1957 NFL season


The 1957 NFL season was the 38th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with the Detroit Lions defeating the Cleveland Browns in the NFL championship game, 59–14.

Draft

The 1957 NFL Draft was held on November 26, 1956 and January 31, 1957 at Philadelphia's Warwick Hotel and The Bellevue-Stratford Hotel. With the first pick, the Green Bay Packers selected halfback Paul Hornung from the University of Notre Dame.

Major rule changes

Cleveland won its opener, 6–3 over the Giants, and led the Eastern Conference from wire to wire. A 17–7 loss to the Eagles in Week Four forced the Browns to share the lead with New York, but the Giants lost the following week, and spent the rest of the season trying to catch Cleveland.
The Western Conference race was more protracted. Baltimore, Detroit, and San Francisco were tied for the lead several times, and had identical 7–4 records at the end of the penultimate week. When two teams tied for first place, they would meet in a one-game playoff. The NFL did have a provision for that: "If all three teams win, tie, or lose, then a two-week playoff series begins next Sunday with Baltimore drawing a bye, San Francisco playing Detroit, and the winner meeting the Colts at Baltimore Dec. 29." Detroit and San Francisco both won while starting their backup quarterbacks, but the Colts lost, so the additional playoff never took place.
WeekWesternRecordEasternRecord
13 teams 1–0–03 teams 1–0–0
2Baltimore Colts2–0–0Cleveland Browns2–0–0
3Baltimore Colts3–0–0Cleveland Browns3–0–0
43 teams 3–1–0Tie 3–1–0
5San Francisco 49ers4–1–0Cleveland Browns4–1–0
6San Francisco 49ers5–1–0Cleveland Browns5–1–0
7San Francisco 49ers5–2–0Cleveland Browns6–1–0
83 teams 5–3–0Cleveland Browns6–1–1
9Baltimore Colts6–3–0Cleveland Browns7–1–1
10Baltimore Colts7–3–0Cleveland Browns8–1–1
113 teams 7–4–0Cleveland Browns8–2–1
12Tie 8–4–0Cleveland Browns9–2–1

Final standings

W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against
Note: The NFL did not officially count tie games in the standings until

Playoffs

Western Conference Playoff Game
NFL Championship Game

Coaching changes

The Green Bay Packers moved from City Stadium to New City Stadium