1959 Detroit Lions Roster
National Football League (NFL)
Team Record: 3-8-1
Finishing 5th in the NFL's West Division
Coach: George Wilson (3-8-1)
Location: Detroit, Michigan
1959 Detroit Lions StatisticsTeam Record: 3-8-1
Finishing 5th in the NFL's West Division
Coach: George Wilson (3-8-1)
Location: Detroit, Michigan
1959 Detroit Lions Results
The Detroit Lions of the National Football League ended the 1959 season with a record of 3 wins and 8 losses and 1 ties, finishing fifth in the NFL's West Division.
The Lions labored to change the scoreboard with just 203 points, and the defensive squad yielded 275. Nick Pietrosante rushed for a team-leading 447 yards for Detroit.
Earl Morrall passed for 1,102 yards. Jim Gibbons topped all receivers, hauling in 31 balls for 431 yards.
Gary Lowe seized 5 opponent throws.
George Wilson 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 | 11 | 0 |
| 41 | Terry Barr | RDH | August 10, 1935 | 6'0" | 189 | Michigan | Grand Rapids, MI USA | 11 | 0 |
| 40 | Howard Cassady | LH | March 2, 1934 | 5'10" | 183 | Ohio St. | Columbus, OH USA | 12 | 0 |
| 88 | Gene Cook | E | January 11, 1934 | 6'3" | 215 | Toledo | Greenfield, TN USA | 1 | 0 |
| 76 | Lou Creekmur | LT | January 22, 1927 | 6'4" | 246 | William & Mary | Hopelawn, NJ USA | 8 | 0 |
| 85 | Gene Cronin | DE | November 20, 1933 | 6'2" | 229 | Pacific | Spalding, NE USA | 12 | 12 |
| 25 | Jim David | LDH | December 2, 1927 | 5'11" | 178 | Colorado St. | Florence, SC USA | 12 | 0 |
| 83 | Jim Doran | E-DE | August 11, 1927 | 6'2" | 201 | Buena Vista | Beaver, IA USA | 10 | 0 |
| 80 | Jim Gibbons | RE | September 26, 1936 | 6'2" | 220 | Iowa | Chicago, IL USA | 12 | 0 |
| 53 | Bill Glass | RDE | August 16, 1935 | 6'5" | 252 | Baylor | Texarkana, TX USA | 12 | 0 |
| 75 | John Gordy | RG | June 17, 1935 | 6'3" | 248 | Tennessee | Nashville, TN USA | 12 | 0 |
| 60 | Bob Grottkau | G | March 22, 1937 | 6'4" | 228 | Oregon | San Rafael, CA USA | 12 | 0 |
| 35 | John Johnson | FB-HB | November 24, 1929 | 6'2" | 210 | St. Mary's (CA) | Waterproof, LA USA | 10 | 0 |
| 88 | Steve Junker | E | May 22, 1935 | 6'3" | 217 | Xavier (OH) | Cincinnati, OH USA | 6 | 0 |
| 71 | Alex Karras | LDT | July 15, 1935 | 6'2" | 248 | Iowa | Gary, IN USA | 12 | 0 |
| 28 | Yale Lary | LS | November 24, 1930 | 5'11" | 185 | Texas A&M | Fort Worth, TX USA | 10 | 0 |
| 24 | Dick LeBeau | DB | September 9, 1937 | 6'1" | 185 | Ohio St. | London, OH USA | 6 | 0 |
| 45 | Dan Lewis | RH | February 14, 1936 | 6'1" | 199 | Wisconsin | Freehold, NJ USA | 11 | 0 |
| 86 | Bob Long | LLB | February 24, 1934 | 6'3" | 232 | UCLA | South Pasadena, CA USA | 12 | 0 |
| 43 | Gary Lowe | RS | May 4, 1934 | 5'11" | 196 | Michigan St. | Trenton, MI USA | 12 | 0 |
| 72 | Gil Mains | RDT | December 17, 1929 | 6'2" | 243 | Murray St. | Mount Carmel, IL USA | 12 | 0 |
| 47 | Jim Martin | K | 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 |
| 84 | Dave Middleton | LE | November 23, 1933 | 6'1" | 194 | Auburn | Birmingham, AL USA | 12 | 0 |
| 14 | Earl Morrall | QB | May 17, 1934 | 6'1" | 205 | Michigan St. | Muskegon, MI USA | 12 | 5 |
| 77 | Ben Paolucci | DT | March 5, 1937 | 6'2" | 240 | Wayne State (MI) | Cleveland, OH USA | 4 | 0 |
| 79 | Gerry Perry | T-DT-DE-G | July 17, 1930 | 6'4" | 237 | Pepperdine | Ballston Spa, NY USA | 10 | 0 |
| 33 | Nick Pietrosante | FB | September 10, 1937 | 6'2" | 225 | Notre Dame | Ansonia, CT USA | 10 | 0 |
| 64 | Mike Rabold | G | March 12, 1937 | 6'2" | 239 | Indiana | Chicago, IL USA | 12 | 0 |
| 87 | Jerry Reichow | E-QB | May 19, 1934 | 6'2" | 217 | Iowa | Decorah, IA USA | 9 | 0 |
| 18 | Tobin Rote | QB | January 18, 1928 | 6'3" | 211 | Rice | San Antonio, TX USA | 10 | 7 |
| 73 | Ken Russell | T | November 2, 1935 | 6'3" | 252 | Bowling Green | Fostoria, OH USA | 4 | 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 | 11 | 0 |
| 73 | Ollie Spencer | RT | April 17, 1931 | 6'2" | 245 | Kansas | Hopewell, KS USA | 12 | 0 |
| 20 | Jim Steffen | DB | May 1, 1936 | 6'0" | 195 | Occidental | Orange, CA USA | 8 | 0 |
| 55 | Wayne Walker | LB | September 30, 1936 | 6'2" | 225 | Idaho | Boise, ID USA | 9 | 0 |
| 74 | Jim Weatherall | DT-T | October 26, 1929 | 6'4" | 245 | Oklahoma | Graham, OK USA | 8 | 0 |
| 34 | Ken Webb | KR | August 15, 1935 | 5'11" | 207 | Presbyterian | Albany, GA USA | 12 | 0 |
| 23 | Dave Whitsell | DB | June 14, 1936 | 6'0" | 189 | Indiana | Shelby, MI USA | 12 | 0 |
