At the start of the 1950s, the Lions had a roster to compete for championships, but were still in need of a franchise quarterback. To solve this, they traded fullback Camp Wilson to the New York Yanks in exchange for quarterback Bobby Layne. After finishing a disappointing 6–6 in 1950, head coach Bo McMillin resigned. He was replaced by Buddy Parker, who had previously played for the Lions in the mid-1930s, including being a part of the 1935 championship team. The following season saw the Lions improve with a 7–4–1 record. In 1952, the Lions finished with a 9–3 record, tied with the Los Angeles Rams for first in the NFL's National Conference. Thus, for the first time in 17 years, the team returned to the playoffs.
