1957 NFL Championship Game
Cleveland Browns
(Eastern)
(9–2–1)		 Detroit Lions
(Western)
(8–4)
14 59
Head coach:
Paul Brown		 Head coach:
George Wilson
1234 Total
Cleveland Browns 0770 14
Detroit Lions 17141414 59
DateDecember 29, 1957
StadiumBriggs Stadium, Detroit, Michigan
Attendance55,263
Hall of Famers
Browns: Paul Brown (coach/gm), Jim Brown, Len Ford, Lou Groza, Henry Jordan, Mike McCormack
Lions: Jack Christiansen, Lou Creekmur, Frank Gatski, John Henry Johnson, Yale Lary, Bobby Layne, Joe Schmidt
TV in the United States
NetworkNBC
AnnouncersVan Patrick, Ken Coleman, Red Grange
Radio in the United States
NetworkNBC, WGAR, WWJ
AnnouncersRay Scott, Bill McColgan
Detroit is located in the United States
Detroit
Detroit
Location in the United States
Detroit  is located in Michigan
Detroit 
Detroit 
Location in Michigan

The 1957 NFL Championship Game was the 25th annual championship game, held on December 29 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

The Detroit Lions (8–4), winners of the Western Conference, hosted the Cleveland Browns (9–2–1), champions of the Eastern Conference. Detroit had won the regular season game 20–7 three weeks earlier on December 8, also at Briggs Stadium, but lost quarterback Bobby Layne with a broken right ankle late in the first half.[7][8] Reserve quarterback Tobin Rote, a starter the previous year with Green Bay, filled in for Layne and won that game with Cleveland, the next week at Chicago, and the tiebreaker playoff game at San Francisco.

It was the fourth pairing of the two teams in the championship game; they met previously in 1952, 1953, and 1954. The Browns, idle the previous week, were favored by three points,[9][10][11] but the home underdog Lions scored two touchdowns in each quarter and won in a rout, 59–14.[2][3][4][5][6]

Until 2006, this was the last time that major professional teams from Michigan and Ohio met in a postseason game (or series) in any sport. This was the last NFL playoff game played in the city of Detroit other than Super Bowl XL until 2023 as the Lions' other two home playoff games prior (1991 and 1993) were at the Silverdome in suburban Pontiac. This also remains as the Lions' fourth and most recent league title and most recent championship appearance (including the Super Bowl) as of the 2022 season, starting a sixty-six year championship drought for the Lions.

Starting lineups

Hall of Fame‡

DetroitPositionCleveland
OFFENSE
Jim DoranLEPete Brewster
Lou Creekmur‡LTLou Groza‡
Harley SewellLGHerschel Forester
Frank Gatski‡CArt Hunter
Stan CampbellRGFred Robinson
Ken RussellRTMike McCormack‡
Steve JunkerREPreston Carpenter
Tobin RoteQBTommy O'Connell
Gene GedmanLHBRay Renfro
Hopalong CassadyRHBLew Carpenter
John Henry Johnson‡FBJim Brown‡
DEFENSE
Darris McCordLDEBill Quinlan
Ray KrouseLDTBob Gain
Gil MainsRDTDon Colo
Gene CroninRDELen Ford‡
Bob LongLLBGalen Fiss
Joe Schmidt‡MLBVince Costello
Roger ZatkoffRLBWalt Michaels
Carl KarilivaczDBJunior Wren
Jack Christiansen‡DBKen Konz
Yale Lary‡DBWarren Lahr
Jim DavidDBDon Paul

Players in the Hall of Fame

Of those listed above, Lions' QB Bobby Layne was injured earlier in the month and did not play, and future Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Henry Jordan was a rookie for the Browns.

Game summary

The home underdog Lions were without starting quarterback Layne due to a broken ankle three weeks earlier against the Browns.[7][8][9] Backup quarterback Tobin Rote filled in admirably following Layne's injury, winning every game, including a 24-point rally in the tiebreaker playoff over the 49ers the previous week.[12] In his eighth season, Rote threw four touchdown passes in the title game, completing 12 of 19 passes for 280 yards, and also ran for a touchdown. Browns quarterbacks Tommy O'Connell and Milt Plum, on the other hand hit on a combined total of 9 of 22 passes for 112 yards. Taking full advantage of a pass interception and a fumble, Detroit ran up a 17–0 lead in the first quarter. Rookie running back Jim Brown gave the Cleveland rooters some hope with a 29-yard touchdown run at the start of the second period.

Things went from bad to worse for the Browns, hampered by injuries to quarterbacks O'Connell and Plum. The Lions romped for 14 points in each of the last three quarters,[3][13] and won by 45 points, 59–14.[2][3][4] In their final six quarters of play (including their previous divisional playoff), the Lions outscored their opponents 83-17.

Scoring summary

Sunday, December 29, 1957
Kickoff: 2:00 p.m. EST[9]

  • First quarter
    • DET – FG Jim Martin, 31 yards, 3–0 DET
    • DET – Tobin Rote 1-yard run (Martin kick), 10–0 DET
    • DET – Gene Gedman 1-yard run (Martin kick), 17–0 DET
  • Second quarter
  • Third quarter
    • CLE – Lew Carpenter 5-yard run (Groza kick), 31–14 DET
    • DET – Jim Doran 78-yard pass from Rote (Martin kick), 38–14 DET
    • DET – Junker 23-yard pass from Rote (Martin kick), 45–14 DET
  • Fourth quarter

Officials

The NFL had five game officials in 1957; the line judge was added in 1965 and the side judge in 1978.

Players' shares

The gross receipts for the game, including radio and television rights, were just under $594,000, the highest to date. Each player on the winning Lions team received $4,295, while Browns players made $2,750 each.[3][4]

Lions' last title

The Lions have not appeared in an NFL championship game (including the Super Bowl) since this title 66 years ago. It was their last postseason appearance until 1970, and their last postseason home game and victory until 1991.

1991 was also the only time the Lions have advanced as far as the Conference Championship game, losing the NFC Championship Game 41–10 to the Washington Redskins, who went on to win Super Bowl XXVI.

Video

  • YouTube – 1957 NFL Championship - Lions vs. Browns - Vol. 1
  • YouTube – 1957 NFL Championship - Lions vs. Browns - Vol. 2

References

  1. ↑ Berry, Jack (December 30, 1957). "Lions overcome many obstacles on way to title". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). United Press. p. 14.
  2. 1 2 3 Johnson, Chuck (December 30, 1957). "Rote's passes, play calling smash Cleveland, 59 to 14". Milwaukee Journal. p. 7, part 2.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Sell, Jack (December 30, 1957). "Lions crush Browns, 59 to 14, to win title". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 18.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Jones, Eddie T. (December 30, 1957). "Browns show off collapsing defense". Toledo Blade. Ohio. p. 11.
  5. 1 2 Strickler, George (December 30, 1957). "Lions crush Browns, 59-14; win title". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, part 4.
  6. 1 2 Maule, Tex (January 6, 1958). "All hail the lusty Lions". Sports Illustrated. p. 8.
  7. 1 2 "Lions lose Layne but win, 20-7". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. December 9, 1957. p. 26.
  8. 1 2 Jones, Eddie T. (December 9, 1957). "Lions roar back into title chase". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). p. 18.
  9. 1 2 3 Lea, Bud (December 29, 1957). "Lions face Browns for pro title". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 1C.
  10. ↑ "Browns oppose Detroit today for NFL title". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). Associated Press. December 29, 1957. p. 24.
  11. 1 2 Strickler, George (December 29, 1957). "Browns 3-point favorites in NFL playoff today". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, part 2.
  12. ↑ "Lions thrilling rally wins playoff, 31-27". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. p. 20.
  13. ↑ Chuck Heaton, Lions Crush Browns, 59–14, Cleveland Plain Dealer December 29, 1957, Plain Dealer Browns' History Database Accessed December 12, 2007, http://www.cleveland.com/brownshistory/plaindealer/index.ssf?/browns/more/history/19571229BROWNS.html Archived October 1, 2012, at the Wayback Machine

42°19′55″N 83°04′08″W / 42.332°N 83.069°W / 42.332; -83.069

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