History

Photo courtesy of the Detroit Lions

Robert Porcher announced his retirement November 1, 2004 after 13 seasons standout with the Lions. The 6-foot-3, 275-pound defensive end concluded a career that not only was stellar on the field, but also he became and continues to be an outstanding community citizen.

During much of his 13-year playing career, he was one of the league's most productive and feared defensive ends. Originally a first-round draft choice in 1992 from South Carolina State, Porcher played in 187 games, third-most all-time in team history, and set a club record with 95.5 quarterback sacks during his career. He led Detroit in sacks eight times, more than any Lion in history. He also became the first Lion to record double-digit sack totals in four consecutive seasons, 1996-99.

Porcher earned trips to the Pro Bowl in 1998, 2000 and 2002. Porcher also finished his career with 24 career games notching more than one sack. From 1996-01, Porcher garnered 68 sacks during that six-year period which was the second-highest in the NFL during that span. His 673 career tackles are ranked seventh in Lions’ history.

Off the field, Porcher became actively involved in the community. His foundation for cancer research and relief fund raised thousands of dollars for programs at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. The Lions annual Man of the Year award is named the Robert Porcher Man of the Year in honor of his tremendous contributions to the community.