| Year: | 1957 |
| Nflchampion: | Detroit Lions |
| Eastchampion: | Cleveland Browns |
| Westchampion: | Detroit Lions (playoff) |
| Regular Season: | September 29 – December 22, 1957 |
The 1957 NFL season was the 38th regular season of the National Football League. After a 6-game preseason slate, the league's 12 teams played a 12-game league schedule — 72 regular season contests in all.
The season ended on Sunday, December 28, with a "World's Championship Playoff" held in the home city of the Eastern Conference champions,[1] won 59–14 by the visiting Detroit Lions over the Cleveland Browns.
This was followed by the "All Star Pro-Bowl Game" held January 11, 1959, in Los Angeles, a game won by the East, 28–21.
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.
Cleveland won its opener, 6–3 over the Giants and led the Eastern Division 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 Division 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.[2] When two teams tied for first place, they would meet in a one-game playoff. The NFL did have a provision for this situation: "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 December 29."[3] Detroit and San Francisco both won while starting their backup quarterbacks (Tobin Rote and rookie John Brodie, respectively), but the Colts lost, meaning the additional playoff was not required.
| Week | Western | Record | Eastern | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 teams (Bal, GB, LA) | 1–0–0 | 3 teams (Cards, Cle, Pit) | 1–0–0 |
| 2 | Baltimore Colts | 2–0–0 | Cleveland Browns | 2–0–0 |
| 3 | Baltimore Colts | 3–0–0 | Cleveland Browns | 3–0–0 |
| 4 | 3 teams (Bal, Det, SF) | 3–1–0 | Tie (Cle, NYG) | 3–1–0 |
| 5 | San Francisco 49ers | 4–1–0 | Cleveland Browns | 4–1–0 |
| 6 | San Francisco 49ers | 5–1–0 | Cleveland Browns | 5–1–0 |
| 7 | San Francisco 49ers | 5–2–0 | Cleveland Browns | 6–1–0 |
| 8 | 3 teams (Bal, Det, SF) | 5–3–0 | Cleveland Browns | 6–1–1 |
| 9 | Baltimore Colts | 6–3–0 | Cleveland Browns | 7–1–1 |
| 10 | Baltimore Colts | 7–3–0 | Cleveland Browns | 8–1–1 |
| 11 | 3 teams (Bal, Det, SF) | 7–4–0 | Cleveland Browns | 8–2–1 |
| 12 | (tie) Detroit Lions | 8–4–0 | Cleveland Browns | 9–2–1 |
| 12 | San Francisco 49ers | 8–4–0 |
See also: 1957 NFL playoffs.
Home team in capitalsWestern Conference Playoff Game
| AP NFL Most Valuable Player | Jim Brown, Fullback, Cleveland | |
| AP NFL Coach of the Year | George Wilson, Lions |
Buddy Parker was replaced by George Wilson.
Walt Kiesling was replaced by Buddy Parker.
The Green Bay Packers moved from City Stadium to New City Stadium