You Are Here > Pro-Football-Reference.com > Teams > Detroit Lions > 1959 Starters, Roster, & Players
1959 Detroit Lions
Franchise Index: Previous Season / Next Season
Record: 3-8-1, Finished 5th in NFL West Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 203 points (16.9/g), 11th of 12 in the NFL.
Allowed 275 points (22.9/g), 8th.
Differential of -72 points (-6.0/g), 9th.
Expected W-L: 3.9-8.1.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential -13 (-1.1/g), 9th.
Coached by George Wilson (3-8-1)
Like this page? Sponsor it for $10 per year.
1959 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees
Starters
Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE · Hide Non-primary Starters| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | Complete Team Stats | |||||
| QB | Earl Morrall | 25 | 3 | 5 | 65 for 137, 1,102 yards, 5 td, 6 int, & 26 rushes for 112 yards and 0 td | San Francisco 49ers / 1st / 2nd pick / 1956 |
| QB | Tobin Rote | 31 | 9 | 7 | 62 for 162, 861 yards, 5 td, 19 int, & 35 rushes for 156 yards and 2 td | Green Bay Packers / 2nd / 17th pick / 1950 |
| FB | Nick Pietrosante | 22 | Rook | 0 | 76 rushes for 447 yards, 3 td, & 16 catches for 140 yards and 0 td | Detroit Lions / 1st / 6th pick / 1959 |
| FB | John Henry Johnson | 30 | 5 | 0 | 82 rushes for 270 yards, 2 td, & 7 catches for 34 yards and 1 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 18th pick / 1953 |
| LH | Howard Cassady | 25 | 3 | 0 | 52 rushes for 203 yards, 1 td, & 15 catches for 316 yards and 4 td | Detroit Lions / 1st / 3rd pick / 1956 |
| RH | Dan Lewis | 23 | 1 | 0 | 49 rushes for 199 yards, 2 td, & 5 catches for 75 yards and 0 td | Detroit Lions / 6th / 73rd pick / 1958 |
| LE | Dave Middleton | 26 | 4 | 0 | 18 catches for 402 yards, 2 td | Detroit Lions / 1st / 12th pick / 1955 |
| LT | Lou Creekmur | 32 | 9 | 0 | Philadelphia Eagles / 26th / 243rd pick / 1948 |
|
| LG | Harley Sewell* | 28 | 6 | 0 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 13th pick / 1953 |
|
| C | Charlie Ane | 28 | 6 | 0 | 1 fumble recovered | Detroit Lions / 4th / 49th pick / 1953 |
| RG | John Gordy | 24 | 2 | 0 | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 24th pick / 1957 |
|
| RG | Bob Grottkau | 22 | Rook | 0 | Detroit Lions / 4th / 46th pick / 1959 |
|
| RT | Ollie Spencer | 28 | 6 | 0 | 2 fumbles recovered | Detroit Lions / 6th / 73rd pick / 1953 |
| RE | Jim Gibbons | 23 | 1 | 0 | 31 catches for 431 yards, 1 td | Cleveland Browns / 5th / 61st pick / 1958 |
| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Darris McCord | 26 | 4 | 0 | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 36th pick / 1955 |
|
| LDT | Alex Karras | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Detroit Lions / 1st / 10th pick / 1958 |
| RDT | Gil Mains | 30 | 6 | 0 | 0 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered | Detroit Lions / 20th / 237th pick / 1952 |
| RDE | Bill Glass | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Detroit Lions / 1st / 12th pick / 1957 |
| LLB | Bob W. Long | 25 | 4 | 0 | 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Los Angeles Rams / 2nd / 18th pick / 1955 |
| MLB | Joe Schmidt*+ | 27 | 6 | 0 | 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | Detroit Lions / 7th / 85th pick / 1953 |
| RLB | Jim Martin | 35 | 9 | 0 | 2 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Cleveland Browns / 2nd / 26th pick / 1950 |
| LDH | Jim David* | 32 | 7 | 0 | 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Detroit Lions / 22nd / 261st pick / 1952 |
| RDH | Terry Barr | 24 | 2 | 0 | 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 36th pick / 1957 |
| LS | Yale Lary* | 29 | 7 | 0 | 3 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 34th pick / 1952 |
| RS | Gary Lowe | 25 | 3 | 0 | 5 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Washington Redskins / 5th / 59th pick / 1956 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Jim Martin | 35 | 9 | 0 | 7 of 17 field goals & 0 of 1 extra point | Cleveland Browns / 2nd / 26th pick / 1950 |
| P | Yale Lary* | 29 | 7 | 0 | 45 punts for a 47.1 average, 0 blocked | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 34th pick / 1952 |
| PR | Yale Lary* | 29 | 7 | 0 | 21 punt returns for a 2.0 average and 0 td | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 34th pick / 1952 |
| KR | Ken Webb | 24 | 1 | 0 | 16 kick returns for a 22.0 average and 0 td | Detroit Lions / 14th / 169th pick / 1958 |
| Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie Ane | 28 | T-C | 11 | 0 | 260 | 6-2 | USC | 1/25/1931 | 6 | Detroit Lions / 4th / 49th pick / 1953 |
| Terry Barr | 24 | HB-DB-FL | 11 | 0 | 189 | 6-0 | Michigan | 8/10/1935 | 2 | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 36th pick / 1957 |
| Howard Cassady | 25 | HB-SE-FL | 12 | 0 | 183 | 5-10 | Ohio State | 3/2/1934 | 3 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 3rd pick / 1956 |
| Gene Cook | 25 | E | 1 | 0 | 215 | 6-3 | Toledo | 1/11/1934 | Rook | Green Bay Packers / 13th / 147th pick / 1958 |
| Lou Creekmur | 32 | T-G-DG-DT | 8 | 0 | 246 | 6-4 | William & Mary | 1/22/1927 | 9 | Philadelphia Eagles / 26th / 243rd pick / 1948 |
| Gene Cronin | 26 | DE-LB-G | 12 | 12 | 229 | 6-2 | Pacific | 11/20/1933 | 3 | Detroit Lions / 7th / 74th pick / 1956 |
| Jim David* | 32 | DB | 12 | 0 | 178 | 5-11 | Colorado State | 12/2/1927 | 7 | Detroit Lions / 22nd / 261st pick / 1952 |
| Jim Doran | 32 | E-DE | 10 | 0 | 201 | 6-2 | Buena Vista,Iowa State | 8/11/1927 | 8 | Detroit Lions / 5th / 55th pick / 1951 |
| Jim Gibbons | 23 | E-TE | 12 | 0 | 220 | 6-2 | Iowa | 9/26/1936 | 1 | Cleveland Browns / 5th / 61st pick / 1958 |
| Bill Glass | 24 | DE-C-T | 12 | 0 | 252 | 6-5 | Baylor | 8/16/1935 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 12th pick / 1957 |
| John Gordy | 24 | G-T | 12 | 0 | 248 | 6-3 | Tennessee | 6/17/1935 | 2 | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 24th pick / 1957 |
| Bob Grottkau | 22 | G | 12 | 0 | 228 | 6-4 | Oregon | 3/22/1937 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 4th / 46th pick / 1959 |
| John Henry Johnson | 30 | FB-HB | 10 | 0 | 210 | 6-2 | Arizona State,St. Mary's (CA) | 11/24/1929 | 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 18th pick / 1953 |
| Steve Junker | 24 | E | 6 | 0 | 217 | 6-3 | Xavier (OH) | 5/22/1935 | 2 | Detroit Lions / 4th / 48th pick / 1957 |
| Alex Karras | 24 | DT | 12 | 0 | 248 | 6-2 | Iowa | 7/15/1935 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 10th pick / 1958 |
| Yale Lary* | 29 | DB | 10 | 0 | 185 | 5-11 | Texas A&M | 11/24/1930 | 7 | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 34th pick / 1952 |
| Dick LeBeau | 22 | DB | 6 | 0 | 185 | 6-1 | Ohio State | 9/9/1937 | Rook | Cleveland Browns / 5th / 58th pick / 1959 |
| Dan Lewis | 23 | HB-FB | 11 | 0 | 199 | 6-1 | Wisconsin | 2/14/1936 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 6th / 73rd pick / 1958 |
| Bob W. Long | 25 | LB | 12 | 0 | 232 | 6-3 | UCLA | 2/24/1934 | 4 | Los Angeles Rams / 2nd / 18th pick / 1955 |
| Gary Lowe | 25 | DB-HB | 12 | 0 | 196 | 5-11 | Michigan State | 5/4/1934 | 3 | Washington Redskins / 5th / 59th pick / 1956 |
| Gil Mains | 30 | DT-DE | 12 | 0 | 243 | 6-2 | Murray State | 12/17/1929 | 6 | Detroit Lions / 20th / 237th pick / 1952 |
| Jim Martin | 35 | G-LB-K | 12 | 0 | 227 | 6-2 | Notre Dame | 4/8/1924 | 9 | Cleveland Browns / 2nd / 26th pick / 1950 |
| Darris McCord | 26 | DE-DT-T | 12 | 0 | 250 | 6-4 | Tennessee | 1/4/1933 | 4 | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 36th pick / 1955 |
| Dave Middleton | 26 | E-HB-FL | 12 | 0 | 194 | 6-1 | Auburn | 11/23/1933 | 4 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 12th pick / 1955 |
| Earl Morrall | 25 | QB | 12 | 5 | 205 | 6-1 | Michigan State | 5/17/1934 | 3 | San Francisco 49ers / 1st / 2nd pick / 1956 |
| Ben Paolucci | 22 | DT | 4 | 0 | 240 | 6-2 | Wayne State (MI) | 3/5/1937 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 9th / 109th pick / 1958 |
| Gerry Perry | 29 | T-DT-DE-G | 10 | 0 | 237 | 6-4 | California,Pepperdine | 7/17/1930 | 5 | Los Angeles Rams / 29th / 349th pick / 1952 |
| Nick Pietrosante | 22 | FB | 10 | 0 | 225 | 6-2 | Notre Dame | 9/10/1937 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 1st / 6th pick / 1959 |
| Mike Rabold | 22 | G | 12 | 0 | 239 | 6-2 | Indiana | 3/12/1937 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 19th pick / 1959 |
| Jerry Reichow | 25 | E-QB | 9 | 0 | 217 | 6-2 | Iowa | 5/19/1934 | 3 | Detroit Lions / 4th / 38th pick / 1956 |
| Tobin Rote | 31 | QB | 10 | 7 | 211 | 6-3 | Rice | 1/18/1928 | 9 | Green Bay Packers / 2nd / 17th pick / 1950 |
| Ken Russell | 24 | T | 4 | 0 | 252 | 6-3 | Bowling Green | 11/2/1935 | 2 | Detroit Lions / 6th / 71st pick / 1957 |
| Joe Schmidt*+ | 27 | LB | 12 | 0 | 220 | 6-1 | Pittsburgh | 1/19/1932 | 6 | Detroit Lions / 7th / 85th pick / 1953 |
| Harley Sewell* | 28 | G-LB | 11 | 0 | 230 | 6-1 | Texas | 4/18/1931 | 6 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 13th pick / 1953 |
| Ollie Spencer | 28 | T-G-C | 12 | 0 | 245 | 6-2 | Kansas | 4/17/1931 | 6 | Detroit Lions / 6th / 73rd pick / 1953 |
| Jim Steffen | 23 | DB | 8 | 0 | 195 | 6-0 | Occidental,UCLA | 5/1/1936 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 13th / 149th pick / 1959 |
| Wayne H. Walker | 23 | LB | 9 | 0 | 225 | 6-2 | Idaho | 9/30/1936 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 4th / 45th pick / 1958 |
| Jim Weatherall | 30 | DT-T | 8 | 0 | 245 | 6-4 | Oklahoma | 10/26/1929 | 4 | Philadelphia Eagles / 2nd / 17th pick / 1952 |
| Ken Webb | 24 | HB-FB | 12 | 0 | 207 | 5-11 | Presbyterian | 8/15/1935 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 14th / 169th pick / 1958 |
| Dave Whitsell | 23 | DB | 12 | 0 | 189 | 6-0 | Indiana | 6/14/1936 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 24th / 289th pick / 1958 |
| Team Total | 26.1 | 12 | 220.4 | 6-1.8 | 3.4 |