A dark prophecy, the “curse of Bobby Layne,” is engraved in the Detroit Lions folklore, and even after 60 years, the Lions are still suffering from it. 

Legendary Detroit Lions quarterback Bobby Layne led the franchise to three NFL championships during the 1950s. Despite his success in Detroit, his tenure ended on a bitter note after he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1957, a move that gave rise to the infamous "Bobby Layne Curse."

“Well, it hurt me, naturally, when I was traded to the Steelers from the Lions,” Layne said in 1971. “We had been very successful in Detroit. ... I really didn't know what to think. ‘I tried what they referred to as a hex.’”

Layne joined the Detroit Lions in 1950 through a trade with the New York Bulldogs. Since his joining, he was given the responsibility of a starter.

In return, the Lions received QB Earl Morrall and two top draft picks.

Upon his trade, he cursed the Lions that the franchise would not win any championship for the next five decades.

Surprisingly, the Lions surpassed the cursed prophecy of 50 years.

Since then, the Lions have appeared in 13 playoffs (three wins: 1991 and twice in 2023), four divisional titles, and zero championships. 

It was not about his trade, but the way it was executed.

After winning three championships for the Lions, he was informed about being traded over a phone call by the head coach, George Wilson.

Even after his public outrage over his trade, his son Alan Layne has never heard his father talk about the franchise, but he did highlight the fact that the curse was real. 

The Motor City team did receive some relief after the famous attempt by Peyton Manning to e******* the curse.

Peyton Manning once tried to end the Bobby Layne curse

Everyone in the NFL community believed in the curse of Bobby Layne, and Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, along with fans Jeff Daniels and Keegan Michael. 

In one episode of “Peyton's Places”, Manning tried to remove the curse by performing a ritual at Ford Field, Detroit, back in 2022, per Jeff Seidel of the Detroit Free Press.

“In the name of Motown, Eminem and Ed McMahon, I call upon thee — oh creatures of Earth and w****** — cleanse the Detroit Lions of the curse of Bobby Layne and restore the roar of the Lions pride to balance and health.”

They broke the curse by dunking Layne’s helmet into the bathtub filled with w******.

Since then, many fans believe the Lions have been able to include some wins in NFC North for the first time in 2023, where they won two playoff games and took the record to 22-8.

Even with the rituals and curse, the Motown team is locked in for yet another season with the aspirations of lifting the Lombardi Trophy. 

Read more at the Detroit Lions Community!

Written by

Kunwar Yashaswee Chhaunker