1939 Detroit Lions season

The 1939 Detroit Lions season was their tenth in the league. The team failed to improve on their previous season's output of 7–4, winning only six games. They failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

1939 Detroit Lions season
Head coach	Gus Henderson
Home stadium	Titans Stadium and Briggs Stadium
Results
Record	6–5
Division place	3rd NFL Western
Playoffs	Did not qualify

Offseason

Draft

Main article: 1939 NFL draft

1939 Detroit Lions draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	7	Johnny Pingel	TB	Michigan State
3	22	Howie Weiss	FB	Wisconsin
5	37	Steve Maronic	T	North Carolina
6	47	Joe Wendlick	T	Oregon State
7	57	Darrell Tully	TB	Texas A&M Commerce
8	67	Dick Trzuskowski	T	Idaho
9	77	Bill Callihan	B	Nebraska
10	87	Ray George	T	USC
11	97	Tony Calvelli	C	Stanford
12	107	Jim Coughlan	E	Santa Clara
13	117	Prescott Hutchins	G	Oregon State
14	127	Art Means	G	Washington
15	137	Gene Hodge	E	Texas A&M-Commerce
16	147	Bill Lazetich	WB	Montana
17	157	Ralph Niehaus	T	Dayton
18	167	Dutch Niemant	B	New Mexico
19	177	Tony Tonelli	C	USC
20	187	Jim McDonald	C	Illinois
21	192	Merrill Waters	E	BYU
22	197	Al Howe	T	Xavier
Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame

Roster

1939 Detroit Lions final roster
Backs 21 Elvin Hutchinson HB   3 Lloyd Cardwell WB/CB   1 Johnny Pingel RB/QB/P 20 Jim McDonald B 36 Dwight Sloan QB/TB 25 Hal Brill RB/S 20 Jim McDonald RB/CB   5 Howie Weiss RB/CB 22 Fred Vanzo RB/BB   9 Bill Shepherd RB/S/K 22 Fred Vanzo RB/CB   4 Darrell Tully QB/TB/DB   8 Paul Szakash E/BB/FB 34 Phil Martinovich FB/G		Linemen/Linebackers 64 Steve Maronic T 26 Bill Feldhaus G/DG 13 John Wiatrak C 16 Jack Johnson T/DT 78 Socko Wiethe LG/MG 19 Regis Monahan G/DG/K 75 Cal Thomas G/DG 28 Bill Radovich G/DG 55 Ray Clemons G 18 Bill Rogers T/DT 17 Dixie Stokes C/LB 14 Ray George RT 15 Tony Tonelli C 66 Tony Calvelli C/G 30 Alex Wojciechowicz C/LB		Ends/Receivers 35 Bill Moore E/DE 12 Chuck Hanneman RE / K 11 Monk Moscrip LE / K 29 Jim Austin E 32 Dave Diehl E 83 Connie Mack Berry E rookies in italics

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
1	September 10	Chicago Cardinals	W 21–13	1–0	University of Detroit Stadium	Recap
2	Bye
3	September 24	Brooklyn Dodgers	W 27–7	2–0	University of Detroit Stadium	Recap
4	October 1	at Chicago Cardinals	W 17–3	3–0	Soldier Field	Recap
5	Bye
6	October 15	Cleveland Rams	W 15–7	4–0	University of Detroit Stadium	Recap
7	October 22	at Green Bay Packers	L 7–26	4–1	City Stadium	Recap
8	October 29	at Chicago Bears	W 10–0	5–1	Wrigley Field	Recap
9	November 5	New York Giants	W 18–14	6–1	Briggs Stadium	Recap
10	November 12	Chicago Bears	L 13–23	6–2	Briggs Stadium	Recap
11	November 19	at Cleveland Rams	L 3–14	6–3	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	Recap
12	November 26	at Washington Redskins	L 7–31	6–4	Griffith Stadium	Recap
13	December 3	Green Bay Packers	L 7–12	6–5	Briggs Stadium	Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

NFL Western Division
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	PF	PA	STK
Green Bay Packers	9	2	0	.818	6–2	233	153	W4
Chicago Bears	8	3	0	.727	6–2	298	157	W4
Detroit Lions	6	5	0	.545	4–4	145	150	L4
Cleveland Rams	5	5	1	.500	4–4	195	164	W1
Chicago Cardinals	1	10	0	.091	0–8	84	254	L8

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

External links

• 1939 Detroit Lions at Pro-Football-Reference.com
• 1939 Detroit Lions at JT-SW.com
• 1939 Detroit Lions at The Football Database (FootballDB.com)
• "Brooklyn Dodgers at Detroit Lions," September 24, 1939. Classic Sports via YouTube.com (Video.)