A field guide to thrifted sport
Secondhand Archive
NFL · 16 designs · 16 examples

Detroit Lions,

by design.

Every vintage Detroit Lions design in the archive: sweatshirts, hoodies, t-shirts, jerseys and jackets from the 1990s and 2000s. Each card is one design with every eBay example of it we found; most are sold out, so open one to see what it went for and search for it again. Black is the tell: Honolulu blue and silver alone fits 2002 and earlier, black trim means 2003 or later, and a fanged, maned lion means 2009 or later.

Lions collector notes by era →

NO. 01 · THE 1990S
NO. 02 · THE 2000S
NO. 03 · ERA UNKNOWN
NO. 04 · DATING LIONS GEAR
  1. 1961-69The team used a version of its leaping-lion logo later honored on commemorative patches.
  2. 1970White trim was added to the logo, and outlines were added to jersey numbers in 1972.
  3. 1994For the NFL's 75th season the Lions wore throwbacks based on their 1935 championship uniforms.
  4. 2003Black trim was added to the logo and jerseys, with black facemasks.
  5. 2009A new logo with a flowing mane and fangs, plus a modern font, was unveiled in April.