1951_San_Francisco_49ers_season
1951 San Francisco 49ers season
NFL team season
The 1951 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 2nd season in the National Football League and their 6th overall. The team was coming off a 3–9 record in 1950.
Quick Facts San Francisco 49ers season, Owner ...
| 1951 San Francisco 49ers season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Tony Morabito |
| General manager | John Blackinger |
| Head coach | Buck Shaw |
| Home field | Kezar Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 7–4–1 |
| Division place | T–2nd NFL National |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
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The 49ers won their first ever NFL road game on October 14 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, after losing their first 7 in the league. The Niners were in playoff contention all year long, finishing 7–4–1, just a half game out of first place in the National Conference. Their biggest win of the season was a 44–17 victory over their California rivals, the Los Angeles Rams.
Frankie Albert and Y. A. Tittle split time at quarterback, with Albert throwing for 1,116 yards, while Tittle led the club with 8 TDs and completed 55.3% of his passes. Joe Perry once again led the team in rushing with 677 yards and 3 TDs, and wide receiver Gordie Soltau led the club with 59 catches for 826 yards and 7 TDs.
NFL draft
Main article: 1951 NFL draft
More information Round, Pick ...
| 1951 San Francisco 49ers draft | |||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Y. A. Tittle * † | Quarterback | LSU | Former Baltimore Colts player |
| 2 | 17 | Pete Schabarum | Halfback | California | |
| 3 | 28 | Bill Mixon | Halfback | Georgia | began play with 49ers in 1953. |
| 5 | 53 | Dick Steere | Guard | Drake | |
| 5 | 54 | Al Carapella * | Tackle | Miami (FL) | |
| 6 | 64 | Bishop Strickland | Halfback | South Carolina | |
| 7 | 75 | Dick Forbes | End | St. Ambrose | |
| 8 | 89 | Joe Arenas | Halfback | Omaha | |
| 9 | 100 | Bruce Van Alstyne | End | Stanford | |
| 10 | 112 | Nick Feher | Guard | Georgia | |
| 11 | 126 | Bill Jessup | End | USC | |
| 12 | 137 | Jim Monachino | Halfback | Stanford | |
| 13 | 148 | Dick Harvin | End | Georgia Tech | |
| 14 | 162 | Rex Berry | Defensive back | BYU | |
| 15 | 173 | Dave Sparks | Guard | South Carolina | |
| 16 | 184 | Bob White | Halfback | Stanford | |
| 17 | 198 | Art Michalik | Guard | St. Ambrose | |
| 18 | 209 | Jim Murphy | Tackle | Xavier | |
| 19 | 220 | John Phillips | Halfback | Southern Miss | |
| 20 | 234 | Al Tate | Tackle | Illinois | |
| 21 | 245 | Hardy Brown * | Back | Tulsa | previously played for the Washington Redskins |
| 22 | 256 | Dwight Winslow | Back | Boise J.C. | |
| 23 | 270 | Wally Brunswald | Back | Gustavus Adolphus | |
| 24 | 281 | Tom Kingsford | Quarterback | Montana | |
| 25 | 292 | Mike Peterson | End | Denver | |
| 26 | 306 | Keith Carpenter | Tackle | San Jose State | |
| 27 | 317 | Ray Lung | Guard | Oregon | |
| 28 | 328 | Jack Rohan | Back | Loras | |
| 29 | 342 | S. P. Garnett | Tackle | Kansas | |
| 30 | 353 | Jerry Faske | Back | Iowa | |
| Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career | |||||
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Source:[1] |}
More information Week, Date ...
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 19 | Washington Redskins | W 45–14 | 1–0 | Kezar Stadium | 27,280 |
| 2 | August 26 | Chicago Bears | L 7–24 | 1–1 | Kezar Stadium | 38,836 |
| 3 | September 7 | vs. Pittsburgh Steelers | W 24–7 | 2–1 | Archbold Stadium | 18,000 |
| 4 | September 12 | vs. Green Bay Packers | W 20–0 | 3–1 | Parade Stadium | 19,021 |
| 5 | September 23 | vs. Chicago Cardinals | W 37–17 | 4–1 | Creighton Stadium | 10,000 |
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Schedule
More information Week, Date ...
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 30 | Cleveland Browns | W 24–10 | 1–0 | Kezar Stadium | 48,263 | Recap |
| 2 | October 6 | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 14–21 | 1–1 | Shibe Park | 23,827 | Recap |
| 3 | October 14 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | W 28–24 | 2–1 | Forbes Field | 27,124 | Recap |
| 4 | October 21 | at Chicago Bears | L 7–13 | 2–2 | Wrigley Field | 42,296 | Recap |
| 5 | October 28 | Los Angeles Rams | W 44–17 | 3–2 | Kezar Stadium | 49,538 | Recap |
| 6 | November 4 | at Los Angeles Rams | L 16–23 | 3–3 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 54,346 | Recap |
| 7 | November 11 | New York Yanks | W 19–14 | 4–3 | Kezar Stadium | 25,538 | Recap |
| 8 | November 18 | Chicago Cardinals | L 21–27 | 4–4 | Kezar Stadium | 19,658 | Recap |
| 9 | November 25 | at New York Yanks | T 10–10 | 4–4–1 | Yankee Stadium | 10,184 | Recap |
| 10 | December 2 | at Detroit Lions | W 20–10 | 5–4–1 | Briggs Stadium | 46,467 | Recap |
| 11 | December 9 | Green Bay Packers | W 31–19 | 6–4–1 | Kezar Stadium | 15,121 | Recap |
| 12 | December 16 | Detroit Lions | W 21–17 | 7–4–1 | Kezar Stadium | 27,276 | Recap |
| Note: Intra-conference opponents are in bold text. | |||||||
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Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Cleveland Browns
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browns | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| 49ers | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
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More information Game information ...
| Game information | ||
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Week 1: Cleveland Browns at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
at Kezar Stadium, San Francisco
- Date: Sunday, September 30
- Game attendance: 48,263
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
Week 2: at Philadelphia Eagles
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Eagles | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
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More information Game information ...
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Week 2: San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
- Date: Sunday, October 7
- Game attendance: 23,827
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
Week 3: at Pittsburgh Steelers
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 7 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 28 |
| Steelers | 0 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 24 |
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More information Game information ...
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Week 3: San Francisco 49ers at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
- Date: Sunday, October 14
- Game attendance: 27,124
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
Week 4: at Chicago Bears
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Bears | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
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More information Game information ...
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Week 4: San Francisco 49ers at Chicago Bears – Game summary
at Wrigley Field, Chicago
- Date: Sunday, October 21
- Game attendance: 42,296
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
Week 5: vs. Los Angeles Rams
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rams | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| 49ers | 10 | 28 | 0 | 6 | 44 |
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More information Game information ...
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Week 5: Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
at Kezar Stadium, San Francisco
- Date: Sunday, October 28
- Game attendance: 49,538
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
Week 6: at Los Angeles Rams
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 0 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 16 |
| Rams | 10 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 23 |
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Week 6: San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams – Game summary
at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
- Date: Sunday, November 4
- Game attendance: 54,346
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
Week 7: vs. New York Yanks
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yanks | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| 49ers | 7 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 19 |
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More information Game information ...
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Week 7: New York Yanks at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
at Kezar Stadium, San Francisco
- Date: Sunday, November 11
- Game attendance: 36,571
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
Week 8: vs. Chicago Cardinals
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | 7 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 27 |
| 49ers | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
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Week 8: Chicago Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
at Kezar Stadium, San Francisco
- Date: Sunday, November 18
- Game attendance: 19,658
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
Week 9: at New York Yanks
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Yanks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 |
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Week 9: San Francisco 49ers at New York Yanks – Game summary
at Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, New York City
- Date: Sunday, November 25
- Game attendance: 10,184
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
Week 10: at Detroit Lions
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 6 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 20 |
| Lions | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
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Week 10: San Francisco 49ers at Detroit Lions – Game summary
- Date: Sunday, December 2
- Game attendance: 46,467
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
Week 11: vs. Green Bay Packers
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers | 3 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 19 |
| 49ers | 3 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 31 |
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Week 11: Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
at Kezar Stadium, San Francisco
- Date: Sunday, December 9
- Game attendance: 15,121
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
Week 12: vs. Detroit Lions
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lions | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| 49ers | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
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Week 12: Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
at Kezar Stadium, San Francisco
- Date: Sunday, December 16
- Game attendance: 27,276
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
More information NFL National Conference, W ...
| NFL National Conference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | CONF | PF | PA | STK | ||
| Los Angeles Rams | 8 | 4 | 0 | .667 | 7–2 | 392 | 261 | W1 | |
| San Francisco 49ers | 7 | 4 | 1 | .636 | 5–2–1 | 255 | 205 | W3 | |
| Detroit Lions | 7 | 4 | 1 | .636 | 5–4–1 | 336 | 259 | L1 | |
| Chicago Bears | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 6–2 | 286 | 282 | L1 | |
| Green Bay Packers | 3 | 9 | 0 | .250 | 1–8 | 254 | 375 | L7 | |
| New York Yanks | 1 | 9 | 2 | .100 | 1–7–2 | 241 | 382 | L2 | |
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Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
San Francisco's players selected for the Pro Bowl:
More information Player, Position ...
| Player | Position |
|---|---|
| Jim Cason | Defensive back |
| Ray Collins | Defensive line |
| Leo Nomellini | Defensive line |
| Gordie Soltau | Wide receiver |
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- "1951 San Francisco 49ers Draftees". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- "1951 San Francisco 49ers (NFL)". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
- San Francisco 49ers 2008 Media Guide. San Francisco 49ers. p. 269.