1956 New York Giants season

The 1956 New York Giants season was the franchise's 32nd season in the National Football League. After finishing with an 8–3–1 record, the Giants won their fourth league title by defeating the Chicago Bears 47–7 in the NFL championship game. It was their first NFL title in eighteen years; the Giants did not win another for thirty more.

1956 New York Giants season
OwnerTim Mara
Head coachJim Lee Howell
Home fieldYankee Stadium
Results
Record8–3–1
Division place1st NFL Eastern
Playoff finishWon NFL Championship
(Bears, 47–7)

Transactions

Regular season

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Record Attendance
1 September 30 at San Francisco 49ers W 38–21 1–0
41,751
2 October 7 at Chicago Cardinals L 35–27 1–1
21,799
3 October 14 at Cleveland Browns W 21–9 2–1
60,042
4 October 21 Pittsburgh Steelers W 38–10 3–1
48,108
5 October 28 Philadelphia Eagles W 20–3 4–1
40,960
6 November 4 at Pittsburgh Steelers W 17–14 5–1
31,240
7 November 11 Chicago Cardinals W 23–10 6–1
62,410
8 November 18 at Washington Redskins L 33–7 6–2
26,261
9 November 25 Chicago Bears T 17–17 6–2–1
55,191
10 December 2 Washington Redskins W 28–14 7–2–1
26,261
11 December 9 Cleveland Browns L 24–7 7–3–1
27,707
12 December 15 at Philadelphia Eagles W 21–7 8–3–1
16,562

Postseason

Week Date Opponent Result Venue Attendance
Championship December 30, 1956 Chicago Bears Yankee Stadium W 47–7
56,836

Game Summaries

Week 1: at San Francisco 49ers

Week One: New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers
1 2 34Total
Giants 17 7 7738
49ers 0 7 7721

at Kezar Stadium, San Francisco, California

  • Date: September 30
  • Game attendance: 41,751
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
  • SF McElhenny 2-yard run (Soltau kick)
  • NYG Triplett 13-yard run (Don Chandler kick)

Week 2: at Chicago Cardinals

Week Two: New York Giants at Chicago Cardinals
1 2 34Total
Giants 6 7 01427
Cardinals 0 14 14735

at Comiskey Park, Chicago

  • Date: October 7
  • Game attendance: 21,799
Game information
First quarter
  • NYG Triplett 2-yard run (kick failed)
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
  • CHC McHan 13-yard run (Summerall kick)
  • NYG Triplett 1-yard run (Gifford kick)
  • NYG Ken MacAfee 4-yard pass from Charlie Conerly (Gifford kick)

Week 3: at Cleveland Browns

Week Three: New York Giants at Cleveland Browns
1 2 34Total
Giants 0 7 7721
Browns 0 7 029

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Date: October 14
  • Game attendance: 60,042
Game information
Second quarter
Third quarter
  • NYG Webster 1-yard run (Chandler kick)
Fourth quarter
  • NYG Webster 34-yard run (Chandler kick)
  • CLE Junior Wren tackled Conerly in end zone for a Safety

Week 4: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Week Four: Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Giants
1 2 34Total
Steelers 3 0 0710
Giants 0 17 14738

at Yankee Stadium, New York City

  • Date: October 21
  • Game attendance: 48,108
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
  • NYG MacAfee 14-yard pass from Conerly (Ben Agajanian kick)
  • NYG Webster 21-yard pass from Conerly (Agajanian kick)
  • NYG Agajanian 14-yard FG
Third quarter
  • NYG Gifford 1-yard run (Agajanian kick)
  • NYG Kyle Rote 19-yard pass from Conerly (Agajanian kick)
Fourth quarter

Week 5: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Week Five: Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants
1 2 34Total
Eagles 3 0 003
Giants 3 10 7020

at Yankee Stadium, New York

  • Date: October 28
  • Game attendance: 40,960
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
  • NYG Agajanian 39-yard FG
  • NYG Webster 1-yard run (Agajanian kick)
Third quarter
  • NYG Gifford 20-yard pass from Conerly (Agajanian kick)

Week 6: at Pittsburgh Steelers

Week Six: New York Giants at Pittsburgh Steelers
1 2 34Total
Giants 7 3 7017
Steelers 0 0 7714

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Date: November 4
  • Game attendance: 31,240
Game information
First quarter
  • NYG Webster 1-yard run (Agajanian kick)
Second quarter
  • NYG Agajanian 32-yard FG
Third quarter
  • PIT Sid Watson 1-yard run (Glick kick)
  • NYG Rote 3-yard pass from Conerly (Agajanian kick)
Fourth quarter
  • PIT Watson 6-yard run (Glick kick)

Week 7: vs. Chicago Cardinals

Week Seven: Chicago Cardinals at New York Giants
1 2 34Total
Cardinals 0 3 0710
Giants 2 7 7723

at Yankee Stadium, New York

  • Date: November 11
  • Game attendance: 62,410
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
  • NYG MacAfee 6-yard pass from Heinrich (Agajanian kick)
  • CHC Summerall 30-yard FG
Third quarter
  • NYG Webster 12-yard run (Agajanian kick)
Fourth quarter
  • NYG Gifford 11-yard pass from Conerly (Agajanian kick)
  • CHC Ollie Matson 11-yard pass from Jim Root (Summerall kick)

Week 8: at Washington Redskins

Week Eight: New York Giants at Washington Redskins
1 2 34Total
Giants 0 0 707
Redskins 7 17 3633

at Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C.

  • Date: November 18
  • Game attendance: 26,261
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
  • WAS Johnny Carson 7-yard pass from Al Dorow (Baker kick)
  • WAS Baker 49-yard FG
  • WAS Wells recovered fumble in end zone (Baker kick)
Third quarter
  • WAS Baker 28-yard FG
  • NYG Bob Schnelker 12-yard pass from Conerly (Agajanian kick)
Fourth quarter

Week 9: vs. Chicago Bears

Week Nine: Chicago Bears at New York Giants
1 2 34Total
Bears 0 0 31417
Giants 3 7 7017

at Yankee Stadium, New York

  • Date: November 25
  • Game attendance: 56,836
Game information
First quarter
  • NYG Agajanian 17-yard FG
Second quarter
  • NYG Rote 17-yard pass from Heinrich (Agajanian kick)
Third quarter
  • NYG Webster 2-yard run (Agajanian kick)
  • CHB George Blanda 22-yard FG
Fourth quarter

Week 10: vs. Washington Redskins

Week Ten: Washington Redskins at New York Giants
1 2 34Total
Redskins 7 0 0714
Giants 14 0 7728

at Yankee Stadium, New York

  • Date: December 2
  • Game attendance: 46,361
Game information
First quarter
  • NYG MacAfee 29-yard pass from Gifford (Agajanian kick)
  • NYG Gifford 6-yard run (Agajanian kick)
  • WAS Meilinger 6-yard pass from Dorow (Baker kick)
Third quarter
  • NYG Gifford 14-yard pass from Conerly (Agajanian kick)
Fourth quarter
  • NYG Gifford 11-yard run (Agajanian kick)
  • WAS John Paluck 76-yard fumble return (Baker kick)

Week 11: vs. Cleveland Browns

Week Eleven: Cleveland Browns at New York Giants
1 2 34Total
Browns 7 10 7024
Giants 0 7 007

at Yankee Stadium, New York

  • Date: December 9
  • Game attendance: 27,707
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
  • NYG Gifford 6-yard pass from Conerly (Agajanian kick)
  • CLE Groza 41-yard FG
  • CLE Curly Morrison 6-yard pass from O'Connell (Groza kick)
Third quarter
  • CLE O'Connell 1-yard run (Groza kick)

Week 12: at Philadelphia Eagles

Week Twelve: New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles
1 2 34Total
Giants 0 14 7021
Eagles 0 0 077

at Connie Mack Stadium, Philadelphia

  • Date: December 15
  • Game attendance: 15,562
Game information
Second quarter
  • NYG Rote 6-yard pass from Gifford (Agajanian kick)
  • NYG Gifford 10-yard run (Agajanian kick)
Third quarter
  • NYG Webster 7-yard run (Agajanian kick)
Fourth quarter
  • PHI Walston 15-yard pass from Adrian Burk (Walston kick)

Standings

NFL Eastern Conference
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.

NFL Championship Game

1956 NFL Championship: Chicago Bears at New York Giants
1 2 34Total
Bears 0 7 007
Giants 13 21 6747

at Yankee Stadium, New York

  • Date: December 30
  • Game attendance: 56,836
Game information
First quarter
  • NYG Triplett 17-yard run (Agajanian kick)
  • NYG Agajanian 17-yard FG
  • NYG Agajanian 43-yard FG
Second quarter
  • NYG Webster 3-yard run (Agajanian kick)
  • CHB Rick Casares 9-yard run (Blanda kick)
  • NYG Webster 1-yard run (Agajanian kick)
  • NYG Henry Moore recovered blocked punt in end zone (Agajanian kick)
Third quarter
  • NYG Rote 9-yard pass from Conerly (kick failed)
Fourth quarter
  • NYG Gifford 14-yard pass from Conerly (Agajanian kick)

Awards and honors

  • Rosey Brown, All-Pro selection
  • Sam Huff, All-Pro selection
  • Sam Huff, Rookie of the Year
  • Frank Gifford, NFL MVP
  • Frank Gifford, All-Pro selection
  • Frank Gifford ranked fifth in the league with 819 rushing yards, first with 5.2 yards per carry, and third in receiving with 51 catches for 603 yards. No other player had reached the Top 5 in all of these categories before Gifford.[6]
  • Rosey Grier, All-Pro selection
  • Andy Robustelli, All-Pro selection
  • Emlen Tunnell, All-Pro selection

See also

References

  1. Giants Among Men, Jack Cavanaugh, p.10, 2008, Random House, ISBN 978-1-4000-6717-6
  2. Sell, Jack (October 20, 1956). "Giants open their home season". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 14.
  3. Giants Among Men, Jack Cavanaugh, p.68, 2008, Random House, ISBN 978-1-4000-6717-6
  4. Sell, Jack (October 22, 1956). "48,198 watch Conerly pass for 3 Giant touchdowns". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 26.
  5. Giants Among Men, Jack Cavanaugh, p.70, 2008, Random House, ISBN 978-1-4000-6717-6
  6. Giants Among Men, Jack Cavanaugh, p.120, 2008, Random House, ISBN 978-1-4000-6717-6
Preceded by
Cleveland Browns
1955
NFL champion
1956
Succeeded by
Detroit Lions
1957
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