Players who played for the Cowboys and the Lions
17 players · NFL since 2013
17 players have played for both the Cowboys and the Lions in the NFL since 2013. 8 played for the Cowboys first and 9 for the Lions first. The longest-serving played 61 games across both; the top scorer got 2 touchdowns; 1 scored for both; the first move came in 2013, the most recent in 2026.
Can you name all 17?
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- Cowboys 50 · Lions 11
- Cowboys 7 · Lions 53
- Cowboys 16 · Lions 25
- Cowboys 25 · Lions 15
- Cowboys 12 · Lions 27
- Cowboys 21 · Lions 18
- Cowboys 22 · Lions 12
- Cowboys 1 · Lions 30
- Cowboys 27 · Lions 3
- Cowboys 14 · Lions 7
- Cowboys 7 · Lions 7
- Cowboys 1 · Lions 10
- Cowboys 7 · Lions 3
- Cowboys 8 · Lions 2
- Cowboys 5 · Lions 4
- Cowboys 6 · Lions 3
- Cowboys 1 · Lions 6
Who stands out
Spoilers
Jayron Kearse has the most games for the two combined: 50 for the Cowboys and 11 for the Lions. James Mitchell scored the most touchdowns across both (1 for the Cowboys, 1 for the Lions), and 1 player scored for both.
In our data, Micheal Spurlock was the first to have played for both (his first game for the Cowboys came in 2013). The most recent player to play for both is James Mitchell, who first played for the Cowboys in 2026.
Show all 17 players
Spoilers
| Player | Cowboys | Lions | First | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | TDs | Seasons | G | TDs | Seasons | ||
| Jayron Kearse | 50 | 0 | 2021–2023 | 11 | 0 | 2020 | Lions |
| Amani Oruwariye | 7 | 0 | 2024 | 53 | 0 | 2019–2022 | Lions |
| Kerry Hyder | 16 | 0 | 2019 | 25 | 0 | 2015–2018 | Lions |
| Tyrus Wheat | 25 | 0 | 2023–2026 | 15 | 0 | 2025 | Cowboys |
| Caraun Reid | 12 | 0 | 2018 | 27 | 1 | 2014–2017 | Lions |
| James Houston | 21 | 0 | 2025–2026 | 18 | 0 | 2022–2024 | Lions |
| Jake McQuaide | 22 | 0 | 2021–2022 | 12 | 0 | 2023 | Cowboys |
| James Mitchell | 1 | 1 | 2026 | 30 | 1 | 2022–2024 | Lions |
| Quinton Bohanna | 27 | 0 | 2021–2022 | 3 | 0 | 2023 | Cowboys |
| Emmett Cleary | 14 | 0 | 2016 | 7 | 0 | 2017 | Cowboys |
| Everson Griffen | 7 | 0 | 2020 | 7 | 0 | 2020 | Cowboys |
| Micheal Spurlock | 1 | 0 | 2013 | 10 | 0 | 2013 | Lions |
| Daryl Worley | 7 | 0 | 2020 | 3 | 0 | 2021 | Cowboys |
| Matt Cassel | 8 | 0 | 2015 | 2 | 0 | 2018 | Cowboys |
| Corey Ballentine | 5 | 0 | 2025 | 4 | 0 | 2021 | Lions |
| Saivion Smith | 6 | 0 | 2020 | 3 | 0 | 2021–2022 | Cowboys |
| Christian Ringo | 1 | 0 | 2018 | 6 | 0 | 2017 | Lions |
Head to head
In the NFL since 2013, the Cowboys and the Lions have met 9 times: the Cowboys won 6, the Lions 3.
- Cowboys' biggest win: Cowboys 42-21 Lions (2016)
- Lions' biggest win: Cowboys 9-47 Lions (2024)
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FAQ
Spoilers
- How many players have played for both the Cowboys and the Lions?
- 17 in the NFL since 2013: Jayron Kearse, Amani Oruwariye, Kerry Hyder, Tyrus Wheat, Caraun Reid, James Houston and 11 more.
- Has anyone scored for both the Cowboys and the Lions?
- Yes, 1: James Mitchell (1 and 1).
- Who is the most recent player to play for both the Cowboys and the Lions?
- James Mitchell. He played for the Lions (2022–2024), then the Cowboys from 2026.
- What period does this list cover?
- NFL games from 2013 to the present, updated as new games are played. Earlier games aren't in our data, so all-time lists can be longer.
Data: NFL since 2013; touchdowns are ones scored, not thrown. Earlier games aren't included, so all-time lists can be longer.