Detroit Lions Hall of Shame: Worst breakup and more

After celebrating the Lions by highlighting their players who someday could be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, we flip the script to give you Detroit's Hall of Shame.  

Worst breakup: Barry Sanders

With the Lions in a near-constant state of rebuild, Sanders stunningly retired in his prime before training camp in 1999. He committed his life to ventures off the field instead of sacrificing his body for a Detroit franchise lacking direction. 

Throughout his decade with the team, the Lions failed to surround Sanders with the pieces to win and seemed unmotivated to do so. Some of Sanders' former teammates, including receiver Herman Moore, said the Lions did the Hall of Fame back a "disservice" and robbed him of a greater legacy. 

Years later, Sanders said he had no regrets about leaving football after only 10 seasons, but we are left to wonder what he could have achieved if the Lions had more talent, especially at quarterback.

Worst draft pick: Andre Ware

Picking seventh in the 1990 NFL Draft, Detroit selected Ware, a no-brainer choice at the time. He stood out at Houston, becoming the first Black quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy and earning the Davey O'Brien Award as best college QB. 

After wowing in the Cougars' fast-paced offense, Ware fell flat in the NFL, and Detroit's hopes of creating a dynamic duo of Ware and Sanders never came to fruition. He went 3-3 in six starts from 1990-1993, completing 51.6 percent of his passes and throwing for a measly 1,112 yards and five touchdowns.

Released ahead of the 1994 NFL season, Ware briefly joined the Los Angeles Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars but never played another NFL game.  

Worst free-agency signing: Scott Mitchell

After shining in a small sample size with the Miami Dolphins, Mitchell gladly accepted a three-year, $11.5 million free-agent contract from the Lions in 1994. Mitchell was by no means the worst quarterback in the league during his time in Detroit. Still, despite having some of the best offensive weapons in the franchise's history to that point — including Sanders, Moore and Brett Perriman — Mitchell couldn't get the Lions over the hump. 

Mitchell came up woefully short in the playoffs for the Lions, calling into question the team's decision to go with him over a more proven name. He went 0-2 in two postseason starts, throwing five interceptions to only one touchdown pass. 

Long after his flop in Detroit, Mitchell blamed the Lions for not giving the team enough time to grow. He said the Lions could've won the Super Bowl had the franchise kept the team together longer. 

Worst loss: Packers 31, Lions 21, Dec. 28, 2008

For most NFL teams, the list of all-time devastating losses usually includes conference title games or Super Bowl appearances. However, in the case of the Lions, a 31-21 loss to the rival Packers in Week 17 of the 2008 campaign stands out. 

On a 22-degree day at Lambeau Field, the Lions made dubious history, becoming the first NFL team to finish 0-16 and first to go winless since the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who went 0-14 in 1976.

The Lions were already the doormat of the league, finishing third or worse in the NFC North in five straight seasons heading into 2008.