In April 1977, Hand tested the waters as a free agent and received an offer from the Houston Oilers. The Lions matched the Oilers' offer, and Hand returned to the Lions. He appeared in all 14 games for the Lions in 1977, but was not a starter. In August 1978, the Lions placed Hand on waivers, ending his NFL career. At the time of his retirement, Hand's 164 games with the Lions ranked fourth in franchise history behind Wayne Walker, Dick LeBeau, and Darris McCord.