1956 San Francisco 49ers season

The 1956 San Francisco 49ers season was the team's seventh season in the National Football League (NFL) (eleventh in team history).

Program from the 1956 season finale game against the visiting Baltimore Colts.

1956 San Francisco 49ers season
Owner	Tony Morabito
General manager	Louis Spadia
Head coach	Frankie Albert
Home field	Kezar Stadium
Results
Record	5–6–1
Division place	3rd NFL Western
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
← 1955 49ers seasons 1957 →

San Francisco brought in a new head coach for the second straight season, replacing Red Strader with former 49ers quarterback Frankie Albert, who played with the team from their AAFC days in 1946 until 1952.

The Niners got off to a rough start, winning only 1 of their first 7 games to sit in last place in the Western Conference. San Francisco went unbeaten in their final 5 games, and finished the year with a 5–6–1 record, and in 3rd place in the Conference.

Offensively, Y. A. Tittle threw for a team-high 1,641 yards and 7 touchdowns, and had 56.9% of his passes completed. Hugh McElhenny rushed for a team-best 916 yards and 8 touchdowns, while Billy Wilson caught a club-high 60 receptions for 889 yards, along with 5 touchdowns. Bob St. Clair blocked 10 field goal attempts.^[1]

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1956 NFL draft

1956 San Francisco 49ers draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	2	Earl Morrall *	Quarterback	Michigan State
2	15	Bruce Bosley *	Center	West Virginia
3	26	Bill Herchman	Defensive tackle	Texas Tech
4	40	Frank Pajaczkowski	Back	Richmond
6	64	Tony Sardisco	Guard	Tulane
7	75	Larry Barnes	Fullback	Colorado State	played with 49ers in 1957.
8	88	Charley Smith	Defensive end	Abilene Christian
9	99	Jim Cox	End	Cal Poly
10	112	Jerry Zaleski	Back	Colorado State
11	123	Stew Pell	Tackle	North Carolina
12	136	Roger Swedberg	Tackle	Iowa
13	147	Ralph Moody	Back	Kansas
14	160	R. C. Owens	Halfback	College of Idaho	began play with 49ers in 1957.
15	171	Reed Henderson	Tackle	Utah State	signed with Edmonton Eskimos (WIFU)
15	172	Gene Boyd	Back	Abilene Christian
16	184	George Herring	Quarterback	Mississippi Southern
17	195	Dick Weiss	Tackle	Ole Miss
18	208	Bill Yelverton	Defensive end	Ole Miss
19	219	Pete Arrigoni	Back	Arizona
20	232	Bob Scarbrough	Center	Auburn
21	243	L.C. Joyner	Halfback	Contra Costa JC
22	256	Clarence Wessman	End	San Jose State
23	267	Mike Monroe	Back	Washington
24	280	Ed Wallace	Tackle	San Diego City College
25	291	Paul Goad	Fullback	Abilene Christian
26	304	Rommie Loudd	Linebacker	UCLA	signed with BC Lions (WIFU)
27	315	Jerry Gustafson	Quarterback	Stanford	signed with BC Lions (WIFU)
28	328	Jerry Drew	Back	California
29	339	Dean Benson	Guard	Willamette
30	351	Bob Mitchell	Tackle	Puget Sound
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Source:^[2]

Personnel

Staff / Coaches

1957 San Francisco 49ers staff

Front office Team Owner - Tony Morabito General manager – Louis Spadia Head coaches Head coach - Frankie Albert Offensive coaches Chief of Offense / Offensive Coordinator - Red Hickey

Defensive coaches Defensive Assistant – Phil Bengtson Special teams coaches None - N/A

Roster

1956 San Francisco 49ers roster
Quarterbacks 14 Y.A. Tittle 12 Earl Morrall Running backs 32 Lem Harkey FB 34 Joe Perry FB 35 John Henry Johnson 36 Paul Goad FB 39 Hugh McElhenny HB 43 Tom McCormick HB Wide receivers 22 Joe Arenas 85 Bill Jessup Tight ends 86 Clyde Conner E 84 Billy Wilson	Offensive linemen 69 Jerry Smith G 75 Ed Henke RG 64 Ed Sharkey G 64 Ted Connolly LG 78 Bobby Cross LT 54 Ed Beatty C 53 Bill Johnson C 68 Lou Palatella RG 79 Bob St. Clair RT Defensive linemen 72 Bill Herchman 74 Bob Toneff 77 Bruce Bosley 80 Charlie Smith DE 87 Charley Powell 73 Leo Nomellini		Linebackers 50 Leo Rucka LB 55 Matt Hazeltine 65 Tony Sardisco 50 Stan Sheriff 57 Paul Carr Defensive backs 23 Rex Berry SS 24 J. D. Smith 27 Bob Holladay DB 40 George Maderos 42 Ernie Smith DB 45 Fred Bruney DB 47 Dicky Moegle 42 Lowell Wagner DB 89 Floyd Sagely DB Special teams 82 Gordie Soltau	Reserve lists Vacant rookies in italics

Source:

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	Recap
1	September 30	New York Giants	L 21–38	0–1	Kezar Stadium	41,751	Recap
2	October 7	Los Angeles Rams	W 33–30	1–1	Kezar Stadium	56,489	Recap
3	October 14	Chicago Bears	L 7–31	1–2	Wrigley Field	47,526	Recap
4	October 21	Detroit Lions	L 17–20	1–3	Briggs Stadium	55,662	Recap
5	October 28	Chicago Bears	L 21–38	1–4	Kezar Stadium	52,612	Recap
6	November 4	Detroit Lions	L 13–17	1–5	Kezar Stadium	46,708	Recap
7	November 11	Los Angeles Rams	L 6–30	1–6	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	69,828	Recap
8	November 18	Green Bay Packers	W 17–16	2–6	City Stadium	17,986	Recap
9	November 25	Philadelphia Eagles	T 10–10	2–6–1	Connie Mack Stadium	19,326	Recap
10	December 2	Baltimore Colts	W 20–17	3–6–1	Memorial Stadium	37,227	Recap
11	December 8	Green Bay Packers	W 38–20	4–6–1	Kezar Stadium	32,433	Recap
12	December 16	Baltimore Colts	W 30–17	5–6–1	Kezar Stadium	43,791	Recap
Note: Intra-conference opponents are in bold text.

Standings

NFL Western Conference
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Chicago Bears	9	2	1	.818	8–2	363	246	W2
Detroit Lions	9	3	0	.750	8–2	300	188	L1
San Francisco 49ers	5	6	1	.455	5–5	233	284	W3
Baltimore Colts	5	7	0	.417	3–7	270	322	W1
Los Angeles Rams	4	8	0	.333	3–7	291	307	W2
Green Bay Packers	4	8	0	.333	3–7	264	342	L2

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

NFL Eastern Conference
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	STK
New York Giants	8	3	1	.727	7–3	264	197	W1
Chicago Cardinals	7	5	0	.583	7–3	240	182	W1
Washington Redskins	6	6	0	.500	5–5	183	225	L2
Cleveland Browns	5	7	0	.417	4–6	167	177	L1
Pittsburgh Steelers	5	7	0	.417	4–6	217	250	W1
Philadelphia Eagles	3	8	1	.273	3–7	143	215	L3

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

References

1. Jack Cavanaugh (2008). Giants Among Men, p.46. Random House, ISBN 978-1-4000-6717-6
2. "1956 San Francisco 49ers Draftees". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved February 24, 2024.

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