American sports have always been full of myths, legends, and folklore bordering on superstition about any given team’s chances for victory. The common belief that a franchise is cursed—that there is something in a team’s past preventing the franchise, regardless of the talent on the field, from achieving true greatness and capturing a championship—is the most common manifestation of this phenomenon.

In Boston, there was the infamous “Curse of the Bambino” stemming, folks believed, from the 1919 decision of the Boston Red Sox not sell Babe Ruth’s contract rights to the New York Yankees when he requested a raise. Ruth arguably went on to become the greatest ballplayer of all-time, and the Bronx Bombers went on to win seven World Series titles during his tenure.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox would not win another World Series until 2004. Of course, it is impossible to know what might have happened if Boston had paid to keep Ruth, but there is no question that Red Sox Nation would struggle through 86 years of misery before returning to glory.

A slightly lesser known “curse” plaguing professional sports hails from the city of Detroit. The National Football League arrived in Detroit following the 1932 season, when the Portsmouth Spartans relocated to Motor City. Renamed the Lions, the Detroit franchise got off to a quick start, capturing their first NFL championship in 1935.

In 1950, the city of Detroit claimed over 1.8 million residents according to the U.S. Census, making it the fifth most populated city in the United States. Fueled by the growth of the auto industry, Detroit residents enjoyed the highest per capita income and highest home ownership rate among American major cities. In other words, Detroit in the 1950s was the envy of the world.

As Detroiters enjoyed these high standards of living, the city’s success was also reflected in their professional sports teams. The Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League, led by “Mr. Hockey” Gordie Howe, were crowned Stanley Cup Champions in 1950, 1952, 1954 and 1955. And while the MLB franchise Tigers boasted much greater success a decade prior, they drafted “Mr. Tiger” Al Kaline in 1953, who led the American League in hits and batting average in 1955.

On the gridiron, the Detroit Lions were arguably the team of the decade. After the 1949 season, the Lions would acquire both quarterback Bobby Layne and halfback Doak Walker, two of the greatest players of the era. Layne and Walker were longtime friends and had been teammates at University Park High School in Dallas. From there Layne went to the University of Texas and led the Longhorns to Cotton Bowl and Sugar Bowl victories. Doak Walker won the Heisman Trophy in 1948 at SMU and is widely regarded as one of the greatest college football players of all-time.

This dynamic Dallas duo would lead the Lions to back-to-back NFL Championships in 1952 and 1953. The “Blond Bomber,” as Layne became known, broke nearly every NFL passing record. In a league dominated by running, Layne took to the air more than any quarterback before him. Clearing the way for Layne and Walker was offensive lineman Lou Creekmur, while defensive back Jack Christiansen and linebacker Joe Schmidt kept opponents at bay.

All five men, who dominated for the Detroit Lions in the 1950s, are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And despite the retirement of Doak Walker following the 1955 season, the Lions would go on to capture their third NFL title of the decade in 1957.

Following the 1957 championship season, however, the wheels started coming off the cart of the mighty Lions team. Layne’s hard-nosed approach on the field was coupled with hard living off the field. The famed quarterback’s carousing got himself in trouble with the law and with Lions ownership. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 6, 1958. According to legend, Layne was furious about the trade and supposedly shouted to reporters that the Lions would not win a championship for another 50 years. While the quote is not fully confirmed, a curse was indeed born on that day.

Bobby Layne retired from professional football following the 1962 season. The NFL would merge with the AFL and create the Super Bowl in 1966. Since the inception of the Super Bowl there have been 58 champions crowned. To date, the Detroit Lions have not played in, let alone won a single Super Bowl. Indeed, the Lions’ decline in many ways mirrored the decline of their city. Torn apart by riots in the 1960s, subsequent decades included population flight from the city to suburbs and the erosion of market share for the Detroit automakers.

The Detroit Lions have now entered a seventh consecutive decade without a championship, despite gleams of hope during the Barry Sanders era in the 1990s. In 2023, under the leadership of Coach Dan Campbell, the Lions won their first playoff game since 1991. This prompted a debate as to whether “the curse” had finally been broken. Michigan raised actor Jeff Daniels even recently wrote a song, claiming to have assisted in the lifting of Lane’s curse.

Going into the 2025 playoffs, the Detroit Lions enter as the top team in the NFC and have secured home field advantage. The road to the Super Bowl now appears to run through Detroit. The question is whether Campbell and company can overcome the turbulent history of Lions football. The Detroit faithful are praying for the glory on the gridiron that hasn’t been enjoyed since the 1950s. Well over 50 years have expired since Layne is said to have cursed the franchise. After all these years, one can hope that even Bobby Layne, wherever he may be, is rooting for a Lions Super Bowl victory.