View source for 1953 NFL Championship Game

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox NFLChamp
| type = nflc
| name = 1953
| visitor = [[1953 Cleveland Browns season|Cleveland Browns]]
| home = [[1953 Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions]]
| image = [[File:1953 NFL championship game program.jpg]]
| visitor_coach = [[Paul Brown]]
| home_coach = [[Buddy Parker]]
| visitor_conf = Eastern
| home_conf = Western
| visitor_abbr = CLE
| home_abbr = DET
| visitor_record = 11–1
| home_record = 10–2
| visitor_qtr1 = 0
| visitor_qtr2 = 3
| visitor_qtr3 = 7
| visitor_qtr4 = 6
| visitor_total = 16
| home_qtr1 = 7
| home_qtr2 = 3
| home_qtr3 = 0
| home_qtr4 = 7
| home_total = 17
| date = December 27, 1953
| stadium = [[Briggs Stadium]]
| city = [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]]
| attendance = 54,577
| network = [[NFL on DuMont|DuMont]]
| announcers = [[Harry Wismer]] and [[Red Grange]]
| radio = [[Mutual Broadcasting System|Mutual]]
| radioannouncers = [[Earl Gillespie]], [[Chris Schenkel]]
| HOFers = '''Browns:''' [[Paul Brown]] (coach/gm), [[Doug Atkins]], [[Len Ford]], [[Frank Gatski]], [[Otto Graham]], [[Lou Groza]], [[Dante Lavelli]], [[Marion Motley]], [[Chuck Noll]] (as a coach), [[Bill Willis]] <br> '''Lions:''' [[Jack Christiansen]], [[Lou Creekmur]], [[Yale Lary]], [[Bobby Layne]], [[Joe Schmidt (American football)|Joe Schmidt]], [[Dick Stanfel]], [[Doak Walker]]
}}
{{Location map
|USA
|relief     = 1
|label      = <small>Detroit</small>
|lat        = 42.332
|long       = -83.069
|caption    = Location in the United States
|position   = bottom
|marksize   = 5
|float      = 
|background = 
|width      = 290
}}
The '''1953 NFL Championship Game''' was the 21st annual [[History of the National Football League championship|championship game]], held on December 27 at [[Briggs Stadium]] in [[Detroit]].<ref name=blmfttl>{{cite news |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1953/12/27/page/33/article/browns-lions-meet-for-title |newspaper=Chicago Sunday Tribune |last=Strickler |first=George |title=Browns, Lions meet for title |date=December 27, 1953 |page=1, part 2}}</ref><ref name=lwil3mcdt>{{cite news |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1953/12/28/page/49/article/lions-win-in-last-3-minutes-17-to-16 |newspaper=Chicago Daily Tribune |last=Strickler |first=George |title=Lions win in last 3 minutes, 17 to 16 |date=December 28, 1953 }}</ref><ref name=lrntedg>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BpZRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=p2oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6041%2C1283574 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |last=Sell |first=Jack |title=Lions retain NFL title; edge Browns, 17-16 |date=December 28, 1953 |page=12}}</ref><ref name=lcpt>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dBpWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uOIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6746%2C6491637 |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |location=Oregon |agency=United Press, Associated Press reports |title=Lions capture pro title 17-16 |date=December 28, 1953 |page=2B}}</ref>

The [[1952 NFL Championship Game|defending NFL champion]] [[1953 Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions]] (10–2) of the Western Conference were led by quarterback [[Bobby Layne]] and running back [[Doak Walker]], and the [[1953 Cleveland Browns season|Cleveland Browns]] (11–1) of the Eastern Conference were led by head coach [[Paul Brown]] and quarterback [[Otto Graham]]. The game was a rematch of the [[1952 NFL Championship Game|previous year]], which was won by the Lions, 17–7.<ref name=lwprcdt>{{cite news |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1952/12/29/page/41/article/lions-win-pro-crown-beat-browns-17-7|newspaper=Chicago Daily Tribune |last=Prell |first=Edward |title=Lions win pro crown; beat Browns, 17-7 |date=December 29, 1952 |page=1, part 3}}</ref><ref name=ldfppgjsl>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4UUNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kGoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6140%2C1346058 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |last=Sell |first=Jack |title=Lions defeat Browns for NFL title, 17-7 |date=December 29, 1952 |page=18 }}</ref> 
This was the Browns' fourth consecutive NFL championship game appearance since joining the league in {{nfly|1950}}, and they were favored by three points.<ref name=yvbcpreg>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7mZAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Y1cMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3245%2C3825226 |newspaper=Youngstown Vindicator |location=(Ohio) |agency=Associated Press |title=Browns, Lions clash today |date=December 27, 1953 |page=D1}}</ref>

The Lions were attempting to become the third team in the championship game era (since [[1933 NFL Championship Game|1933]]) to win two titles in a row, following the [[Chicago Bears]] ([[1940 NFL Championship Game|1940]], [[1941 NFL Championship Game|1941]]) and [[Philadelphia Eagles]] ([[1948 NFL Championship Game|1948]], [[1949 NFL Championship Game|1949]]).<ref name=lcpt/>

The home underdog Lions rallied in the fourth quarter with a late touchdown and conversion to win by a single point, 17–16.<ref name=lwil3mcdt/><ref name=detrlly>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XjAbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ok0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5128%2C2818434 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Press |last=Livingston |first=Pat |title=Detroit's rally keeps NFL title |date=December 28, 1953 |page=14 }}</ref> The two teams met the [[1954 NFL Championship Game|following year]] for a third consecutive title match-up.

Ticket prices ranged from three to seven [[United States dollar|dollars]].<ref name=prgrd>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xgIaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lCMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2243%2C2421077 |work=Milwaukee Journal |agency=Associated Press |title=Tickets go on sale for pro grid title |date=December 14, 1953 |page=13, part 2}}</ref>

==Game summary==
The Lions struck first with a [[Doak Walker]] touchdown, and both scored field goals in the second quarter and the Lions led at halftime, 10–3. The Browns scored thirteen straight points in the second half to take the lead.

Trailing 16–10 with four minutes and 10 seconds of play remaining, the Lions started from their own 20-yard line and fought their way 80 yards in eight plays, the touchdown coming on a 33-yard pass from Bobby Layne to [[Jim Doran]] in the end zone, and Walker's extra point gave the Lions the lead.

Trailing 17–16, the Browns had one last chance; [[Ken Carpenter (American football)|Ken Carpenter]] started the drive with a run to his own 28, but an [[Otto Graham]] pass intended for [[Pete Brewster]] was deflected by rookie defensive halfback [[Carl Karilivacz]], intercepting the throw, clinching the Lions their third title.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cleveland.com/brownshistory/plaindealer/index.ssf?/browns/more/history/19531227BROWNS.html|title=Cleveland Browns History - cleveland.com|date=2012-10-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001165017/http://www.cleveland.com/brownshistory/plaindealer/index.ssf?/browns/more/history/19531227BROWNS.html|access-date=2020-02-06|archive-date=October 1, 2012}}</ref> 

===Scoring summary===
''Sunday, December 27, 1953''<br>
Kickoff: 1:00&nbsp;p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]

*'''First quarter'''
**DET – [[Doak Walker]] 1-yard run (Walker kick), 7–0 DET
*'''Second quarter'''
**CLE – FG [[Lou Groza]] 13 yard, 7–3 DET
**DET – FG Walker 23 yard, 10–3 DET
*'''Third quarter'''
**CLE – [[Harry "Chick" Jagade|Chick Jagade]] 9-yard run (Groza kick), 10–10 tie
*'''Fourth quarter'''
**CLE – FG Groza 15 yard, 13–10 CLE
**CLE – FG Groza 43 yard, 16–10 CLE
**DET – [[Jim Doran]] 33-yard pass from [[Bobby Layne]] (Walker kick), 17–16 DET

==Officials==
{{col-begin}}{{col-break}}
*'''Referee:''' [[Ronald Gibbs|Ron Gibbs]]
*'''Umpire:''' Sam Wilson
*'''Head linesman:''' Dan Tehan
*'''Back judge:''' James Hamer
*'''Field judge:''' Carl Rebele  <ref name=blmfttl/><ref name=lwil3mcdt/>
{{col-break|gap=4em}}
*Alternate: John Glascott
*Alternate: Yans Wallace <ref name=wrhtwitg>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=A5ZRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=p2oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3588%2C399143 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |agency=Associated Press |title=Wallace, Rebele, Hamer to work in title game |date=December 24, 1953|page=12}}</ref>
{{col-end}}

The NFL added the fifth [[Official (American football)|official]], the back judge, in {{nfly|1947}}; the line judge arrived in {{nfly|1965}}, and the side judge in {{nfly|1978}}.

==Players' shares==
The gross receipts for the game, including <!--over $XXXX for-->radio and television rights, were just under [[United States dollar|$]]359,000. Each player on the winning Lions team received $2,424, while Browns players made $1,654 each, the highest to date.<ref name=lrntedg/><ref name=lcpt/><ref name=detrlly/>

==Video==

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBJbYcGGIzM "World's Championship Football Game: Cleveland Browns at Detroit Lions, 1953."] Detroit Historical Society via YouTube.com <small>(Color highlight film with audio.) </small>
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4mvpG0xMiM 1953 NFL Championship Game – game footage] <small>(No audio.)</small>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121001165017/http://www.cleveland.com/brownshistory/plaindealer/index.ssf?%2Fbrowns%2Fmore%2Fhistory%2F19531227BROWNS.html] Harold Sauerbrie, "Browns Lose Title Game, 17–16", Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 27, 1953, Browns history database retrieved December 12, 2007

{{coord|42.332|-83.069|type:event|display=title}}

{{1953 NFL season by team}}
{{1953 Detroit Lions}}
{{Detroit Lions}}
{{Cleveland Browns}}
{{NFL pre-sb}}
{{NFL on DuMont}}

[[Category:1953 NFL season|Championship Game, 1953]]
[[Category:NFL Championship games|1953 NFL Championship Game]]
[[Category:Cleveland Browns postseason]]
[[Category:Detroit Lions postseason]]
[[Category:December 1953 sports events in the United States]]
[[Category:1953 in sports in Michigan]]