1934 Detroit Lions season
| 1934 Detroit Lions season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | George A. Richards |
| General manager | Irving "Cy" Huston |
| Head coach | Potsy Clark |
| Home stadium | University of Detroit Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 10–3 |
| Division place | 2nd NFL Western |
| Playoffs | Did not qualify |
The 1934 Detroit Lions season was the fifth in franchise history and the first in Detroit, as the team moved from Portsmouth, Ohio, to Detroit after the 1934 season. Under head coach Potsy Clark, the Lions won their first ten games (of which the first seven were shutouts) then lost three straight in an eight-day span to end the season at 10–3. They finished in second place in the NFL Western Division, three games behind the undefeated Chicago Bears. They ranked first in the NFL in scoring defense and second in scoring offense.
Dutch Clark was a consensus All-NFL pick at quarterback and led the league with 1,146 yards of total offense and ranked second in scoring, third in rushing yardage, and fourth in passing yardage. End Harry Ebding led the NFL with 264 receiving yards. The Lions also boasted four of the NFL's leading rushers: Clark (third with 805 yards); Ernie Caddel (sixth with 528 yards); Ace Gutowsky (seventh with 517 yards); and Glenn Presnell (12th with 413 yards). The team's total of 426 rushing yards against Pittsburgh on November 4 remains an NFL single-game record.
The Lions played the NFL's first Thansksgiving day game on November 29, 1934, starting the team's longstanding tradition of hosting Thanksgiving games. The team played its home games at University of Detroit Stadium.