The Detroit Lions season was the franchise’s 60th season in the National Football League, their 56th as the Detroit Lions, and is best known as the beginning of the Barry Sanders era. Sanders, the previous year’s Heisman Trophy winner, was drafted 3rd overall by the Lions in the 1989 NFL Draft and was named to the Pro Bowl in his rookie season. After starting the season with five straight losses and bottoming out at 2–9, the Lions won five in a row and six out of seven to finish the season with a 7–9 record. Nonetheless, it was their sixth consecutive losing season and their seventh of the decade. Offseason NFL Draft Personnel Staff Roster Regular season Schedule Standings Player stats Rushing Receiving Awards and honors Barry Sanders, National Football League Rookie of the Year Award Walter Stanley, NFL Kickoff Return Leader References External links 1989 Detroit Lions at Pro-Football-Reference.com Detroit Detroit Lions seasons 1989 in sports in Michigan