Lions are third-least valuable NFL franchise, according to Forbes – Detroit Free Press

There’s some good news and some bad news for the Detroit Lions regarding the latest NFL franchise valuations from Forbes.
The good news is the Lions experienced a 30% year-over-year increase in their franchise valuation, which according to Forbes is estimated at $5.4 billion.
The bad news is the Lions are once again one of the NFL’s least valuable franchises.
Only the Cincinnati Bengals ($5.25 billion) and the New Orleans Saints ($5.3 billion) are valued lower than the Lions on Forbes’ list, one of the most-cited sources for pro sports franchise valuations. The Dallas Cowboys came in at No. 1 for the 19th straight year, with their year-over-year valuation jumping 29% to $13 billion.
Though the Lions’ 30% value increase was one of the highest percentage increases among NFL franchises, their overall valuation is still less than half of the Cowboys’ valuation.
Here’s some even worse news for Lions’ ownership: The team’s $21 million in operating income (profit) was the lowest mark in the league. By comparison, the Saints, ranked one spot lower than the Lions on the valuation list, had an operating income of $115 million.
Though the overall numbers are similar between the two lists, the Lions’ ranking on Forbes’s list differs greatly from their ranking on Sportico’s list, where the Lions were ranked at No. 25 among NFL franchises. Sportico estimates the Lions are valued at $5.88 billion, a 19% increase from their 2024 estimated valuation.
Here’s the full list of NFL teams, ranked in order of valuation according to Forbes.
You can reach Christian Romo at cromo@freepress.com

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