Detroit earned the nickname “City of Champions” in 1936 after the city’s NFL, MLB and NHL teams all won titles in the same calendar year. The Detroit Tigers won the World Series in 1935, the same year the Detroit Lions won the NFL championship, followed by the Detroit Red Wings’ Stanley Cup win in 1936. The Motor City has since experienced a fall from grace. Detroit’s major professional sports teams haven’t won a championship since 2008 – when the Red Wings hoisted the Stanley Cup and the Detroit Shock reigned supreme over the WNBA – marking 16 years since a championship parade has been hosted in the city. But there appears to be a possible end in sight.
After winning their first playoff game in 31 years, the Lions fell just short of making their first-ever Super Bowl appearance. Head coach Dan Campbell said the Lions were surely going to give the people of Detroit “something the city can be proud of” when they faced the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship game, and they jumped out to a 24-7 halftime lead. But the 49ers stormed back to claim the 34-31 victory to earn a place in Super Bowl 58.
“Here (in Detroit), man, it’s harsh winters, auto industry, blue-collar. Things aren’t always easy, and I think that’s what we’re about,” Campbell said Monday. “I think these guys, they have a kinship with this city, this area. And they love it.”
Here’s the last time each of Detroit’s major professional sports teams won a title:
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