1956 Detroit Lions Roster
Team Record: 9-3
Finishing 2nd in the NFL's West Division
Coach: Buddy Parker (9-3)
Location: Detroit, Michigan
1956 Detroit Lions Results
The Detroit Lions of the National Football League ended the 1956 season with a record of 9 wins and 3 losses, finishing second in the NFL's West Division.
The Lions lit up the scoreboard for 300 points, and the defense conceded 188. Gene Gedman rushed for a team-leading 479 yards for Detroit, while Howard Cassady and Don McIlhenny also aided the ground game.
Bobby Layne threw for 1,909 yards. Dave Middleton topped the receiving corps, hauling in 39 balls for 606 yards. Dorne Dibble contributed to the receiving game, too.
The ball-hawking defense pounced on 40 turnovers. Jack Christiansen and Yale Lary each picked off 8 opponent throws.
Buddy Parker coached the team.
Click on column headings to sort.
# | Player | Pos. | Birth Date | Height | Weight | College | Hometown | GP | GS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
50 | Charlie Ane | C | January 25, 1931 | 6'2" | 260 | USC | Honolulu, HI USA | 12 | 0 |
33 | Bill Bowman | FB | September 22, 1931 | 6'2" | 215 | William & Mary | Birmingham, AL USA | 6 | 0 |
67 | Stan Campbell | G | August 26, 1930 | 6'0" | 226 | Iowa St. | Hastings, NE USA | 7 | 0 |
40 | Howard Cassady | KR | March 2, 1934 | 5'10" | 183 | Ohio St. | Columbus, OH USA | 12 | 0 |
24 | Jack Christiansen | LS | December 20, 1928 | 6'1" | 205 | Colorado St. | Sublette, KS USA | 12 | 0 |
76 | Lou Creekmur | LT | January 22, 1927 | 6'4" | 246 | William & Mary | Hopelawn, NJ USA | 12 | 0 |
68 | Gene Cronin | DE-LB-G | November 20, 1933 | 6'2" | 229 | Pacific | Spalding, NE USA | 12 | 0 |
25 | Jim David | LDH | December 2, 1927 | 5'11" | 178 | Colorado St. | Florence, SC USA | 12 | 0 |
87 | Dorne Dibble | LE | April 26, 1929 | 6'2" | 195 | Michigan St. | Adrian, MI USA | 12 | 0 |
83 | Jim Doran | LH | August 11, 1927 | 6'2" | 201 | Buena Vista | Beaver, IA USA | 11 | 0 |
85 | Sonny Gandee | LLB | February 27, 1929 | 6'1" | 216 | Ohio St. | Akron, OH USA | 12 | 0 |
26 | Gene Gedman | RH | January 9, 1932 | 5'11" | 195 | Indiana | Duquesne, PA USA | 12 | 0 |
12 | Harry Gilmer | QB-HB | April 14, 1926 | 6'0" | 169 | Alabama | Birmingham, AL USA | 11 | 0 |
23 | Jug Girard | E-HB-QB-DB | January 25, 1927 | 5'11" | 176 | Wisconsin | Marinette, WI USA | 10 | 0 |
82 | Leon Hart | FB | November 2, 1928 | 6'5" | 257 | Notre Dame | Pittsburgh, PA USA | 11 | 0 |
21 | Carl Karilivacz | RDH | November 20, 1930 | 6'0" | 188 | Syracuse | Glen Cove, NY USA | 11 | 0 |
70 | Ray Krouse | LDT | March 21, 1927 | 6'3" | 263 | Maryland | Washington, DC USA | 12 | 0 |
28 | Yale Lary | P | November 24, 1930 | 5'11" | 185 | Texas A&M | Fort Worth, TX USA | 12 | 0 |
22 | Bobby Layne | K | December 19, 1926 | 6'1" | 201 | Texas | Santa Anna, TX USA | 12 | 12 |
86 | Bob Long | LB | February 24, 1934 | 6'3" | 232 | UCLA | South Pasadena, CA USA | 12 | 0 |
57 | Bob Lusk | C | May 18, 1932 | 6'1" | 222 | William & Mary | Williamson, WV USA | 5 | 0 |
72 | Gil Mains | RDE | December 17, 1929 | 6'2" | 243 | Murray St. | Mount Carmel, IL USA | 8 | 0 |
47 | Jim Martin | RLB | April 8, 1924 | 6'2" | 227 | Notre Dame | Cleveland, OH USA | 12 | 0 |
78 | Darris McCord | LDE | January 4, 1933 | 6'4" | 250 | Tennessee | Detroit, MI USA | 12 | 0 |
42 | Don McIlhenny | HB | November 22, 1934 | 6'0" | 197 | SMU | Cleveland, OH USA | 9 | 0 |
84 | Dave Middleton | RE | November 23, 1933 | 6'1" | 194 | Auburn | Birmingham, AL USA | 12 | 0 |
74 | Bob Miller | RDT | December 11, 1929 | 6'3" | 242 | Virginia | Norwalk, CT USA | 12 | 0 |
79 | Gerry Perry | T-DT-DE-G | July 17, 1930 | 6'4" | 237 | Pepperdine | Ballston Spa, NY USA | 12 | 0 |
15 | Jerry Reichow | E-QB | May 19, 1934 | 6'2" | 217 | Iowa | Decorah, IA USA | 8 | 0 |
60 | Jim Salsbury | RG | August 8, 1932 | 6'1" | 233 | UCLA | Los Angeles, CA USA | 11 | 0 |
56 | Joe Schmidt | MLB | January 19, 1932 | 6'1" | 220 | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, PA USA | 12 | 0 |
66 | Harley Sewell | LG | April 18, 1931 | 6'1" | 230 | Texas | St. Jo, TX USA | 12 | 0 |
75 | Ollie Spencer | RT | April 17, 1931 | 6'2" | 245 | Kansas | Hopewell, KS USA | 12 | 0 |
20 | Bill Stits | DB-HB | July 26, 1931 | 6'4" | 194 | UCLA | Lomita, CA USA | 12 | 0 |
30 | Tom Tracy | HB-FB | September 7, 1934 | 5'9" | 205 | Tennessee | Birmingham, AL USA | 4 | 0 |