Lions vs Dolphins joint practices: 3 things I’m watching for
Dave Birkett on what he’s watching for as Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins battle in two joint practices Aug. 13-14 in Allen Park ahead of their exhibition game.
The Detroit Lions experienced the biggest jump in franchise valuations among all NFL teams, according to the latest data from Sportico.
But they’re still far from the most valuable teams in the league.
The Lions ranked 25th among NFL teams with a $5.88 billion valuation, according to Sportico. That’s a jump from their No. 28 ranking in 2024, but still less than half the valuation of the No. 1 Dallas Cowboys ($12.8 billion) in 2025.
It’s also far below the rest of their NFC North opponents. The Chicago Bears ($7.45 billion) came in at No. 11, the Green Bay Packers ($6.48 billion) at No. 18 and the Minnesota Vikings ($6.28 billion) at No. 20. Only eight NFL teams don’t cross the $6 billion valuation threshold, with the Lions at the top of that list.
The Lions recent success could be a reason for their valuation jump, with the team winning a franchise-record 15 games in the 2024 regular season. However, their Super Bowl hopes were dashed after a 45-31 loss to the Washington Commanders in the first round of the NFC playoffs on Jan. 18.
The Lions are owned by the Ford family, with Sheila Ford Hamp the principal owner. She is the daughter of William Clay “Bill” Ford Sr., who became team president in 1961 and bought the team outright in 1963. The team has been owned by the Ford family since.
Hamp took over the team in 2020 and has presided over the team’s biggest run of sustained success in the 21st century.
You can reach Christian Romo at cromo@freepress.com
