1987 Detroit Lions season

NFL team season August 2023 March 2026 Detroit Lions 1987 4–11 5th NFC Central Darryl Rogers Russ Thomas William Clay Ford Sr. Pontiac Silverdome Did not qualify Lions seasons The 1987 Detroit Lions season was the 58th season in franchise history. In a strike-affected season, the Lions fell one game further from their 1986 record of 5–11, winning only four games and missing the postseason for the fourth consecutive season. Their week 3 game against long-time rival Chicago was the game affected by the strike, and as a result the Bears and Lions only met once during the season, the only season during the rivalry that the teams haven't met twice in a season. Highlights of their Nov. 22 loss in Chicago were later shown during the Max Headroom signal hijacking that occurred across the city of Chicago that night. Offseason NFL draft 1987 NFL draft 1987 Detroit Lions 1 7 Reggie Rogers Defensive end Washington yes 3 63 Jerry Ball Nose tackle SMU yes yes 4 92 Garland Rivers Defensive back Michigan no no 6 148 Danny Lockett Linebacker Arizona yes no 7 175 Dan Saleaumua Defensive tackle Arizona State yes yes 8 203 Dennis Gibson Linebacker Iowa State yes no 9 230 Rick Calhoun Running back Fullerton no no 10 259 Raynard Brown Wide receiver South Carolina no no 11 286 Brian Siverling Tight end Penn State no no 12 315 Gary Lee Wide receiver Georgia Tech yes no no https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/det/1987_draft.htm 1987 Detroit Lions Draftees Pro-Football-Reference.com April 25, 2019 Undrafted free agents + 1987 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeKarl BernardRunning backSouthwestern LouisianaLee SaltzQuarterbackTemple Personnel Staff / Coaches 1987 Detroit Lions Owner and president – William Clay Ford Sr. Executive vice president and general manager – Russ Thomas Treasurer – William Clay Ford Jr. Controller – Chuck Schmidt General counsel – Jerry Vainisi Director of player personnel – Joe Bushofsky Pro scouting – Ron Hughes Head coach and director of football operations – Darryl Rogers Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks – Bob Baker Running backs – Vic Rapp Receivers – Lew Carpenter Tight ends/staff administrative assistant – Don Doll Offensive line – Bill Muir Defensive coordinator – Wayne Fontes Defensive line – Rex Norris Linebackers – Mike Murphy Defensive backs – Willie Shaw Special teams – Carl Battershell Strength and conditioning coordinator – Don Clemons NFL replacement players After the league decided to use replacement players during the NFLPA strike, the following team was assembled: 1987 Detroit Lions replacement rosterQuarterbacks 10 Brendan Folmar 18 Todd Hons Running backs 28 Calvin Farmer 30 Nick Kowgios 31 Cleve Wester 36 Davey Lewis 24 Gary Ellerson 44 Tony Dollinger 46 Stan Edwards FB 86 Danny Bradley WR/KR Wide receivers 45 Eric Truvillion 80 Darrell Grymes 81 Stan Baker 83 Melvin Hoover 87 Gilvanni Johnson 89 James Duncan Tight ends 81 Mark Witte 82 Mark Wheeler 84 Jerry Diorio 84 Tim Schramm Offensive linemen 60 Chuck Steele 63 Joe Felton 64 Paul Kiser 65 Patrick Cain 67 Greg Orton 68 Jerry Quaerna 71 Chris Geile 72 Jim Warne 76 Mark Jenkins 76 Mark Fincher 77 Rick Johnson Defensive linemen 69 Charles Benson 73 Jeff Kacmarek 79 William Gay 97 George McDuffie 98 Jerome Davis 99 Bob Beemer 99 Stuart TolleLinebackers 34 Creig Federico 50 Ernie Adams 50 Danny Lockett 54 Thomas Boyd 58 Carl Carr 90 Robert Thompson 93 Tim Ross 95 Steve Boadway 98 John Wacker Defensive backs 21 Bob McDonough CB/S 23 Kevin Grom 23 Maurice Harvey LCB 25 Anthony Fields 35 Alvin Hall CB/KR 39 Ken Luckett 39 John Bostic 43 Ivan Hicks 53 Anthony Office 47 Steve Hirsch Special teams 1 Matt Kinzer P 11 Mike Black P 13 Mike Mancini P 14 John Misko P 19 Mike Prindle K Roster 1987 Detroit Lions 50 14 0 12 Joe Ferguson 16 Chuck Long 25 Karl Bernard y 42 Gary Ellerson 32 Garry James 30 James Jones running back, born 1961 49 Tony Paige American football 21 Butch Woolfolk 80 Carl Bland 88 Raynard Brown y 83 Gary Lee American football y 82 Pete Mandley 86 Mark Nichols American football 87 Vyto Kab 81 Mark Lewis tight end 84 Rob Rubick 68 Steve Baack G 61 Scott Barrows G 75 Lomas Brown T 53 Kevin Glover G/C 74 Joe Milinichik T 52 Steve Mott C 73 Harvey Salem T 64 Eric Sanders American football player T 93 Jerry Ball y NT 77 Keith Ferguson American football DE 79 William Gay defensive lineman DE 62 Curtis Green DE 60 Reggie Rogers y DE 97 Dan Saleaumua y NT 76 Eric Williams defensive lineman DE 96 Paul Butcher American football ILB 55 Mike Cofer linebacker OLB 98 Dennis Gibson American football y ILB 95 George Jamison OLB 50 Danny Lockett y ILB 57 Vernon Maxwell American football OLB 56 Shelton Robinson ILB 59 Jimmy Williams linebacker OLB 45 Raphel Cherry FS 23 Kenny Daniel FS 40 Duane Galloway CB 34 James Griffin defensive back SS 29 Bruce McNorton CB 28 Chris Sheffield American football CB 41 Ricky Smith American football CB 44 Ivory Sully SS 27 Bobby Watkins cornerback CB  6 Jim Arnold American football P  3 Eddie Murray American football K 54 Tom Boyd gridiron football LB IR 89 Jeff Chadwick WR IR 78 Bob Cryder T IR -- Dave D'Addio RB IR 70 Keith Dorney G IR 15 Russell Erxleben P IR 66 Leon Evans DE IR 17 Eric Hipple QB IR -- Ron Kosar T IR 31 Devon Mitchell S IR -- Lee Saltz y QB IR -- Don Snyder offensive lineman T IR 71 Rich Strenger T IR 38 Scott Williams running back RB IR None - Vacant Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Attendance 1 September 13 at Minnesota Vikings L 34–190—1 57,061 2 September 20 at Los Angeles Raiders L 27–70—2 50,300 – September 27 Chicago Bears canceled due to strike 3 October 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 31–270—3 4,919 4 October 11 at Green Bay Packers W 19–16 OT1—3 35,779 5 October 18 Seattle Seahawks L 37–141—4 8,310 6 October 25 Green Bay Packers L 34–331—5 27,278 7 November 1 at Denver Broncos L 34–01—6 75,172 8 November 8 Dallas Cowboys W 27–172—6 45,325 9 November 15 at Washington Redskins L 20–132—7 53,593 10 November 22 at Chicago Bears L 30–102—8 63,357 11 November 26, 1987 Kansas City Chiefs L 27–202—9 43,820 12 December 6 Los Angeles Rams L 37–162—10 33,413 13 December 13 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 20–103—10 41,699 14 December 20 Minnesota Vikings L 17–144—10 27,693 15 December 27 at Atlanta Falcons W 30–134—11 13,906Note: Intra-divisional opponents are in bold text. Standings References External links 1987 Detroit Lions at Pro-Football-Reference.com Detroit Lions Category:Detroit Lions seasons Detroit Lions