Lions All-Grit Team: Quarterbacks

The quarterback position is often tabbed as the most valuable in sports, and as a result playing it comes with plenty of scrutiny.

The Detroit Lions have had a select few quarterbacks who have withstood the test of time and delivered success to the franchise. In doing so, these passers showcased plenty of grit, which has become a defining characteristic of the organization.

Here are the four quarterbacks that best displayed grit during their respective careers in Detroit.

Bobby Layne (1950-1958)

One of the first great quarterbacks in Lions history was Layne, who came to Detroit after spending a year with the Chicago Bears and another with the New York Bulldogs. He immediately got on a roll, throwing for over 2,300 yards in his first season with the team in 1950.

Layne was a Pro Bowl selection the following year, throwing for 26 touchdown passes. The following year, the signal-caller added First Team All-Pro to his title while leading the team to the 1952 NFL Championship.

Detroit would go back-to-back in 1953, as Layne was a Pro Bowl selection yet again as the team won another championship. Layne would be named a Pro Bowler two more times and lead the Lions to a third championship before his relationship with the organization eventually soured.

Layne was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1958, leading to what has become known as 'The Curse of Bobby Layne.' The story goes that after he was dealt, he proclaimed that the team would not win again for 50 years.

Gary Danielson (1976-1984)

Danielson had an unconventional start to his career, as he began with stints in the Canadian Football League and World Football League before signing with the Lions in 1976. The Pontiac native spent his first two seasons as a backup with no significant production.

He would step in for the Lions beginning in the 1978 season, as he started the team's final 11 games and threw for 2,294 yards and 18 touchdowns in that span. The Lions finished one game behind the Vikings that year, narrowly missing the playoffs.

Things went south for Danielson in 1979, as he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason. However, he showcased grit by bouncing back with a strong season in 1980. He threw for 3,224 yards to at the time set a franchise record.

Yet, Danielson would spent the next several seasons battling for the starting job with Eric Hipple, and eventually landed with the Cleveland Browns in 1985.