsmouth Spartans. In the 1934 NFL season, the franchise moved to Detroit and changed their name to the Lions.
George "Potsy" Clark is the only coach to have more than one tenure. Three coaches have won NFL championships with the team: Potsy Clark in 1935, Buddy Parker in 1952 and 1953, and George Wilson in 1957. Wayne Fontes is the all-time leader in games coached and wins, and Clark leads all coaches in winning percentage with.679. John Karcis is statistically the worst coach the Lions have had as he never won a game. Karcis is followed by Marty Mornhinweg with a winning percentage of .156.
Of the 27 Lions coaches, two have been elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Dutch Clark and Joe Schmidt. Gus Dorais was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1954. Several former players have been head coach for the Lions, including Dutch Edwards, Buddy Parker, Harry Gilmer, Joe Schmidt, and Dick Jauron. The current head coach of the Lions is Matt Patricia, who was hired on February 5, 2018.
Coaches
Note: Statistics are accurate through the end of the 2018 NFL season.| GC | Games coached |
| W | Wins |
| L | Losses |
| T | Ties |
| Win% | Win – Loss percentage |
| * | Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame |
| † | Spent entire professional head coaching career with the Lions |