1957 San Francisco 49ers season
Encyclopedia
The 1957
San Francisco 49ers
season was the team's eighth season in the NFL
, and were coming off a 5-6-1 record in 1956, however, they ended the season with a 5 game unbeaten streak.
San Francisco would continue their late season success from the previous year, and would win 5 of their first 6 games and sit in 1st place in the Western Conference. The Niners would then lose 3 in a row on the road to drop to a 5-4-0 record, however, a 3 game winning streak to close out the season would see San Francisco finish with an 8-4-0 record, their best season since 1953. The 49ers finished tied with the Detroit Lions
at the top of the Western Conference, which would set up a tie-breaking playoff game at Kezar Stadium
, with the winner of the game to face the Cleveland Browns
for the NFL Championship. The Lions would win a very close game by a 31-27 score and end the 49ers season and their quest for their first title. Sadly, 49ers owner Anthony J. (Tony) Morabito
died of a heart attack, during the second quarter of the October 27 game against the Chicago Bears
at Kezar. The team was notified of his death at halftime, and with tears in their eyes, they went back out and won a come-from-behind victory.
Y.A. Tittle had another strong season for the team, completing 63.1% of his passes for 2157 yards and 13 TD's. Tittle would also rush for 6 TD's. Billy Wilson
would lead the club with 52 completions and 757 yards, along with a team high 6 TD's. Hugh McElhenny
had a club best 478 rushing yards on 102 attempts.
1957 NFL season
The 1957 NFL season was the 38th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended when the Detroit Lions crushed the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Championship Game, 59–14.-Major rule changes:...
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
season was the team's eighth season in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, and were coming off a 5-6-1 record in 1956, however, they ended the season with a 5 game unbeaten streak.
San Francisco would continue their late season success from the previous year, and would win 5 of their first 6 games and sit in 1st place in the Western Conference. The Niners would then lose 3 in a row on the road to drop to a 5-4-0 record, however, a 3 game winning streak to close out the season would see San Francisco finish with an 8-4-0 record, their best season since 1953. The 49ers finished tied with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
at the top of the Western Conference, which would set up a tie-breaking playoff game at Kezar Stadium
Kezar Stadium
Kezar Stadium is a stadium located adjacent to Kezar Pavilion in the southeastern corner of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California. It is the former home of the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL, and of the San Francisco Dragons of MLL. It also served as the home of the...
, with the winner of the game to face the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for the NFL Championship. The Lions would win a very close game by a 31-27 score and end the 49ers season and their quest for their first title. Sadly, 49ers owner Anthony J. (Tony) Morabito
Tony Morabito
Anthony J. "Tony" Morabito, a University of Santa Clara alumnus who had been moderately successful during the late 1930s and early 1940s in the lumber hauling business in San Francisco, California realized that air travel would make feasible a coast-to-coast rivalry in football.In 1944, after...
died of a heart attack, during the second quarter of the October 27 game against the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
at Kezar. The team was notified of his death at halftime, and with tears in their eyes, they went back out and won a come-from-behind victory.
Y.A. Tittle had another strong season for the team, completing 63.1% of his passes for 2157 yards and 13 TD's. Tittle would also rush for 6 TD's. Billy Wilson
Billy Wilson (American football)
Billy Wilson was an American football wide receiver who played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1951 to 1960...
would lead the club with 52 completions and 757 yards, along with a team high 6 TD's. Hugh McElhenny
Hugh McElhenny
Hugh Edward McElhenny is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played from 1952–1964, for the San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, and Detroit Lions. He was noted for his explosive, elusive running style and was frequently called "The...
had a club best 478 rushing yards on 102 attempts.
NFL Draft
| Pick # | |Player | |College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
John Brodie John Brodie John Riley Brodie is a former professional American football quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, and had a second career as a Senior PGA Tour professional golfer.-Early years and education:... |
Quarterback Quarterback Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line... |
Stanford Stanford University The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San... |
Schedule
| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Record |
| 1 | September 29 | Chicago Cardinals | 20-10 | San Francisco 49ers | 0-1-0 |
| 2 | October 6 | Los Angeles Rams | 23-20 | San Francisco 49ers | 1-1-0 |
| 3 | October 13 | San Francisco 49ers | 21-17 | Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
2-1-0 |
| 4 | October 20 | San Francisco 49ers | 24-14 | Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
3-1-0 |
| 5 | October 27 | Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
21-17 | San Francisco 49ers | 4-1-0 |
| 6 | November 3 | Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
35-31 | San Francisco 49ers | 5-1-0 |
| 7 | November 10 | San Francisco 49ers | 37-24 | Los Angeles Rams | 5-2-0 |
| 8 | November 17 | San Francisco 49ers | 31-10 | Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
5-3-0 |
| 9 | November 24 | San Francisco 49ers | 27-21 | Baltimore Colts History of the Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls.... |
5-4-0 |
| 10 | December 1 | San Francisco 49ers | 27-17 | New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
6-4-0 |
| 11 | December 8 | Baltimore Colts History of the Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls.... |
17-13 | San Francisco 49ers | 7-4-0 |
| 12 | December 15 | Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
27-20 | San Francisco 49ers | 8-4-0 |
Standings
| Western Conference | G | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | .667 | 251 | 231 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | .667 | 260 | 264 |
| Baltimore Colts History of the Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls.... |
12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 303 | 235 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | .500 | 307 | 278 |
| Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | .417 | 203 | 211 |
| Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
12 | 3 | 9 | 0 | .250 | 218 | 311 |
Western Conference Playoff
| Date | Visitor | Score | Home |
| December 22 | Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
31-27 | San Francisco 49ers |