Detroit Lions: Power Ranking the Top 10 Offensive Players in Team History

The Detroit Lions don't exactly have a long history of success as an NFL team, but it isn't for a lack of star power over the years.

Rather, the Lions have taken a lot of stars over the years and hung them out to dry as a lack of supporting cast prevented the team from any lasting success.

A Lions fan of any reasonable amount of time has seen an example of this. A massively talented athlete held back by the inability of his teammates to perform competently? That is downright commonplace in Motown.

Still, those players who posted big numbers are deserving of some recognition. Lions players have lit up the scoreboard over the years, and the fact that many of them did it without good teams surrounding them makes them that much more impressive.

This list is the result of the research and opinion of one person, so I fully expect that I will miss at least one player that should have been listed. But hey, that's what the comment box is for, right? Do feel free to supplement my findings here.

So with that, let the debate begin.

10. Calvin Johnson

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ORCHARD PARK, NY - NOVEMBER 14: Calvin Johnson #81 of the Detroit Lions catches a touchdown pass in the last minute of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium on November 14, 2010 in Orchard Park, New York. Buffalo won 14-12. (Photo by

After four professional seasons, it might be a little early for Calvin Johnson to make any "All Time" Lions lists, but he's just too talented to leave off entirely.

The compromise is putting him at the bottom of the list.

Johnson is perhaps one of the best examples of immeasurable talent being held back by a lackluster supporting cast. He has had to catch passes from a half-dozen quarterbacks (most of them sub-par) in his four seasons, and is still making a rapid charge up the Lions' record books.

Johnson's 2008 campaign was the fourth-best single season in Lions history in terms of both receiving yardage (1,331) and receiving touchdowns (12).

Johnson has been a touchdown-catching machine so far in his career, and needs only three touchdown catches in 2011 to move into second-place all-time.

9. Greg Landry

It probably says a lot about the Detroit Lions that their last Pro Bowl quarterback ended his career with more interceptions than touchdowns.

But Greg Landry was still a leader throughout the 1970s for the Lions, and it's hard to leave the Lions' latest Pro Bowl quarterback off a list of great offensive players.

Landry was the Lions' quarterback from 1968-1978, and he made only one Pro Bowl in that time frame. He was never terribly flashy, but his longevity has put him in the top three in Lions history in most career passing statistics, including touchdown passes and passing yards.

That said, the fact that Landry has to be considered among the Lions' best quarterbacks is all the more reason to hope for Matthew Stafford to bring the team some star power.

8. Johnnie Morton

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

02 Dec 2001 : Johnnie Morton #87 of the Detroit Lions leaps to make a catch during the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Lions 13-10. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit : Jonathan Daniel/Alllsport

Johnnie Morton never had that true breakout season that put him among the league's elite receivers, but he was consistently good every year.

Morton was so good, in fact, that he is still second all-time in Lions history for receptions (469), receiving yards (6,499), and receiving touchdowns (35).

All this, and yet he never had a strong enough single season to make a Pro Bowl.

But then, that's primarily because of another receiver who will be featured a little later...

7. Billy Sims

In the Detroit Lions record book, you will find a section for the most rushing yards in a single season.

Barry Sanders occupies nine of the top ten seasons in Detroit Lions history.

Billy Sims occupies the other.

Sims was one of the better running backs in Lions history from the time he was drafted, but he suffered a career-ending knee injury against the Minnesota Vikings in 1984. Had he played more than four-and-a-half seasons, he would almost undoubtedly be higher on this list.

6. Jason Hanson

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CHICAGO - SEPTEMBER 12: Jason Hanson #4 of the Detroit Lions kicks-off against the Chicago Bears during the NFL season opening game at Soldier Field on September 12, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Lions 19-14. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/

Because how could a guy be the team's all-time leading scorer, but not be one of their greatest offensive players?

Jason Hanson has never scored a touchdown or earned the team a first down. All he does is handle kickoffs and put points up on the board with great consistency.

There is some fair debate regarding the legitimacy of placekickers as "offensive" players. But for Hanson, who has been a Lion for two decades and is the seventh-leading scorer in NFL history, I'll give him a pass either way.

5. Charlie Sanders

Charlie Sanders was one of the earliest tight ends to become a serious threat in the passing game.

In fact, Sanders was so dominant in his era, he became the only Lions tight end to make the Hall of Fame.

Sanders finished his career with 336 total receptions, good for fifth on the Lions' all-time list. At the time of his retirement, he was the Lions' all-time receptions leader.

He has since been passed by Johnnie Morton, Brett Perriman (who would have made this list had it been expanded to 15) and two players yet to be named on this list.

But in his era, he was the Lions' most productive receiver, even as a tight end.

4. Bobby Layne

By today's standards, Bobby Layne's numbers are pedestrian at best.

Well, aside from that whole winning three championships thing.

Layne played for the Lions for eight seasons, and still leads the Lions in a number of all-time passing metrics, including passing attempts, completions, touchdowns, and interceptions.

That's all the more impressive when you consider that Layne played in an era when the forward pass was just a step beyond "flash in the pan" novelty.

However, some interesting elements of Layne's career statistics illustrate exactly how imperfect the passing game was in his day.

Despite being the all-time leader in most areas of the Lions' passing record books, he finished his career with more interceptions than touchdowns, and a career completion percentage under 50.

Keep that in mind when you read the next slide.

3. Scott Mitchell

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6 Sep 1998: Quarterback Scott Mitchell #19 of the Detroit Lions throws a pass during a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Lions 38-19. Mandatory Credit: Tom Hauck /Allsport

I know, okay? I know. I feel like choking myself out for putting Scott Mitchell above Bobby Layne on a list of best anything.

I spent the better part of my childhood listening to my family members combine an expletive with "Mitchell."

I watched the man spike the ball on fourth down to kill a comeback attempt in a playoff game. I remember his three and four-interception games.

And I understand that what success he may have had in the days of Detroit's "run and shoot" offense were probably due in large part to unprecedented support from a very special running game.

But let's take a moment for some retrospective, shall we?

Mitchell played with the Lions for five seasons. Compare that to Layne's eight seasons and Landry's 10.

Despite that, at the rate he was going, Mitchell finished his tenure with the Lions within a single season of breaking the Lions' all-time records in completions and passing yards.

Mitchell's completion percentage as a Lion was 56.7. Compare that to Layne (49.0) and Landry (54.8).

Mitchell still holds the Lions record for most passing yards in a season with 4,338. He also completed 59.3 percent of his passes and finished that season with a 32-12 TD-INT ratio.

And speaking of TD-INT ratios, let's also compare those for the Lions' top three statistical quarterbacks. Mitchell finished his Lions tenure with a 79-57 TD-INT ratio, Landry with a 80-81 ratio, and Layne with a 118-142 ratio.

That would make Mitchell the only one of the three to complete his Lions career throwing more touchdowns than picks.

The only question is, does that trump Landry's Pro Bowl or Layne championships?

And also, was Mitchell simply a game manager and a beneficiary of...

2. Herman Moore

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12 Nov 2000: Detroit Lions'' receiver Herman Moore #84 makes a long fourth quarter reception that resulted in a game tying field goal against the Atlanta Falcons at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. The Lions won the game 13-10. Mandatory Credit: Tom

Herman Moore didn't just rewrite the Lions' record book. He cut out the receiving section, shredded it, and reprinted it as "The Book of Herman."

Think I'm exaggerating?

Moore has the most receptions in Lions history with 670. Johnnie Morton is second with 469.

Moore has the most receiving yards in Lions history with 9,174. Morton is second with 6,499.

Moore has the most receiving touchdowns in Lions history with 62, Morton is tied for second with Terry Barr and Leonard Thompson with 35.

But what about single-season records?

Moore is responsible for three of the top four single seasons for receptions, four of the top nine in receiving yards, and holds the top spot in both by a wide margin.

Also worth noting is that Moore played a large part of his season alongside the other players who round out the Lions' top three receivers of all time, Morton and Perriman. Moore posted record-setting numbers even while allowing his teammates to post big numbers.

Of course, no player posted bigger number during Moore's tenure than...

1. Barry Sanders

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CANTON, OH - AUGUST 8: Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Barry Sanders waves to the crowd during the 2004 NFL Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony on August 8, 2004 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by David Maxwell/Getty Images)

If you're surprised to see Barry Sanders at the top of a list of Lions offensive players, you probably also think Emmitt Smith is the greatest running back of his era.

You can leave now.

For those of you remaining, what do I need to say? The Lions' record book is the Barry Sanders show. For career numbers, he leads every applicable category and doubles or triples the guy in second.

See for yourself.

He played 10 seasons, and has nine of the top 10 rushing seasons in Lions history.

Which is more impressive, his Lions records or his NFL records? The 2,000-yard season? The striking distance from the all-time rushing record?

Everyone has a different favorite memory of Sanders. But most likely what continues his legend to this day is the fact that his unfulfilled commitment to winning caused him to retire in his prime, leaving all of us to wonder what could have become of the most electrifying running back ever to play the game.