1976 Detroit Lions Roster

National Football League (NFL)
Team Record: 6-8
Finishing 3rd in the NFL's Central Division of the National Football Conference
Coach: Tommy Hudspeth (5-5)
Coach: Rick Forzano (1-3)
Location: Detroit, Michigan
1976 Detroit Lions Statistics
1976 Detroit Lions Results

The Detroit Lions of the National Football League ended the 1976 season with a record of 6 wins and 8 losses, finishing third in the NFL's Central Division of the National Football Conference.

Detroit scored 262 points, while the defense allowed 220. Dexter Bussey rushed for a team-leading 858 yards for the Lions, and Lawrence Gaines additionally aided the ground game.

Greg Landry tossed for 2,191 yards. Ray Jarvis topped pass catchers, hauling in 39 balls for 822 yards, while Charlie Sanders was targeted regularly also.

James Hunter picked off 7 opponent throws.

Tommy Hudspeth and Rick Forzano coached the team.

Click on column headings to sort.

# Player Pos. Birth Date Height Weight College Hometown GP GS
20Lem BarneyLCBSeptember 8, 19456'0"188Jackson St.Gulfport, MS USA1414
62Lynn BodenLGJune 5, 19536'3"270South Dakota St.Stromburg, NE USA148
73Russ BolingerLGSeptember 10, 19546'5"255California-RiversideWichita, KS USA127
43Andy BoltonRBMay 23, 19546'1"205FiskMemphis, TN USA70
24Dexter BusseyRBMarch 11, 19526'1"195OklahomaDallas, TX USA1414
79Don CroftDTJanuary 7, 19496'4"254Texas-El PasoTemple, TX USA10
16Gary DanielsonQBSeptember 10, 19516'2"195PurdueDetroit, MI USA10
29Ben DavisDBOctober 30, 19455'11"180DefianceBirmingham, AL USA140
78Doug EnglishLDTAugust 25, 19536'5"255TexasDallas, TX USA75
89Dennis FranklinWRAugust 24, 19536'1"185MichiganMassillon, OH USA50
76Rocky FreitasRTSeptember 7, 19456'6"270Oregon St.Kailua, HI USA1414
38Lawrence GainesFBDecember 15, 19536'1"237WyomingVernon, TX USA147
74Larry HandRDTJuly 10, 19406'4"250Appalachian St.Paterson, NJ USA1010
71Craig HertwigLTJanuary 15, 19526'8"270GeorgiaColumbus, GA USA149
81David HillTEJanuary 1, 19546'2"229Texas A&M-KingsvilleSan Antonio, TX USA141
41J.D. HillWROctober 30, 19486'1"202Arizona St.Stockton, CA USA10
30Jim HooksRBOctober 23, 19505'11"225Central OklahomaOklahoma City, OK USA10
70Billy HowardRDEJuly 17, 19506'4"252Alcorn St.Clarksdale, MS USA137
28James HunterFSMarch 8, 19546'3"195Grambling St.Silsbee, TX USA138
45Ray JarvisWRFebruary 2, 19496'0"200Norfolk St.Chesapeake, VA USA1413
26Dick JauronFSOctober 7, 19506'0"190YaleSwampscott, MA USA66
23Levi JohnsonRCBOctober 30, 19506'3"196Texas A&M-KingsvilleCorpus Christi, TX USA1414
25Horace KingFBMarch 5, 19535'10"208GeorgiaAthens, GA USA77
66Bob KowalkowskiRGNovember 5, 19436'3"240VirginiaUpper Darby, PA USA1414
11Greg LandryQBDecember 18, 19466'4"210MassachusettsNashua, NH USA1412
52Jim LaslavicMLBOctober 24, 19516'2"237Penn St.Pittsburgh, PA USA1212
65Ken LongGJuly 24, 19536'3"265PurduePittsburgh, PA USA130
12Errol MannKJune 27, 19416'0"200North DakotaBreckenridge, MN USA60
68Mark MarkovichC-GNovember 7, 19526'5"256Penn St.Latrobe, PA USA140
83Jim MitchellLDTSeptember 15, 19486'3"245Virginia St.Danville, VA USA1414
63Jon MorrisCApril 5, 19426'4"254Holy CrossWashington, DC USA1414
57Garth NapelLBMarch 27, 19546'1"213Texas A&MLos Angeles, CA USA140
50Paul NaumoffLLBJuly 3, 19456'1"215TennesseeColumbus, OH USA1412
55Ed O'NeilLBSeptember 8, 19526'3"236Penn St.Warren, PA USA144
80Herb OrvisDTOctober 17, 19466'5"248ColoradoPetoskey, MI USA22
44Bob PicardWRNovember 24, 19496'1"195East. WashingtonOmak, WA USA80
27Reggie PiersonDBDecember 13, 19525'11"185Oklahoma St.Los Angeles, CA USA40
72Ernie PriceDESeptember 20, 19506'4"248Texas A&M-KingsvilleCorpus Christi, TX USA140
14Joe ReedQBJanuary 8, 19486'1"195BaylorNewport, RI USA132
1Benny RicardoKJanuary 4, 19545'10"175San Diego St.Asuncion, Paraguay80
88Charlie SandersTEAugust 25, 19466'4"225MinnesotaRichlands, NC USA1313
82Ken SandersLDEAugust 22, 19506'5"240Howard PayneValley Mills, TX USA1414
10Ian SunterKDecember 21, 19526'1"215noneDundee, Scotland30
33Bobby ThompsonKRJanuary 16, 19475'11"195OklahomaRaleigh, NC USA140
39Leonard ThompsonWRJuly 28, 19525'11"192Oklahoma St.Oklahoma City, OK USA141
27Maurice TylerDBJuly 19, 19506'0"188Morgan St.Karnack, TX USA90
49Larry WaltonWRFebruary 8, 19476'0"180Arizona St.Johnstown, PA USA1414
59Charlie WeaverRLBJuly 12, 19496'2"220USCGreenwood, MS USA1414
18Herman WeaverPNovember 17, 19486'4"210TennesseeVilla Rica, GA USA140
40Charlie WestSSAugust 31, 19466'1"197Angelo State (TX)Terrell, TX USA1414
77John WoodcockDTMarch 19, 19546'3"246New MexicoEureka, CA USA144
75Jim YarbroughLTOctober 28, 19466'5"265FloridaCharlotte, NC USA115



Football


Recent Updates

  • March 1, 2024 - Updated USFL (2022-23) game results and award winners
  • March 1, 2024 - Updated NFL draft information, game results and award winners
  • March 1, 2024 - Updated CFL game results and award winners
Football Search

Latest News