NFL team season
1956 New York Giants season Owner Tim Mara Head coach Jim Lee Howell Home field Yankee Stadium Record 8–3–1 Division place 1st NFL Eastern Playoff finish Won NFL Championship (vs. Bears ) 47–7
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 .
Transactions [ ]
July 27, 1956: Andy Robustelli was traded from the Los Angeles Rams to the Giants in exchange for New York's first round selection in the next NFL draft on November 26.[1] The Rams used that pick, the eleventh overall, to select receiver Del Shofner of Baylor .
Regular season [ ]
Through the 1955 season, the Giants played their home games at the Polo Grounds . Their first game at Yankee Stadium was on October 21 against the Pittsburgh Steelers ,[2] [3] and the attendance was 48,108.[4] [5]
Schedule [ ]
Week
Date
Opponent
Result
Record
Venue
Attendance
Recap
1
September 30
at San Francisco 49ers
W 38–21
1–0
Kezar Stadium
41,751
Recap
2
October 7
at Chicago Cardinals
L 27–35
1–1
Comiskey Park
21,799
Recap
3
October 14
at Cleveland Browns
W 21–9
2–1
Cleveland Municipal Stadium
60,042
Recap
4
October 21
Pittsburgh Steelers
W 38–10
3–1
Yankee Stadium
48,108
Recap
5
October 28
Philadelphia Eagles
W 20–3
4–1
Yankee Stadium
40,960
Recap
6
November 4
at Pittsburgh Steelers
W 17–14
5–1
Forbes Field
31,240
Recap
7
November 11
Chicago Cardinals
W 23–10
6–1
Yankee Stadium
62,410
Recap
8
November 18
at Washington Redskins
L 7–33
6–2
Griffith Stadium
26,261
Recap
9
November 25
Chicago Bears
T 17–17
6–2–1
Yankee Stadium
55,191
Recap
10
December 2
Washington Redskins
W 28–14
7–2–1
Yankee Stadium
26,261
Recap
11
December 9
Cleveland Browns
L 7–24
7–3–1
Yankee Stadium
27,707
Recap
12
at Philadelphia Eagles
W 21–7
8–3–1
Connie Mack Stadium
16,562
Recap
Note: Intra-conference opponents are in bold text.
Postseason [ ]
Game Summaries [ ]
Week 1: at San Francisco 49ers [ ]
Week One: New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers
1
2
3 4 Total
Giants
17
7
7 7 38
49ers
0
7
7 7 21
at Kezar Stadium , San Francisco, California
Date : September 30Game attendance : 41,751
Game information
First quarter
NYG Alex Webster 43-yard pass from Don Heinrich (Frank Gifford kick)
NYG Gifford 59-yard run (Gifford kick)
NYG Gifford 17-yard FG
Second quarter
NYG Mel Triplett 35-yard pass from Heinrich (Gifford kick)
SF Hugh McElhenny 16-yard run (Gordie Soltau kick)
Third quarter
NYG Triplett 1-yard run (Gifford kick)
SF Billy Wilson 33-yard pass from Y. A. Tittle (Soltau kick)
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
3 4 Total
Giants
6
7
0 14 27
Cardinals
0
14
14 7 35
at Comiskey Park , Chicago
Date : October 7Game attendance : 21,799
Game information
First quarter
NYG Triplett 2-yard run (kick failed)
Second quarter
CHC Lamar McHan 2-yard run (Pat Summerall kick)
NYG Triplett 2-yard run (Gifford kick)
CHC Night Train Lane 66-yard interception return (Summerall kick)
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
3 4 Total
Giants
0
7
7 7 21
Browns
0
7
0 2 9
at Cleveland Municipal Stadium , Cleveland, Ohio
Date : October 14Game attendance : 60,042
Game information
Second quarter
NYG Webster 2-yard pass from Heinrich (Gifford kick)
CLE Ed Modzelewski 1-yard run (Lou Groza kick)
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
3 4 Total
Steelers
3
0
0 7 10
Giants
0
17
14 7 38
at Yankee Stadium , New York City
Date : October 21Game 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
3 4 Total
Eagles
3
0
0 0 3
Giants
3
10
7 0 20
at Yankee Stadium, New York
Date : October 28Game 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
3 4 Total
Giants
7
3
7 0 17
Steelers
0
0
7 7 14
at Forbes Field , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Date : November 4Game attendance : 31,240
Game information
First quarter
NYG Webster 1-yard run (Agajanian kick)
Second quarter
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
3 4 Total
Cardinals
0
3
0 7 10
Giants
2
7
7 7 23
at Yankee Stadium, New York
Date : November 11Game attendance : 62,410
Game information
First quarter
NYG Andy Robustelli tackled Dave Mann in end zone for a Safety
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
3 4 Total
Giants
0
0
7 0 7
Redskins
7
17
3 6 33
at Griffith Stadium , Washington, D.C.
Date : November 18Game 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
3 4 Total
Bears
0
0
3 14 17
Giants
3
7
7 0 17
at Yankee Stadium, New York
Date : November 25Game attendance : 56,836
Game information
First quarter
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
CHB Harlon Hill 79-yard pass from Bill McColl (Blanda kick)
CHB Hill 56-yard pass from Ed Brown (Blanda kick)
Week 10: vs. Washington Redskins [ ]
Week Ten: Washington Redskins at New York Giants
1
2
3 4 Total
Redskins
7
0
0 7 14
Giants
14
0
7 7 28
at Yankee Stadium, New York
Date : December 2Game 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
3 4 Total
Browns
7
10
7 0 24
Giants
0
7
0 0 7
at Yankee Stadium, New York
Date : December 9Game 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
3 4 Total
Giants
0
14
7 0 21
Eagles
0
0
0 7 7
at Connie Mack Stadium , Philadelphia
Date : December 15Game 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 [ ]
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
3 4 Total
Bears
0
7
0 0 7
Giants
13
21
6 7 47
at Yankee Stadium, New York
Date : December 30Game 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 [ ]
^ Giants Among Men, Jack Cavanaugh, p.10, 2008, Random House, ISBN 978-1-4000-6717-6
^ Sell, Jack (October 20, 1956). "Giants open their home season" . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . p. 14.
^ Giants Among Men, Jack Cavanaugh, p.68, 2008, Random House, ISBN 978-1-4000-6717-6
^ Sell, Jack (October 22, 1956). "48,198 watch Conerly pass for 3 Giant touchdowns" . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . p. 26.
^ Giants Among Men, Jack Cavanaugh, p.70, 2008, Random House, ISBN 978-1-4000-6717-6
^ Giants Among Men, Jack Cavanaugh, p.120, 2008, Random House, ISBN 978-1-4000-6717-6
External links [ ]
Preceded by
NFL champion 1956
Succeeded by
New York Giants
Founded in 1925
Based and headquartered in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Franchise History Stadiums
Polo Grounds
Yankee Stadium
Yale Bowl
Shea Stadium
Giants Stadium
MetLife Stadium
Culture Lore Rivalries Key personnel Division championships (22) Conference championships (11) League championships (8) Media Current league affiliations