On December 29, 2008, the day after the last game of the 0–16 2008 season, Detroit Lions owner William Clay Ford Sr. announced head coach Rod Marinelli had been fired.
[6] On March 1, 2009, it was reported that free agent defensive end Corey Smith (who played for the Lions from 2006 to 2008) boarded a fishing boat off the Gulf Coast of Florida with former teammate Marquis Cooper (most recently of the Oakland Raiders) and former University of South Florida players Nick Schuyler and William Blakely on February 28.
Late Saturday night, a small craft advisory was issued, when winds were around twenty knots and waves were up to seven feet or more.
[10] On March 2, at approximately 1:30 pm, Coast Guard Petty Official James Harless reported that Schuyler had been found alive "clinging to an overturned vessel".
[12] Later that day, the Lions released this statement:[13] Today’s news is a sobering reminder about how truly precious and fragile life can be.
We were thrilled yesterday with the news of Nick’s rescue, and it gave all of us hope that Corey, Will and Marquis would also be found alive.
We cannot adequately express our heartfelt appreciation to the Coast Guard and all the Florida authorities involved in the rescue mission.
The Lions responded when Louis Delmas picked up a Saints fumble and ran it back 65 yards for a TD.
With this loss, the Lions began 2009 0–1 which brought their losing streak to eighteen consecutive regular season games.
[18] at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan For their home opener, the Lions hosted division rivals the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings added to their lead in the fourth quarter with another field goal, this one from 46 yards out; then a 3-yard TD catch by Percy Harvin.
After a goal line stand on a Redskins 4th and 1, the Lions drove 99 yards and scored with a Bryant Johnson 21-yard TD catch.
The Lions defense prevented the Redskins’ comeback, stopping a touchdown drive in the final seconds of the game.
It immediately began with wide receiver Johnny Knox returning the half's opening kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown, followed by a 52-yard and a 22-yard field goal from kicker Robbie Gould.
[23] at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan In week 5, the Lions hosted the defending Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.
Near halftime, the Rams performed a successful fake field goal when kicker Josh Brown passed it to Daniel Fells and he ran it in 36 yards for a touchdown.
In the fourth quarter, Lions’ QB Matthew Stafford ran it in himself from 4 yards out for a TD, and tied it up with a 2-point conversion catch by Maurice Morris.
The Browns retook the lead on a two-yard TD catch by Michael Gaines and a Jamal Lewis two-point conversion.
[35] at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan For their 70th annual Thanksgiving Day game, the Lions hosted a rematch with division rivals the Green Bay Packers.
Detroit got an early lead when Matthew Stafford threw a 1-yard TD pass to Calvin Johnson, the only Lions score of the first half.
The Lions picked up a safety when the Packers Ryan Grant had his left arm down before he fumbled the ball in their own end zone in the fourth quarter.
The Packers sealed their win when Charles Woodson intercepted a Stafford pass and ran it back 38 yards for a touchdown.
The Bengals tied it up in the second when Jonathan Fanene caught a tipped Matthew Stafford pass and ran it back 45 yards for a touchdown.
In the fourth quarter, the Ravens capped off their huge victory when Troy Smith ran in a TD from 15 yards.
[38] at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan In week 15, the Lions hosted the defending the NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals.
After his unproductive first half (6 for 12 and only 64 yards passing and an interception) Lions backup quarterback Daunte Culpepper was replaced by third stringer Drew Stanton who breathed some life into the offense.
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan For their season finale, the Lions hosted a rematch with division rivals the Chicago Bears.
[42] The loss allowed the Lions to clinch the second overall selection in the 2010 NFL draft behind the St. Louis Rams, who finished 1–15, with their lone victory at Detroit's expense in week 8.
The Lions sold out their home opener against the Vikings, as well as a week 5 match up against the Steelers, the Thanksgiving Classic against Green Bay, and their season finale against the Bears.
Both of the Lions wins in 2009 were blacked out on local television (the Detroit, Flint/Tri-Cities, Lansing/Jackson and Toledo markets) because the game didn't sell out by the 72-hour deadline.