A Football Team Just Set an All-Time Record for Losing Even the Detroit Lions Can’t Match
Lions fans know all the jokes. The franchise has had a, um, difficult relationship with winning. After all, they are the same old Lions, right?
But there is one all-time record for losing that was just clinched in the summer of 2023 that the Lions want no part of: the longest losing streak in one's home stadium.
The record was just set by the Edmonton Elks (née Eskimos) of the Canadian Football League. Saturday, July 29, the Elks fell to the BC Lions on the Elk's home turf, Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. And they didn't just lose, they were shut out 27-0.
The loss cements the Elks with the longest home losing streak in North American pro sports at 21 games. Going into the game, the Elks were tied with baseball's St Louis Browns who, in 1953, lost 20 straight games at home. The Browns moved to Baltimore the following season. Now for any surviving members of that '53 Browns team, it's time to pop the champagne, Miami Dophins-style.
What is the Longest Detroit Lions Losing Streak?
The Lions would have a long way to go to match the Elks' skid. The longest home-losing streak in Lions history is 9 games, and they've done that twice. Overall, the Lions have lost 19 in a row accomplishing that between 2007-2009 including the winless 2008 campaign.
For CFL fans out there following the plight of the Edmonton Elks, TSN has a good discussion on what's next for this woeful team:
If you're looking for more of the glory rather than the ignominy of spots, check out some of these all-timers:
CHECK IT OUT: 100 sports records and the stories behind them