Sports
Joe Schmidt
1932–2024 · American football linebacker and coach
Hall of Fame middle linebacker who spent his whole 13-year career with the Lions, won two NFL titles, coached the team and then worked in Detroit's auto industry.
- Born
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania- Died
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
aged 92- Birth name
- Joseph Paul Schmidt
- Detroit years
- 1953–2000s
- Field
- Sports
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
The Lions drafted Schmidt out of the University of Pittsburgh in the seventh round in 1953, and he became one of the defining middle linebackers of the era. He started for the champions of 1953 and 1957, was a first-team All-Pro every year from 1954 to 1963 and was voted the NFL's best defensive player by his peers in 1960 and 1963. He captained a Detroit defense famous for its hard hitting. After retiring as a player in 1965 he coached the team from 1967 to 1972, becoming the first former Lions player to serve as its head coach for a long spell; his 1970 team reached the playoffs. When he left football he stayed in Detroit as a manufacturer's representative in the auto industry and remained a familiar figure at team events for decades. The Lions retired his No. 56, and he was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019.
Highlights
- Played his entire career with the Lions, 1953–1965
- NFL champion in 1953 and 1957
- Ten straight Pro Bowls, 1954–1963
- Lions head coach 1967–1972
- Pro Football Hall of Fame 1973; No. 56 retired
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 1
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Played here · 1953–1972
Tiger Stadium
Demolished · 1912–1999
The Lions' home throughout his playing and coaching years; demolished in 2008–2009.