Editing Detroit Lions (section)

===Retired numbers===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
| colspan="5" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Detroit Lions|border=2}}"|'''Detroit Lions retired numbers'''
|-
! width=40px style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Detroit Lions}}"|No.
! width=150px style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Detroit Lions}}"|Player
! width=100px style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Detroit Lions}}"|Position
! width=100px style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Detroit Lions}}"|Tenure
! width=170px style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Detroit Lions}}"|Retired
|-
| '''7''' || [[Dutch Clark]] || [[Quarterback#History|B]] || 1931–1932<br/>1934–1938 || October 15, 1939<ref name="DetroitLionsFacts"/><ref>{{Cite book |last=Willis |first=Chris |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HpbhdBDgSiYC |title=Dutch Clark: The Life of an NFL Legend and the Birth of the Detroit Lions |publisher=The Scarecrow Press, Inc. |year=2012 |isbn=978-0810885202 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=HpbhdBDgSiYC&dq=dutch+clark%27s+number+was+retired+on&pg=PA277 277] |access-date=January 20, 2020 |archive-date=April 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240423162347/https://books.google.com/books?id=HpbhdBDgSiYC |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Cleveland Rams at Detroit Lions – October 15th, 1939 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193910150det.htm |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021120629/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193910150det.htm |archive-date=October 21, 2019 |url-status=live |access-date=January 20, 2020}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=3| '''20''' || [[Lem Barney]] || [[Cornerback|CB]] || 1967–1977 || rowspan=3| November 25, 2004<ref name="#20 retired">{{cite news |title=Lions have 20–20–20 vision |url=https://www.toledoblade.com/Pro/2004/11/26/Lions-have-20-20-20-vision.html |date=November 26, 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019000052/https://www.toledoblade.com/Pro/2004/11/26/Lions-have-20-20-20-vision.html |archive-date=October 19, 2019 |url-status=live |work=[[Toledo Blade]] |last1=Hackenberg |first1=Dave |access-date=October 18, 2019}}</ref>
|-
| [[Billy Sims]] || [[Running back|RB]] || 1980–1984
|-
| [[Barry Sanders]] || [[Running back|RB]] || 1989–1998
|-
| '''22''' || [[Bobby Layne]] || [[Quarterback|QB]], [[Placekicker|K]] ||  1950–1958 || <ref name="DetroitLionsFacts"/>
|-
| '''37''' || [[Doak Walker]] || [[Halfback (American football)|HB]], [[Placekicker|K]], [[Punter (football)|P]] || 1950–1955 || December 11, 1955<ref name="DetroitLionsFacts"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Lions Hold 'Day' For Walker Sunday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14988328/lions_to_hold_day_for_walker_sunday/ |date=December 7, 1955 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228140459/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14988328/lions_to_hold_day_for_walker_sunday/ |archive-date=December 28, 2019 |url-status=live |work=[[Detroit Free Press]] |last1=Berson |first1=Jake |page=7 |access-date=January 20, 2020 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Northard |first=Lloyd |date=December 12, 1955 |title=Lions Honor Doak: Walker Hangs Up NFL Cleats, Scoring Title |page=4 |work=Brownwood (TX) Bulletin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14990062/walker_hangs_up_nfl_cleats_scoring/ |url-status=live |access-date=January 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228063015/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14990062/walker_hangs_up_nfl_cleats_scoring/ |archive-date=December 28, 2019 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
|-
| '''56''' || [[Joe Schmidt (American football)|Joe Schmidt]] <sup>1</sup> || [[Linebacker|LB]] || 1953–1965 || <ref name="DetroitLionsFacts"/>
|-
| '''85''' || [[Chuck Hughes]] <sup>2</sup> || [[Wide receiver|WR]] || 1970–1971 || <ref name="DetroitLionsFacts"/>
|}

'''Notes:'''
* <sup>1</sup> The No. 56 was temporarily unretired with Schmidt's blessing when the Lions acquired linebacker [[Pat Swilling]] from the [[New Orleans Saints]]. No player has worn it since Swilling left.<ref>{{cite news |title=O'HARA: Top 4 jersey numbers in franchise history |url=https://www.detroitlions.com/news/o-hara-top-4-jersey-numbers-in-franchise-history |date=July 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813001019/https://www.detroitlions.com/news/o-hara-top-4-jersey-numbers-in-franchise-history |archive-date=August 13, 2020 |url-status=live |work=Detroit Lions |last1=O'Hara |first1=Mike |access-date=July 14, 2020}}</ref>
* <sup>2</sup> Posthumous. Hughes died of a heart attack during a game on October 24, 1971, and his No. 85 was withdrawn from circulation.<ref name="DetroitLionsFacts"/><ref>{{multiref2
|1={{Cite web |date=October 25, 1971 |title=Detroit Lions Player Dies After Collapsing on Field |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/10/25/archives/detroit-lions-player-dies-after-collapsing-on-field-pro-player-dies.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421144207/https://www.nytimes.com/1971/10/25/archives/detroit-lions-player-dies-after-collapsing-on-field-pro-player-dies.html |archive-date=April 21, 2019 |access-date=October 18, 2019 |website=The New York Times}}
|2={{Cite web |last=Carpenter |first=Les |date=December 5, 2013 |title=Football Thursday: Legacy of Chuck Hughes goes deeper than being only NFL player to die on field during a game |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl--legacy-of-chuck-hughes-goes-deeper-than-being-only-nfl-player-to-die-on-field-135805723.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421144209/https://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl--legacy-of-chuck-hughes-goes-deeper-than-being-only-nfl-player-to-die-on-field-135805723.html |archive-date=April 21, 2019 |access-date=October 18, 2019 |website=Yahoo Sports}}
|3={{Cite web |last=Dow |first=Bill |date=October 24, 2011 |title=40 years ago Lions receiver Chuck Hughes died on Tiger Stadium gridiron |url=https://www.vintagedetroit.com/blog/2011/10/24/40-years-ago-lions-receiver-chuck-hughes-died-on-tiger-stadium-gridiron/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019104458/https://www.vintagedetroit.com/blog/2011/10/24/40-years-ago-lions-receiver-chuck-hughes-died-on-tiger-stadium-gridiron/ |archive-date=October 19, 2019 |access-date=October 19, 2019 |website=Vintage Detroit}}
}}</ref> Over the years, however, the number would return to circulation.<ref>{{cite web |title=All Players To Wear Number 85 For Detroit Lions |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/uniform.cgi?number=85&team=det |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250108105334/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/uniform.cgi?number=85&team=det |archive-date=January 8, 2025 |url-status=live |access-date=October 18, 2019}}</ref>

'''Special cases'''
* The Lions retired No. 93 for the 2009 season after [[Corey Smith (American football)|Corey Smith]] disappeared, presumed dead, when a boat he was fishing in with friends capsized off the Florida coast.<ref name="coreysmith">{{cite news |title=Detroit Lions to retire Smith's No. 93 for 2009 season |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4003668 |date=March 21, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180805112635/http://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4003668 |archive-date=August 5, 2018 |url-status=live |work=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=March 21, 2009}}</ref> The Lions also wore 93 decals on their helmets that season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lone survivor of boating accident that killed Lions' Corey Smith recounts tragedy for HBO Sports |url=https://www.mlive.com/lions/2009/08/lone_survivor_of_boating_accid.html |website=[[MLive]] |date=April 4, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019004014/https://www.mlive.com/lions/2009/08/lone_survivor_of_boating_accid.html |archive-date=October 19, 2019 |url-status=live |last1=VanOchten |first1=Brian |access-date=October 18, 2019}}</ref> The number was assigned to [[Kyle Vanden Bosch]] in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kyle Vanden Bosch Will Wear No. 93 |url=https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2010/3/5/1358617/kyle-vanden-bosch-will-wear-no-93 |website=[[Pride of Detroit]] |date=March 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019002605/https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2010/3/5/1358617/kyle-vanden-bosch-will-wear-no-93 |archive-date=October 19, 2019 |url-status=live |last1=Yuille |first1=Sean |access-date=October 18, 2019}}</ref>