1956 All-Pro Team
The 1956 All-Pro Team consisted of the best players at each position among players in the National Football League as chosen by various selectors.
The
National Football League Most Valuable Player Award
.
Consensus All-Pro players included ends Billy Howton and Harlon Hill who led the NFL with 1,188 and 1,128 receiving yards, respectively; Bobby Layne who had 1,909 passing yards and led the league with 99 points scored (including 12 field goals and 33 extra points); and fullback Rick Casares who led the league with 1,126 rushing yards.[1][2]
The All-Pro selectors included:
- Associated Press (AP)[3]
- Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) selected by NFL players themselves[4]
- United Press (UP)[5]
- The Sporting News (TSN)
- New York Daily News (NYDN) - For the 20th year, the Daily News selected an All-Pro team. Its selections were selected based on votes "by the top football writers in every league city."[6]
Players receiving first-team honors from three of the four selectors are shown in bold.
Offense
Ends
- Harlon Hill, Chicago Bears (AP-1, NEA-1, UP-1, TSN, NYDN-1)
- Billy Howton, Green Back Packers (AP-1, NEA-1, UP-1, TSN, NYDN-1)
- Billy Wilson, San Francisco 49ers (AP-2, NEA-2, UP-2)
- Kyle Rote, New York Giants (AP-2, UP-2, TSN, NYDN-2)
- Johnny Carson, Washington Redskins (TSN)
- Darrel Brewster, Cleveland Browns (NEA-2)
- Elroy Hirsch, Los Angeles Rams (NYDN-2) [PFHOF]
Tackles
- Rosey Brown, New York Giants (AP-1, NEA-1, UP-1, TSN, NYDN-1) [PFHOF]
- Lou Creekmur, Detroit Lions (AP-1, UP-1, TSN, NYDN-2) [PFHOF]
- Bill Wightkin, Chicago Bears (NEA-2, UP-2, TSN, NYDN-1)
- Bob St. Clair, San Francisco 49ers (NEA-1) [PFHOF]
- Lou Groza, Cleveland Browns (AP-2, UP-2, NYDN-2) [PFHOF]
- Don Boll, Washington Redskins (AP-2)
- Mike McCormack, Cleveland Browns (TSN, NEA-2) [PFHOF]
- Bob Miller, Detroit Lions (TSN)
Guards
- Dick Stanfel, Washington Redskins (AP-1, NEA-1, UP-1, TSN, NYDN-2) [PFHOF]
- Stan Jones, Chicago Bears (AP-1, NEA-2, UP-1, TSN, NYDN-1) [PFHOF]
- Duane Putnam, Los Angeles Rams (AP-2, NEA-1, UP-2, TSN, NYDN-1)
- Red Stephens, Washington Redskins (TSN)
- Herman Clark, Chicago Bears (AP-2, NYDN-2)
- Jack Stroud, New York Giants (UP-2)
- Harley Sewell, Detroit Lions (NEA-2)
Centers
- Larry Strickland, Chicago Bears (AP-1, NEA-2, UP-2, TSN, NYDN-1)
- Charley Ane, Detroit Lions (AP-2, NEA-1, UP-1)
- Ray Wietecha, New York Giants (TSN, NYDN-2)
Quarterbacks
- Bobby Layne, Detroit Lions (AP-1, NEA-1, UP-1, TSN, NYDN-1) [PFHOF]
- Tobin Rote, Green Bay Packers (AP-2, NEA-2, UP-2, TSN, NYDN-2)
- Charlie Conerly, New York Giants (TSN)
Halfbacks
- Frank Gifford, New York Giants (AP-1, NEA-1, UP-1, TSN, NYDN-1) [PFHOF]
- Ollie Matson, Chicago Cardinals (AP-1, NEA-1, UP-1, TSN, NYDN-1) [PFHOF]
- Hugh McElhenny, San Francisco 49ers (AP-2, NEA-2, UP-2, TSN, NYDN-2) [PFHOF]
- Alex Webster, New York Giants (AP-2)
- Preston Carpenter, Cleveland Browns (UP-2)
- Ron Waller, Los Angeles Rams (NEA-2)
- Lenny Moore, Baltimore Colts (NYDN-2) [PFHOF]
Fullbacks
- Rick Casares, Chicago Bears (AP-1, NEA-1, UP-1, TSN, NYDN-1)
- Alan Ameche, Baltimore Colts (AP-2, NEA-2, TSN, NYDN-2)
- Johnny Olszewski, Chicago Cardinals (TSN)
- Leon Hart, Detroit Lions (UP-2)
Defense
Defensive ends
- Gene Brito, Washington Redskins (AP-1, NEA-1, UP-1, TSN, NYDN-1)
- Andy Robustelli, New York Giants (AP-1, NEA-2, UP-1, TSN, NYDN-1) [PFHOF]
- Gino Marchetti, Baltimore Colts (AP-2, NEA-1, UP-2, TSN, NYDN-2) [PFHOF]
- John Martinkovic, Green Bay Packers (TSN)
- Ed Meadows, Chicago Bears (AP-2)
- Bob Gain, Cleveland Browns (UP-2)
- Tom Scott, Philadelphia Eagles (NEA-2)
- Len Ford, Cleveland Browns (NYDN-2) [PFHOF]
Defensive tackles
- Rosey Grier, New York Giants (AP-1, NEA-2, UP-1, TSN, NYDN-1)
- Art Donovan, Baltimore Colts (AP-1, NEA-1, UP-2, TSN, NYDN-2) [PFHOF]
- Ernie Stautner, Pittsburgh Steelers (AP-2, NEA-1, UP-1) [PFHOF]
- Ray Krouse, Detroit Lions (TSN, NYDN-1)
- Don Colo, Cleveland Browns (AP-2, UP-2)
- Bud McFadin, Los Angeles Rams (NEA-2, NYDN-2)
Middle guards
- Bill George, Chicago Bears (AP-1, NEA-1, UP-1, TSN) [PFHOF]
- Dale Dodrill, Pittsburgh Steelers (NEA-2, UP-2, NYDN-2)
Linebackers
- Joe Schmidt, Detroit Lions (AP-1, NEA-1, UP-1, TSN, NYDN-1) [PFHOF]
- Chuck Bednarik, Philadelphia Eagles (AP-2, NEA-1, UP-1, NYDN-1) [PFHOF]
- Les Richter, Los Angeles Rams (AP-1, TSN, NYDN-1 [guard]) [PFHOF]
- Chuck Drazenovich, Washington Redskins (AP-2 [middle guard], NEA-2, UP-2, TSN)
- Bill Svoboda, New York Giants (AP-2, UP-2, TSN, NYDN-2)
- Roger Zatkoff, Green Bay Packers (NEA-2, NYDN-2)
Defensive halfbacks
- Night Train Lane, Chicago Cardinals (AP-1, NEA-1, UP-1, TSN, NYDN-1) [PFHOF]
- Emlen Tunnell, New York Giants (AP-1 [safety], NEA-1, UP-1, NYDN-2) [PFHOF]
- Jim David, Detroit Lions (AP-2, NEA-2, UP-2, NYDN-2 [safety])
- J. C. Caroline, Chicago Bears (UP-2, NYDN-1)
- Warren Lahr, Cleveland Browns (TSN)
Safeties
- Jack Christiansen, Detroit Lions (AP-1 [halfback], NEA-1, UP-1, TSN, NYDN-1) [PFHOF]
- Bobby Dillon, Green Bay Packers (AP-2 [halfback], NEA-1, UP-1, TSN, NYDN-1) [PFHOF]
- Yale Lary, Detroit Lions (AP-1, NEA-2, UP-2, TSN, NYDN-2 [halfback]) [PFHOF]
- Jack Butler, Pittsburgh Steelers (AP-2, NEA-2 [def halfback], TSN) [PFHOF]
- Lindon Crow, Chicago Cardinals (AP-2)
- Ken Konz, Chicago Bears (UP-2, TSN)
- Dicky Moegle, San Francisco 49ers (TSN)
- Will Sherman, Los Angeles Rams (NEA-2)
- Ray Gene Smith, Chicago Bears (NYDN-2)
References
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ "1956 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- Newspapers.com.
- Newspapers.com.
- Newspapers.com.
- Newspapers.com.