The Detroit Lions began life in the early days of the NFL as the Portsmouth Spartans before the franchise was moved to Detroit a year after the Steelers entered the league.
In the thirties, the Steelers lost the first four contests they played against the Lions before the following decade brought them success. Overall, the Steelers edge the series 18-17 with one tie in 1959. In Pittsburgh, the Steelers dominate 12-3-1 and have won the last nine.
The Runner-Up Bowl
At the beginning of the sixties, the NFL produced the idea of staging a “pro runner-up bowl game” between the second placed teams in the Western and Eastern divisions.