Buccaners vs. Seahawks

Buccaneers vs. Lions: All-Time Matchup History

Head-to-Head Snapshot

• All-Time Record: Lions lead series 33–29 (.468)
• First Meeting: 1977
• Most Recent Meeting: 2025 season
• Postseason Meetings: 2 (tied 1-1)

Last Five Matchups

• 2025: Lions 24, Buccaneers 9 (away)
• 2024: Buccaneers 20, Lions 16 (away)
• 2023: Lions 31, Buccaneers 23 (away)*
• 2023: Lions 20, Lions 6 (home)
• 2020: Buccaneers 47, Lions 7 (away)

* Postseason

Series Overview

Because they shared the NFC Central for a quarter-century, the Bucs and Lions have a long history against each other, with 62 previous meetings that have come close to an even split. Detroit has a four-game lead overall but the Bucs have won three of the most recent five regular-season meetings. Each team has ended the other's playoff dreams once, with the Bucs getting the upper hand in 1997 and the Lions returning the favor in 2023.

Notable Matchups

• 2023 Divisional Round: After beating Philadelphia in the Wild Card Round, the NFC South champs went to Detroit for the right to go to the NFC Championship Game. The game was tied 17-17 after three quarters but two quick touchdown drives and a game-sealing pick led to a 31-23 final for the home team.
• 1997 Wild Card Round: Playing in their first postseason game in 15 years, the Bucs got their first playoff win in 18 years with a 20-10 drubbing of the visiting Lions in the last game played at Tampa/Houlihan's Stadium. Mike Alstott sealed it with a 31-yard touchdown run.
• 1981 Regular Season: The Bucs went to Detroit in Week 16 for a winner-take-all, loser-go-home battle for the NFC Central title. Tampa Bay went to the playoffs thanks to a David Logan scoop-and-score of a fumble caused by Lee Roy Selmon.

Series Trends

• The Buccaneers have become very familiar with Ford Field, as their trip to Detroit this season will be the sixth one they've made in the last eight seasons, playoffs included
• Some recent decisions have been lopsided; the Bucs won by 40 and 21-point margins in 2019 and 2020 and the Lions won by 14 and 15-point margins in 2023 and 2025
• Tampa Bay has a better record against the Lions on the road (16-17) than at home (13-16)
• Detroit has a slim 8-7 lead in the head-to-head battle since the Bucs left for the new NFC North in 2002.

2025-26 Detroit Lions Season Snapshot

• Record: 9–8
• Division Finish: 4th in NFC North
• Playoffs: None
• 2026 Head Coach: Dan Campbell (sixth year)

2026 Key Additions

T Blake Miller, DE Derrick Moore, LB Jimmy Rolder, CB Keith Abney, C Cade Mays, T Larry Borom, OLB D.J. Wonnum, S Christian Izien, RB Isiah Pacheco, CB Roger McCreary, QB Teddy Bridgewater, OLB Payton Turner, S Chuck Clark

2026 Key Departures

T Taylor Decker, C Graham Glasgow, LB Alex Anzalone, CB Amik Robertson, OLB Al-Quadin Muhammad, DL Roy Lopez, WR Kalif Raymond, LB Grant Stuard, QB Kyle Allen, S Daniel Thomas

Notable Players

QB Jared Goff, RB Jahmyr Gibbs, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR Jameson Williams, T Penei Sewell, DE Aidan Hutchinson, DT Alim McNeil, LB Jack Campbell, CB Terrion Arnold, S Kerby Joseph, S Brian Branch

Full Matchup History

* Postseason

Historical Note

From 1999 through 2008, a stretch in which the Buccaneers won four division titles and the Lions lost the lone playoff game in which they appeared, Tampa Bay won seven of the nine head-to-head meetings.

FAQs

• What is the Buccaneers' longest winning streak in their series with the Lions? The Bucsbeat Detroit four consecutive times from 2001-05.
• How often have the Bucs and Lions made the playoffs in the same season? Tampa Bay and Detroit have only shared a playoff field four times in 50 years, in 1997, 1999, 2023 and 2024.
• When was the last time the Buccaneers defeated the Lions at Raymond James Stadium? The Bucs' most recent home win over Detroit was a 17-13 decision in 2005.