▁and ▁their ▁first ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁since ▁the ▁team ▁left ▁T iger ▁Stadium ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁season . ▁Following ▁the ▁season , ▁Mart y ▁M orn hin weg ▁was ▁fired ▁and ▁Steve ▁Mari ucci ▁was ▁h ired ▁as ▁the ▁L ions ' ▁head ▁coach . ▁The ▁L ions ▁entered ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁season ▁looking ▁to ▁improve ▁on ▁their ▁ 2 – 1 4 ▁record ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁and ▁make ▁the ▁play offs ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁They ▁improved ▁on ▁their ▁record , ▁winning ▁ 3 ▁games , ▁but ▁continued ▁to ▁disappoint , ▁as ▁the ▁L ions ▁began ▁the ▁season ▁ 0 – 3 . ▁By ▁week ▁ 9 , ▁the ▁L ions ▁had ▁a ▁ 3 – 5 ▁record ▁after ▁a ▁win ▁over ▁the ▁Dallas ▁Cow bo ys . ▁However , ▁after ▁that ▁win , ▁the ▁L ions ▁lost ▁their ▁remaining ▁ 8 ▁games ▁to ▁finish ▁the ▁season ▁ 3 – 1 3 ▁and ▁failed ▁to ▁reach ▁the ▁play offs . ▁The ▁L ions ▁also ▁went ▁ 0 – 8 ▁on ▁the ▁road ▁for ▁the ▁second ▁straight ▁season . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁Mart y ▁M orn hin weg ▁was ▁fired ▁after ▁the ▁season . ▁In ▁his ▁ 2 ▁seasons ▁as ▁head ▁coach , ▁the ▁L ions ▁went ▁ 5 – 2 7 ▁for ▁a ▁winning ▁percentage ▁of ▁. 1 5 6 . ▁ ▁Off season ▁ ▁NFL ▁D raft ▁ ▁Und raft ed ▁free ▁agents