Lions All-Grit Team: Linebacker

Current member of Lions' front office headlines All-Grit linebackers.

Detroit Lions linebacker Chris Spielman (54). | RVR Photos-Imagn Images

The term grit has become a defining characteristic for the Detroit Lions under head coach Dan Campbell.

However, the trait has defined many players that have played for the team long before Campbell took over as head coach.

Ahead of the start of training camp, Lions OnSI is assembling the All-Grit team, which will be comprised of players who showcased this quality throughout their respective careers.

Here are the five Lions linebackers representing the team on the All-Grit team. Players are listed in chronological order based on their respective tenures with the team.

Alex Wojciechowicz (1938-1946)

Wojciechowicz was one of the first Lions players inducted into the Hall of Fame, as he was part of the 1968 class to be enshrined in Canton. A member of the NFL's 1940's All-Decade team, he certainly was one of the best talents to wear the Detroit uniform in his tenure.

However, what really sticks out about Wojciechowicz is the fact that he was a superb talent at two positions. He played both offense and defense for the Lions, starting at center and linebacker, and his biography on the Hall of Fame's website calls him, "one of the last 'iron men' of football."

The New Jersey native played parts of nine seasons with the Lions before briefly retiring and then resuming his career with the Eagles for four seasons.

A two-time All-Pro, he had 14 career interceptions. He also played collegiately with Vince Lombardi at Fordham.

Joe Schmidt (1953-1965)

Schmidt is another Hall of Fame selection who wore multiple hats for the Lions organization. Unlike Wojciechowicz, he was not a two-way player. However, after his playing career ended he became the team's head coach for six seasons.

The menacing defender earned All-Pro honors eight times in his career and earned enshrinement into the Hall of Fame in 1973. Though his official tackle statistics were not recorded, his consistent presence on the All-Pro teams indicate that he was steadily among the game's best.

Schmidt spent his entire playing career with the Lions, beginning as a seventh-round pick in the 1953 draft. Needless to say, he's one of the best value picks the organization has ever had.

Wayne Walker (1958-1972)

Walker was another nice value find for the Lions, as he was drafted in the fourth-round of the 1958 draft. He was another player who handled multiple positions for the organization, as he was both a linebacker and a kicker.

At one point, Walker was the franchise's leader for career games played before that was passed by Jason Hanson. Ironically, Walker dabbled as the team's kicker in addition to his duties defensively as a linebacker.

Walker also played before tackles were kept as an official statistic, but he was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and was also a First Team All-Pro in 1965. The Idaho native was a staple of the organization for 15 seasons.

Chris Spielman (1988-1995)

Spielman remains a big part of the Lions' organization to this day as a member of the front office and was recently inducted into the team's 'Pride of the Lions.' However, he was an excellent player in his day and is remembered fondly by the fan base for his efforts in the middle of the defense.

A second-round pick of the Lions in 1988, Spielman made his presence felt immediately with 153 combined tackles as a rookie. It was the start of his eight-consecutive seasons with over 100 combined tackles, and he earned Pro Bowl honors four times and First Team All-Pro honors once in that span.

Spielman's career was highlighted by a 1994 season in which he logged a league-best 195 combined tackles, 124 of which were solos. He truly was a relentless player, and is widely considered to be one of the team's best, if not the best, to ever play the position.

DeAndre Levy (2009-2016)

Injuries ultimately derailed what was a very promising career for Levy, who was one of the Lions' best defenders of the 2010s. A third-round pick in the 2009 draft, he had a strong first season with 85 combined tackles.

Levy's breakout came in 2011 when he surpassed 100 combined tackles, along with a sack, an interception and nine tackles for loss.

The veteran had two big years in 2013 and 2014, as he logged 118 and 151 combined tackles in those two years, respectively. He earned Second Team All-Pro honors in 2014, as he had 16 tackles for loss along with over 150 combined tackles. The year prior, he had six interceptions.

Ultimately, his career with the team came to an end due to back-to-back significant injuries. He played in only one game in 2015 due to injuries, and suffered a torn meniscus the following year that limited him to five games. He was released just two years into a four-year contract extension.