Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions players: who played for both

Who played for both the Bears and Lions?

101 players were on both the Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions rosters between 1960 and 2026, including Dave Krieg, Josh McCown, Mike Tomczak and Greg Landry. 49 of them were with the Bears first and 45 with the Lions first; 7 joined both in the same season.

Did you know?

  • Dave Whitsell is the earliest on this list to complete the pair: Lions first, then the Bears from 1961.
  • Marcus Davenport is the most recent: Lions first, then the Bears from 2026.
  • Greg Landry spent the most seasons across the two: 1 with the Bears and 11 with the Lions.
  • 7 of them had two or more separate spells with one of the teams, such as Mark Rodenhauser.
  • Most common positions on this list: LB (13), DB (13), OL (11), QB (10).

How many can you name?

Name players who were on both the Bears and the Lions. The surname is enough. 0 / 101

All 101 players, most seasons first

Seasons on each roster (1960–2026). A gap of a season or more starts a new spell.
PlayerPosBearsLions
Dave KriegQB19961994
Josh McCownQB2011–20132006
Mike TomczakQB1985–19902000
Greg LandryQB19841968–1978
Jon MorrisOL19781975–1977
Chase DanielQB2018–20192020
Bob ThomasSPEC1975–19841982
Bruce IrvinLB20212023
Cornelius LucasOL20192014–2016
Mark RodenhauserOL1987, 19921993–1994
Michael BurtonRB2017–20182015–2016
Rick MirerQB19972004
Riley ReiffOL20222012–2016
Allen RobinsonWR2018–20212024
Duron HarmonDB20232020
Mark CarrierDB1990–19961997–1999
Marty CarterDB1995–19982001
R.W. McQuartersCB2000–20042005
Andre CollinsLB19981999
Dave WhitsellDB1961–19661960
Erik KramerQB1994–19981991–1993
Israel IdonijeDE2004–20122013
Jack ConcannonQB1967–19711975
Jon BosticLB2013–20152016
Kalif RaymondWR20262021–2025
Michael SchofieldOL20222023
Al-Quadin MuhammadDL20222024–2025
Alonzo SpellmanDL1992–19972001
Christian JonesLB2014–2017, 20212018–2020
Glyn MilburnRB1998–20011996–1997
Jalen Reeves-MaybinLB20252017–2021, 2023–2024
Jeremy LincolnDB1992–19952000
Jonathan ScottT2012–20132006–2007
Marcus DavenportDL20262024–2025
Montell OwensFB20142013–2014
Nicholas WilliamsDL2018–20192020–2021
C.J. Gardner-JohnsonDB20252023
David MontgomeryRB2019–20222023–2025
Dick EveyDL1964–19691971
Jesse JamesTE20212019–2020
John OwensTE20042002–2004, 2007–2008
Josh WoodsLB2019–20212021–2022
Mike BadgleyK20222022–2024
Mike WellsDL1998–20001994–1997
Roy WilliamsWR20112004–2008
Willie YoungDE2014–20172010–2013
C.J. WilsonDE20162015
Chris HarrisSS2005–2006, 2010–20112011
D'Andre SwiftRB2024–20262020–2022
Joique BellRB20162011–2016
Jonah JacksonOL2025–20262020–2023
Kindle VildorDB2020–20222023–2024
Matthew MulliganTE20142016
Nathan VasherCB2004–20092010
Rashied DavisWR2005–20102011
Rex TuckerT1999–2002, 20042006
Ted KarrasOL1960–19641965
Tim BoyleQB20222021
Ty HallockRB1998–20001993–1994
Ty SummersLB20252025
Walt WilliamsDB1982–19831977–1980
Aaron GibsonT2002–20041999–2001
Adrian YoungLB19731972
Amen OgbongbemigaLB2024–20252026
Corey WoottonDE2010–20132016
Craig CottonTE19731969–1972
Cre'von LeBlancDB2016–20172018
Elijah LeeLB20222020
George FarmerWR1970–19751975
Larry BoromOL2021–20242026
Marcus CooperCB2017–20182018
Michael GainesTE20092008
Michael OlaOL20142015–2016
Ray McElroyDB20002001
Scott DalyLS2024–20262021–2023
Terrence HoltFS20082003–2006
Troy JohnsonLB1988–19891992
Cornelius WashingtonDE2013–20162017
Damion CookG20012008
Dave GallagherDL19741978–1979
Gilbert GardnerOLB20082008
Johnthan BanksCB20162016
Kevin JonesRB20082004–2007
Landon CohenDT20132008–2009
Lynn BodenOL19791975–1978
Teez TaborDB20212017–2018
Autry DensonRB20012002
Cory SauterQB20021999–2000
Dave SimmonsLB19831980
Dee VirginDB20212018–2020
Gene HamlinOL19711972
Khari LeeTE20152016
Harlon HillDL1960–19611962
Henry TaylorDL20011998
Keshon JohnsonDB1993–19951995
Khari SamuelLB1999–20012001
Khaseem GreeneOLB2013–20142016
Maurice AlexanderWR20252022, 2024
Barry TurnerDE20102010
DeAngelo SmithFS20092009
Thump BeltonRB20042004

From the nflverse roster files (CC BY 4.0), refreshed 2026-10-06. A season counts when the player was on the roster: from 2002 on, at least one regular-season or playoff week as active, injured reserve or inactive (practice squad alone does not count); 1960–2001 use the season rosters.

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Questions

How many players have played for both the Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions?

101 in the nflverse roster files from 1960 to 2026, including Dave Krieg, Josh McCown, Mike Tomczak and Greg Landry. Players whose time with one of the teams was practice squad only, or before 1960, are not counted.

Who was the first player on this list to play for both?

Dave Whitsell: Detroit Lions first, then the Chicago Bears from 1961.

Who has played for both recently?

Kalif Raymond, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Marcus Davenport, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and David Montgomery and 7 more, with a season on one of the two rosters in 2025 or 2026.

Does a player count if the team has moved or changed its name?

Yes. Seasons count for today's franchise, the way the league keeps team history. Neither of these teams has moved since 1960.

Rosters from nflverse (CC BY 4.0). Team logos are trademarks of their respective teams (logos via TheSportsDB). Independent and not affiliated with the NFL or any team. Credits