NFL team season
The 1952 Philadelphia Eagles seasonNational Football League (NFL). The team improved on their previous output of 4–8, winning seven games.[ 1]
Off season
Head coach Wayne Millner took over, for ailing head coach Bo McMillin in 1951, would resign on September 8, 3 weeks before the 1952 season started, citing health as the reason for stepping down.
NFL Draft
The 1952 NFL draft was held on January 17, 1952. Picks made by New York Yanks were assigned to the new Dallas Texans franchise. There were 12 teams picking for 32 rounds.
The Eagles made the 4th pick in each round and made 31 picks in the 32 rounds they had picks in. The New York Yanks had the Eagles pick in the 5th round.
The Los Angeles Rams received this year's lottery bonus pick. The Rams used it to pick Bill Wade a quarterback out of Vanderbilt University . The Eagles used their number-4 pick in the 1st round to take Johnny Bright a back of Drake University . Johnny Bright, was chosen before fellow backs and future NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame members Frank Gifford from University of Southern California and Hugh McElhenny out of University of Washington , passed up playing for the Eagles. Bright later commented:
I would have been their (the Eagles') first Negro player. There was a tremendous influx of Southern players into the NFL at that time, and I didn't know what kind of treatment I could expect.[ 2]
Player selections
The table shows the Eagles selections and what picks they had that were traded away and the team that ended up with that pick. It is possible the Eagles' pick ended up with this team via another team that the Eagles made a trade with.
Not shown are acquired picks that the Eagles traded away.
Rd Pick
Player Position School
Rd Pick
Player Position School
1
5
Johnny Bright Back
Drake
2
17
Jim Weatherall Tackle
Oklahoma
3
29
Lum Snyder Tackle
Georgia Tech
4
41
Chuck Ulrich Tackle
Illinois
5
53
Pick Taken By New York Yanks
6
65
Dick Lemmon
Back
California
7
77
John Thomas
End
Oregon State
8
89
Wayne Robinson Center
Minnesota
9
101
Maury Nipp Guard
Loyola (CA)
10
113
Gerry McGinley
Guard
Pennsylvania
11
125
Ralph Goldston Back
Youngstown State
12
137
Jack Blount
Tackle
Mississippi State
13
149
Ed Hamilton
Back
Kentucky
14
161
Bob Stringer Back
Tulsa
15
173
Malcolm Schmidt
End
Iowa State
16
185
Jim Brewer
Guard
North Texas State
17
197
John Weigle
End
Oklahoma State
18
209
Ed Romanowski
Back
Scranton
19
221
Talbott Trammell
End
Washington & Lee
20
233
Bobby Blaik
Back
Army/Colorado College
21
245
Les Wheeler Guard
Abilene Christian
22
257
Johnny Turco Back
Holy Cross
23
269
Maury Schnell
Back
Iowa State
24
281
Joe Tyrrell
Guard
Temple
25
293
Bob Kelley Center
West Texas State
26
305
Bob Albert
Back
Bucknell
27
317
Chuck Hill
Back
New Mexico
28
329
Johnny Brewer Back
Louisville
29
341
Tony "Zippy" Morocco Back
Georgia
30
353
Don Stevens
Back
Illinois
Regular season
Schedule
Game
Date
Opponent
Result
Record
Venue
Attendance
Recap
Sources
1
September 28
at Pittsburgh Steelers
W 31–25
1–0
Forbes Field
22,501
Recap
2
October 4
New York Giants L 7–31
1–1
Shibe Park
22,112
Recap
3
October 12
Pittsburgh Steelers W 26–21
2–1
Shibe Park
18,648
Recap
4
October 19
Cleveland Browns L 7–49
2–2
Shibe Park
27,874
Recap
5
October 26
at New York Giants
W 14–10
3–2
Polo Grounds
21,458
Recap
6
November 2
at Green Bay Packers
L 10–12
3–3
Marquette Stadium
10,149
Recap
7
November 9
Washington Redskins W 38–20
4–3
Shibe Park
16,932
Recap
8
November 16
Chicago Cardinals W 10–7
5–3
Shibe Park
18,908
Recap
9
November 23
at Cleveland Browns
W 28–20
6–3
Cleveland Municipal Stadium
34,973
Recap
10
November 30
at Chicago Cardinals
L 22–28
6–4
Comiskey Park
13,577
Recap
11
December 7
Dallas Texans
W 38–21
7–4
Shibe Park
18,376
Recap
12
December 14
at Washington Redskins
L 21–27
7–5
Griffith Stadium
22,468
Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game recaps
Week 1: at the Pittsburgh Steelers
Game information
1st Eagles Bud Grant 84-yard pass from Adrian Burk (Bobby Walston kick) Phila 7 – Pitt 0
Eagles Frank Ziegler 4-yard pass from Adrian Burk (Bobby Walston kick) Phila 14 – Pitt 0 2nd Steelers Jim Finks 20-yard rush (kick failed) Phila 14 – Pitt 6
Eagles Bobby Walston 32-yard field goal Phila 17 – Pitt 6
Steelers Ed Modzelewski 1-yard rush (kick failed) Phila 17 – Pitt 12 3rd Eagles Frank Ziegler 3-yard rush (Bobby Walston kick) Phila 24 – Pitt 12 4th Steelers Jim Finks 1-yard rush (Gary Kerkorian kick) Phila 24 – Pitt 19
Eagles Pete Pihos 25-yard pass from Adrian Burk (Bobby Walston kick) Phila 31 – Pitt 19
Steelers Ray Mathews 27-yard pass from Jim Finks (kick failed) Phila 31 – Pitt 25
Week 2: vs New York Giants
Game information
1st Giants Bob McChesney 18-yard pass from Frank Gifford (Ray Poole kick) Phila 7 – NY 0
Eagles John Brewer 71-yard rush (Bobby Walston kick) Phila 7 – NY 7 2nd Giants Joe Scott 30-yard rush (Ray Poole kick) Phila 14 – NY 7
Giants Bill Stribling 20-yard pass from Charlie Conerly (Ray Poole kick) Phila 21 – NY 7 3rd Giants Joe Scott 10-yard rush (Ray Poole kick) Phila 28 – NY 7 4th Giants Ray Poole 16-yard field goal Phila 31 – NY 7
Week 3: vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 2:Philadelphia Eagles 26 (2–1–0) vs Pittsburgh Steelers 21 (0–3–0) – Game summary
Quarter
Total
Pittsburgh Steelers
7
7
7 0 21
Philadelphia Eagles
3
10
0 13 26
at Shibe Park in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania
Game information
1st Eagles Bobby Walston 25-yard field goal Pitt 0 – Phila 3 2nd Eagles Bobby Walston 20-yard field goal Pitt 0 – Phila 6
Steelers Lynn Chandnois 93-yard kickoff return (Gary Kerkorian kick) Pitt 7 – Phila 6
Eagles John Brewer 1-yard rush (Bobby Walston kick) Pitt 7 – Phila 13 3rd Steelers Ray Mathews 25-yard pass from Jim Finks (Gary Kerkorian kick) Pitt 14 – Phila 13 4th Steelers Elbie Nickel 54-yard pass from Jim Finks (Gary Kerkorian kick) Pitt 21 – Phila 13
Eagles Bud Grant 17-yard pass from Fred Enke (Bobby Walston kick) Pitt 21 7 – 20
Eagles Bobby Walston 24-yard field goal Pitt 21 – Phila 23
Eagles Bobby Walston 19-yard field goal Pitt 21 – Phila 26
Week 4 vs Cleveland Browns
Game information
1st Browns Len Ford unknown-yard fumble return (Lou Groza kick) Cleve 7 – Phila 0
Browns Pete Brewster 47-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick) Cleve 14 – Phila 0 2nd Browns Sherman Howard 35-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick) Cleve 21 – Phila 0 3rd Browns Dub Jones 63-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick) Cleve 28 – Phila 0
Browns Mac Speedie 8-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick) Cleve 35 – Phila 0
Browns Dub Jones 16-yard rush (Lou Groza kick) Cleve 42 – Phila 0 4th Browns Horace Gillom 11-yard pass from George Ratterman (Lou Groza kick) Cleve 49 – Phila 0
Eagles Ralph Goldston 4-yard rush (Bobby Walston kick) Cleve 49 – Phila 7
Week 5 at New York Giants
Game information
1st Giants Ray Poole 30-yard field goal Phila 0 – NY 3 2nd Eagles Bibbles Bawel 52-yard punt return (Bobby Walston kick) Phila 7 – NY 3
Eagles Bobby Walston 19-yard pass from Bobby Thomason (Bobby Walston kick) Phila 14 – NY 3 3rd Giants Bud Sherrod unknown-yard fumble return (Ray Poole kick) Phila 14 – NY 10
Week 6 at Green Bay Packers
Week 1: Green Bay 12 (3–3–0) vs Philadelphia Eagles 10 (3–3–0) – Game summary
Quarter
Total
Philadelphia Eagles
3
0
0 7 10
Green Bay Packers
6
0
0 6 12
at City Stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin
Game information
1st Eagles Bobby Walston 23-yard field goal Phila 3 – Green Bay 0
Packers Breezy Reid 21-yard pass from Babe Parilli (kick failed) Phila 3 – Green Bay 6 4th Eagles Russ Craft 32-yard interception return (Bobby Walston kick) Phila 10 – Green Bay 6
Packers John Martinkovic 5-yard blocked punt return (kick failed) Phila 10 – Green Bay 12
Week 7 vs Washington Redskins
Week 7:Philadelphia Eagles 38 (4–3–0) vs Washington Redskins 20 (4–3–0) – Game summary
Quarter
Total
Washington Redskins
0
7
6 7 20
Philadelphia Eagles
14
14
7 3 38
at Shibe Park in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania
Game information
1st Eagles Don Stevens 56-yard punt return (Bobby Walston kick) 0 7
Eagles Bud Grant 7-yard pass from Bobby Thomason (Bobby Walston kick) 0 14 2nd Redskins Johnny Williams 74-yard punt return (George Buksar kick) 7 14
Eagles John Huzvar 1-yard rush (Bobby Walston kick) 7 21
Eagles Mike Jarmoluk 16-yard fumble return (Bobby Walston kick) 7 28 3rd Eagles Bud Grant 4-yard pass from Bobby Thomason (Bobby Walston kick) 7 35
Redskins Chuck Drazenovich 1-yard rush (kick failed) 13 35 4th Eagles Bobby Walston 26-yard field goal 13 38
Redskins Hugh Taylor 55-yard pass from Harry Gilmer (George Buksar kick) 20 38
Week 8 vs Chicago Cardinals
Week 8: Philadelphia Eagles 10 (5–3–0) vs Chicago Cardinals 7 (3–5–0) – Game summary
Quarter
Total
Chicago Cardinals
0
7
0 0 7
Philadelphia Eagles
0
10
0 0 10
at Shibe Park in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania
Game information
2nd Eagles Pete Pihos 12-yard fumble return (Bobby Walston kick) Chi 0 – Phila 7
Cardinals Cliff Anderson 14-yard pass from Charlie Trippi (Joe Geri kick) Chi 7 – Phila 7
Eagles Bobby Walston 20-yard field goal Chi 7 – Phila 19
Week 9 at Cleveland Browns
Week 9: Philadelphia Eagles 28 (4–3–0) at Cleveland Browns 20 (4–3–0) – Game summary
Quarter
Total
Philadelphia Eagles
14
0
0 14 28
Cleveland Browns
7
3
10 0 20
at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland , Ohio
Game information
1st Eagles Frank Ziegler 3-yard rush (Bobby Walston kick) Phila 7 – Cleve 0
Eagles Bobby Walston 3-yard pass from Bobby Thomason (Bobby Walston kick)Phila 14 – Cleve 0
Browns Mac Speedie 28-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick) Phila 14 – Cleve 7 2nd
Browns Lou Groza 18-yard field goal Phila 14 – Cleve 10
3rd
Browns Mac Speedie 48-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick) Phila 14 – Cleve 17
Browns Lou Groza 19-yard field goal Phila 14 – Cleve 20 4th
Eagles Ralph Goldston 2-yard rush (Bobby Walston kick) Phila 21 – Cleve 20
Eagles Ralph Goldston 2-yard rush (Bobby Walston kick) Phila 28 – Cleve 20
Week 10 at Chicago Cardinals
Week 10:Chicago Cardinals 28 (4–6–0) vs Philadelphia Eagles 22 (6–4–0) – Game summary
Quarter
Total
Philadelphia Eagles
0
3
12 7 22
Chicago Cardinals
0
14
14 0 28
at Comiskey Park in Chicago , Illinois
Game information
2nd Eagles – Bobby Walston 35-yard field goal PHIL 3 – 0
Cardinals – Johnny Karras 4-yard pass from Charlie Trippi (Joe Geri kick) Tied 3 – 7
Cardinals -Volney Peters 10-yard fumble return (Joe Geri kick) CHI C 3 – 14 3rd Eagles – Safety, Matson tackled in end zone by E. Van Buren CHI C 5 – 14
Cardinals – Ollie Matson 13-yard rush (Joe Geri kick) CHI C 5 – 21
Eagles – Bobby Walston 19-yard field goal CHI C 8 – 21
Cardinals – Ollie Matson 79-yard kickoff return (Joe Geri kick) CHI C 8 – 28
Eagles – Bobby Walston 8-yard pass from Adrian Burk (Bobby Walston kick) CHI C 15 – 28 4th Eagles – Bud Grant 30-yard pass from Bobby Thomason (Bobby Walston kick) CHI C 22 – 28
Week 11 vs Dallas Texans
Week 11: Philadelphia Eagles 38 (7–4–0) vs Dallas Texans 21 (0–10–0) – Game summary
Quarter
Total
Dallas Texans
0
7
0 14 21
Philadelphia Eagles
17
7
14 0 38
at Shibe Park in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania
Game information
1st Eagles John Huzvar 5-yard rush (Bobby Walston kick) Dallas 0 – Phila 7
Eagles Bud Grant 41-yard pass from Bobby Thomason (Bobby Walston kick) Dallas 0 – Phila 14
Eagles Bobby Walston 29-yard field goal Dallas 0 – Phila 17 2nd Eagles Ebert Van Buren unknown-yard fumble return (Bobby Walston kick) Dallas 0 – Phila 24
Texans Buddy Young 1-yard rush (Pat Cannamela kick) Dallas 7 – Phila 24 3rd Eagles Bud Grant 23-yard pass from Bobby Thomason (Bobby Walston kick) Dallas 7 – Phila 31
Eagles Vic Sears 9-yard interception return (Bobby Walston kick) , Dallas 7 – Phila 38 4th Texans Stan Williams 24-yard fumble return (Pat Cannamela kick) , Dallas 14 – Phila 38
Texans Dick Wilkins 42-yard pass from Frank Tripucka (Pat Cannamela kick), Dallas 21 – Phila 38
Week 12 at Washington Redskins
Week 12: Washington Redskins 27 (4–8–0) vs Philadelphia Eagles 21 (7–5–0) – Game summary
Quarter
Total
Philadelphia Eagles
7
7
0 7 21
Washington Redskins
7
7
0 13 27
at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C.
Game information
1st Eagles – Frank Ziegler 19-yard pass from Bobby Thomason (Bobby Walston kick)
Redskins – Gene Brito 23-yard pass from Eddie LeBaron (George Buksar kick) 2nd Eagles – Al Pollard 2-yard rush (Bobby Walston kick)
Redskins – Johnny Williams 38-yard interception return (George Buksar kick) 4th Eagles – Mike Jarmoluk 45-yard interception return (Bobby Walston kick)
Redskins – Hugh Taylor 16-yard pass from Eddie LeBaron (George Buksar kick)
Redskins – Eddie LeBaron 1-yard rush (kick failed)
Standings
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
Playoffs
With a record of 7–5, the Eagles fall one game back of Cleveland and failed to make the playoffs. The Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams would tie for the National Division title and had to play a Division Championship game before meeting Cleveland in the 1952 NFL Championship Game
Roster
(All time List of Philadelphia Eagles players in franchise history)
Postseason
At the end of the season, Bud Grant was offered a pay raise in his contract. He chose to play football in the CFL(Canadian Football League ) instead. He had a career worthy of being named to the CFL's Hall of Fame as a player. Later on he made the Pro Football Hall of Fame as coach of the Minnesota Vikings.
Awards and honors
Pro Bowl Players
Chuck Bednarik and Pete Pihos both make the Pro Bowl 1st team.
Russ Craft and Bucko Kilroy selected to the Pro-Bowl team as back-ups. League leaders
Bud Grant finishes 2nd in receptions with 56.
Bud Grant finishes 2nd in receiving yards with 997 yds.
Adrian Burk leads league in number of punts with 83 and 40.2 yds avg
Bobby Walston finishes 2nd with 11 field goals made.
References
