1961 Detroit Lions Roster

National Football League (NFL)
Team Record: 8-5-1
Finishing 2nd in the NFL's West Division
Coach: George Wilson (8-5-1)
Location: Detroit, Michigan
1961 Detroit Lions Statistics
1961 Detroit Lions Results

The Detroit Lions of the National Football League ended the 1961 season with a record of 8 wins and 5 losses and 1 ties, finishing second in the NFL's West Division.

Detroit scored 270 points, while the stingy defense conceded 258. Jim Ninowski tossed for 1,921 yards. Gail Cogdill topped the receiving corps, hauling in 45 balls for 956 yards. Terry Barr was targeted regularly, too.

Nick Pietrosante rushed for a team-leading 841 yards for the Lions.

Night Train Lane and Yale Lary each picked off 6 opponent throws.

George Wilson coached the team.

Click on column headings to sort.

# Player Pos. Birth Date Height Weight College Hometown GP GS
41Terry BarrRHAugust 10, 19356'0"189MichiganGrand Rapids, MI USA1414
57Carl BrettschneiderLLBDecember 2, 19316'1"223Iowa St.Dundee, IL USA1212
76Roger BrownRDTMay 1, 19376'5"300Md-Eastern ShoreSurrey County, VA USA1414
40Howard CassadyPRMarch 2, 19345'10"183Ohio St.Columbus, OH USA140
89Gail CogdillSEApril 7, 19376'3"200Washington St.Worland, WY USA1414
87Glenn DavisSESeptember 12, 19346'0"180Ohio St.Wellsburg, WV USA82
80Jim GibbonsTESeptember 26, 19366'2"220IowaChicago, IL USA1414
53Bill GlassRDEAugust 16, 19356'5"252BaylorTexarkana, TX USA1414
79John GonzagaLTMarch 6, 19336'3"247noneMartinez, CA USA1311
75John GordyRGJune 17, 19356'3"248TennesseeNashville, TN USA1413
71Alex KarrasLDTJuly 15, 19356'2"248IowaGary, IN USA1414
81Night Train LaneLCBApril 16, 19276'1"194West. Nebraska CC-ScottsbluffAustin, TX USA1214
77Dan LaRoseRTFebruary 8, 19396'5"250MissouriCrystal City, MO USA1411
28Yale LaryPNovember 24, 19305'11"185Texas A&MFort Worth, TX USA1414
44Dick LeBeauDBSeptember 9, 19376'1"185Ohio St.London, OH USA140
45Dan LewisLHFebruary 14, 19366'1"199WisconsinFreehold, NJ USA1311
43Gary LoweLSMay 4, 19345'11"196Michigan St.Trenton, MI USA1414
21Bruce MaherRCBJuly 25, 19375'11"190Detroit MercyDetroit, MI USA121
72Gil MainsDTDecember 17, 19296'2"243Murray St.Mount Carmel, IL USA30
47Jim MartinKApril 8, 19246'2"227Notre DameCleveland, OH USA130
70Willie McClungROTMay 9, 19306'2"250Florida A&MMarion, AL USA33
78Darris McCordLDEJanuary 4, 19336'4"250TennesseeDetroit, MI USA1414
54Max MessnerLLB-RLB-MLOctober 13, 19386'3"225CincinnatiAshland, OH USA142
67Dick MillsLOG-ROGMarch 6, 19396'3"240PittsburghIndiana, PA USA140
14Earl MorrallQBMay 17, 19346'1"205Michigan St.Muskegon, MI USA135
15Jim NinowskiQBMarch 26, 19366'1"206Michigan St.Detroit, MI USA137
0Johnny OlszewskiHB-FBDecember 21, 19305'11"200CaliforniaWashington, DC USA141
33Nick PietrosanteFBSeptember 10, 19376'2"225Notre DameAnsonia, CT USA1414
56Joe SchmidtMLBJanuary 19, 19326'1"220PittsburghPittsburgh, PA USA1414
50Bob ScholtzCDecember 25, 19376'4"250Notre DameWatertown, SD USA1414
66Harley SewellLGApril 18, 19316'1"230TexasSt. Jo, TX USA1414
73Ollie SpencerLOT-ROG-CApril 17, 19316'2"245KansasHopewell, KS USA134
20Jim SteffenKRMay 1, 19366'0"195OccidentalOrange, CA USA80
25Pat StudstillFL-HB-WR-PJune 4, 19386'0"180HoustonShreveport, LA USA140
55Wayne WalkerRLBSeptember 30, 19366'2"225IdahoBoise, ID USA1414
74Paul WardLDTJanuary 30, 19376'3"247WhitworthSanta Fe, NM USA80
34Ken WebbFBAugust 15, 19355'11"207PresbyterianAlbany, GA USA110
61Bob WhitlowLOGFebruary 15, 19366'2"236IndianaShelbyville, IN USA60
88Sam WilliamsRDE-LDEMarch 9, 19316'5"235Michigan St.Dansville, MI USA120