Holding on the Lions: Top 20 Worst Holding Calls Against Detroit

Season	Off.	Def.	Total	Playoffs
1999	26	6	32	3
2000	18	8	26	0
2001	20	2	22	0
2002	21	1	22	0
2003	28	4	32	0
2004	16	5	21	0
2005	12	3	15	0
2006	18	4	22	0
2007	7	3	10	0
2008	15	1	16	0
2009	13	2	15	0
2010	20	4	24	0
2011	20	3	23	1
2012	15	5	20	0
2013	19	5	24	0
2014	22	9	31	2
2015	23	6	29	0
2016	24	9	33	0
2017	25	8	33	0
2018	20	9	29	0
2019	25	10	35	0
2020	13	9	22	0
2021	18	4	22	0
2022	25	8	33	0
2023	20	8	28	3
2024	15	11	26	0
2025	14	13	27	0
2026*	6	3	9	0

The Countdown

20
CASE #20FLAGGED
Oct 2, 2005 · @ TB · L 13-17
Q4 05:28, 4th & 6 at TB 44
What happened: pbp: "(5:28) 9-J.Bidwell punts 47 yards to DET 9, Center-83-D.Moore. 18-E.Drummond to DET 13 for 4 yards (46-B.Adams). PENALTY on DET, Offensive Holding, 6 yards, enforced at DET 13."
Why it hurt: Lions lost 17-13. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 4.8 pts.
Stakes 5Swing 2Controversy 2Outcome 817/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2005_04_DET_TB
▶ Game highlights
19
CASE #19FLAGGED
Sep 15, 2024 · vs TB · L 16-20
Q4 08:00, 2nd & 6 at TB 18
What happened: pbp: "(8:00) (Shotgun) 26-J.Gibbs up the middle to TB 16 for 2 yards (0-Y.Diaby; 23-T.Smith). PENALTY on DET-77-F.Ragnow, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at TB 18 - No Play."
Why it hurt: Lions lost 20-16. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 4.8 pts.
Stakes 5Swing 2Controversy 2Outcome 817/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2024_02_TB_DET
▶ Game highlights
18
CASE #18FLAGGED
Oct 23, 2011 · vs ATL · L 16-23
Q4 11:32, 4th & 2 at DET 39
What happened: pbp: "(11:32) (Shotgun) 2-M.Ryan pass incomplete short left to 84-R.White. PENALTY on DET-26-L.Delmas, Defensive Holding, 5 yards, enforced at DET 39 - No Play."
Why it hurt: Lions lost 23-16. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 6.5 pts.
Stakes 5Swing 3Controversy 2Outcome 818/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2011_07_ATL_DET
▶ Game highlights
17
CASE #17FLAGGED
Dec 24, 2017 · @ CIN · L 17-26
Q4 07:06, 3rd & 12 at CIN 35
What happened: pbp: "(7:06) (Shotgun) 14-A.Dalton pass incomplete short right. PENALTY on DET-28-Q.Diggs, Defensive Holding, 5 yards, enforced at CIN 35 - No Play."
Why it hurt: Lions lost 26-17. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 9.3 pts.
Stakes 7Swing 4Controversy 2Outcome 518/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2017_16_DET_CIN
▶ Game highlights
16
CASE #16FLAGGED
Nov 14, 2010 · @ BUF · L 12-14
Q2 05:15, 1st & 10 at BUF 29
What happened: pbp: "(5:15) (Shotgun) 14-Sh.Hill pass incomplete short right. Thrown away PENALTY on DET-76-J.Backus, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at BUF 29 - No Play."
Why it hurt: Lions lost 14-12. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 4.4 pts.
Stakes 5Swing 2Controversy 2Outcome 1019/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2010_10_DET_BUF
▶ Game highlights
15
CASE #15FLAGGED
Oct 13, 2002 · @ MIN · L 24-31
Q4 14:05, 4th & 9 at MIN 27
What happened: pbp: "(14:05) 5-K.Richardson punts 50 yards to DET 23, Center-43-B.Liddiard. 80-D.Howard to DET 28 for 5 yards (42-J.Brewer). PENALTY on DET-36-S.Trejo, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at DET 23."
Why it hurt: Lions lost 31-24. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 6.8 pts.
Stakes 7Swing 3Controversy 2Outcome 820/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2002_06_DET_MIN
▶ Game highlights
14
CASE #14FLAGGED
Nov 18, 2012 · vs GB · L 20-24
Q4 10:21, 2nd & 10 at DET 33
What happened: pbp: "(10:21) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass incomplete short left to 87-J.Nelson. PENALTY on DET-31-D.Florence, Defensive Holding, 5 yards, enforced at DET 33 - No Play."
Why it hurt: Lions lost 24-20. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 6.7 pts.
Stakes 7Swing 3Controversy 2Outcome 820/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2012_11_GB_DET
▶ Game highlights
13
CASE #13FLAGGED
Sep 24, 2017 · vs ATL · L 26-30
Q4 01:10, 1st & 10 at ATL 18
What happened: pbp: "(1:10) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep right to 11-M.Jones to ATL 2 for 16 yards (22-K.Neal). PENALTY on DET-67-Z.Kerin, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at ATL 18 - No Play."
Why it hurt: Lions lost 30-26. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 8.6 pts. Same final drive that ended on the infamous replay-reversal/10-second runoff (Detroit Free Press).
Stakes 5Swing 3Controversy 4Outcome 820/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2017_03_ATL_DET · source 2 ↗
▶ Game highlights
12
CASE #12FLAGGED
Nov 22, 2001 · vs GB · L 27-29
Q2 06:20, 2nd & 11 at GB 35
What happened: pbp: "(6:20) 8-M.McMahon scrambles left end ran ob at GB 29 for 6 yards. PENALTY on DET-79-E.Beverly, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at GB 35 - No Play."
Why it hurt: Lions lost 29-27. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 4.4 pts.
Stakes 7Swing 2Controversy 2Outcome 1021/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2001_11_GB_DET
▶ Game highlights
11
CASE #11FLAGGED
Oct 12, 2008 · @ MIN · L 10-12
Q3 11:44, 1st & 10 at MIN 45
What happened: pbp: "(11:44) 32-R.Johnson left tackle to MIN 34 for 11 yards. PENALTY on DET-64-E.Mulitalo, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at MIN 45 - No Play."
Why it hurt: Lions lost 12-10. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 4.6 pts.
Stakes 7Swing 2Controversy 2Outcome 1021/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2008_06_DET_MIN
▶ Game highlights
10
CASE #10FLAGGED
Nov 24, 2002 · @ CHI · L 17-20
Q4 02:33, 1st & 10 at DET 20
What happened: pbp: "(2:33) 34-J.Stewart left end to DET 25 for 5 yards (23-J.Azumah, 30-M.Brown). PENALTY on DET-83-J.Owens, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at DET 25."
Why it hurt: Lions lost 20-17. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 4.4 pts.
Stakes 7Swing 2Controversy 2Outcome 1021/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2002_12_DET_CHI
▶ Game highlights
9
CASE #09FLAGGED
Oct 3, 2010 · @ GB · L 26-28
Q4 11:04, 2nd & 3 at DET 36
What happened: pbp: "(11:04) 44-J.Best right tackle to DET 37 for 1 yard (52-C.Matthews). PENALTY on DET-77-G.Cherilus, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at DET 36 - No Play."
Why it hurt: Lions lost 28-26. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 5.3 pts.
Stakes 7Swing 2Controversy 2Outcome 1021/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2010_04_DET_GB
▶ Game highlights
8
CASE #08FLAGGED
Nov 28, 2019 · vs CHI · L 20-24
Q4 01:50, 2nd & 1 at DET 36
What happened: pbp: "(1:50) (Shotgun) 10-D.Blough scrambles up the middle pushed ob at DET 42 for 6 yards (21-H.Clinton-Dix). PENALTY on DET-71-R.Wagner, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at DET 36 - No Play."
Why it hurt: Lions lost 24-20. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 10.3 pts.
Stakes 7Swing 4Controversy 2Outcome 821/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2019_13_CHI_DET
▶ Game highlights
7
CASE #07FLAGGED
Dec 30, 2023 · @ DAL · L 19-20
Q3 00:23, 1st & 10 at DET 25
What happened: pbp: "(:23) 26-J.Gibbs up the middle to DAL 40 for 35 yards (92-D.Armstrong). PENALTY on DET-82-J.Mitchell, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at DET 30."
Why it hurt: Lions lost 20-19. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 3.3 pts. Noted in the team's own recap; overshadowed by the Decker 2-point ruling.
Stakes 7Swing 1Controversy 3Outcome 1021/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2023_17_DET_DAL · source 2 ↗
▶ Game highlights
6
CASE #06FLAGGED
Dec 22, 2013 · vs NYG · L 20-23
OT 14:00, 2nd & 10 at DET 28
What happened: pbp: "(14:00) (Shotgun) 35-J.Bell right end to DET 39 for 11 yards (57-J.Williams). PENALTY on DET-82-D.Dickerson, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at DET 28 - No Play."
Why it hurt: Lions lost 23-20. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 10.2 pts.
Stakes 8Swing 4Controversy 2Outcome 1024/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2013_16_NYG_DET
▶ Game highlights
5
CASE #05FLAGGED
Sep 16, 2018 · @ SF · L 27-30
Q4 02:24, 3rd & 2 at SF 43
What happened: pbp: "(2:24) (Shotgun) 10-J.Garoppolo pass short left intended for 22-M.Breida INTERCEPTED by 47-T.Walker at SF 44. 47-T.Walker to SF 7 for 37 yards (10-J.Garoppolo). PENALTY on DET-28-Q.Diggs, Defensive Holding, 5 yards, enforced at SF 43 - No Play."
Why it hurt: Lions lost 30-27. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 7.7 pts. Quandre Diggs publicly called it 'Awful' (Detroit Free Press).
Stakes 5Swing 3Controversy 6Outcome 1024/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2018_02_DET_SF · source 2 ↗
▶ Game highlights
4
CASE #04NO-CALL
Sep 17, 2023 · vs SEA · L 31-37
OT 05:48, 3rd & 2 at DET 6
What happened: NO-CALL: Seahawks RT Jake Curhan appeared to hold Aidan Hutchinson as Geno Smith threw the walk-off TD to Tyler Lockett.
Why it hurt: Lions lost 37-31. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 8.0 pts. Widely panned no-call (SI, ClickOnDetroit: 'Short answer: Yes.'); Hutchinson declined comment citing fines.
Stakes 6Swing 3Controversy 7Outcome 824/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2023_02_SEA_DET · source 2 ↗ · source 3 ↗
▶ Watch the play
3
CASE #03FLAGGED
Jan 4, 2015 · @ DAL (Playoffs) · L 20-24
Q4 03:40, 3rd & 7 at DET 13
What happened: pbp: "(3:40) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass short right to 25-L.Dunbar to DET 15 for -2 yards (54-D.Levy). PENALTY on DET-54-D.Levy, Defensive Holding, 5 yards, enforced at DET 13 - No Play."
Why it hurt: Lions lost 24-20. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 9.3 pts. Part of the drive MLive noted 'included a pair of defensive holding calls against the Lions.'
Stakes 10Swing 4Controversy 4Outcome 826/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2014_18_DET_DAL · source 2 ↗
▶ Game highlights
2
CASE #02FLAGGED
Sep 23, 2012 · @ TEN · L 41-44
OT 12:42, 3rd & 16 at TEN 38
What happened: pbp: "(12:42) (Shotgun) 10-J.Locker scrambles left end to TEN 47 for 9 yards (52-J.Durant). PENALTY on DET-28-D.Bentley, Defensive Holding, 5 yards, enforced at TEN 47."
Why it hurt: Lions lost 44-41. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 25.0 pts.
Stakes 6Swing 10Controversy 2Outcome 1028/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2012_03_DET_TEN
▶ Game highlights
1
CASE #01NO-CALL
Jan 4, 2015 · @ DAL (Playoffs) · L 20-24
Q4 06:00, 4th & 6 at DET 42
What happened: NO-CALL: Cowboys LG Ronald Leary held Ndamukong Suh (per the NFL's own admission); Romo hit Witten for 21 yards on 4th-and-6.
Why it hurt: Lions lost 24-20. Win-probability swing against DET on the play: 22.7 pts. NFL admitted to the Lions the hold on Suh was missed (ESPN/SI).
Stakes 10Swing 9Controversy 10Outcome 837/40
nflverse pbp game_id 2014_18_DET_DAL · source 2 ↗ · source 3 ↗
▶ Watch the play

Holding on the Lions

🚩 Lions holding flags by season, 1999–2026

⚖️ How we graded them

The Countdown

Q4 05:28, 4th & 6 at TB 44

Q4 08:00, 2nd & 6 at TB 18

Q4 11:32, 4th & 2 at DET 39

Q4 07:06, 3rd & 12 at CIN 35

Q2 05:15, 1st & 10 at BUF 29

Q4 14:05, 4th & 9 at MIN 27

Q4 10:21, 2nd & 10 at DET 33

Q4 01:10, 1st & 10 at ATL 18

Q2 06:20, 2nd & 11 at GB 35

Q3 11:44, 1st & 10 at MIN 45

Q4 02:33, 1st & 10 at DET 20

Q4 11:04, 2nd & 3 at DET 36

Q4 01:50, 2nd & 1 at DET 36

Q3 00:23, 1st & 10 at DET 25

OT 14:00, 2nd & 10 at DET 28

Q4 02:24, 3rd & 2 at SF 43

OT 05:48, 3rd & 2 at DET 6

Q4 03:40, 3rd & 7 at DET 13

OT 12:42, 3rd & 16 at TEN 38

Q4 06:00, 4th & 6 at DET 42