1961 Detroit Lions Team Info
| League | Coach | Record | Postseason Record | Division Standing | End of Season |
| National Football League (NFL) | George Wilson (8-5-1) | 8-5 | – | Finished 2nd in the NFL’s West Division | – |
Roster
| Player | Pos. | Birth Date | Height | Weight | College |
| Terry Barr | HB-DB-FL | August 10, 1935 | 6’0′ | 189 | Michigan |
| Carl Brettschneider | LB | December 2, 1931 | 6’1′ | 223 | Iowa St. |
| Roger Brown | DT | May 1, 1937 | 6’5′ | 300 | Md-Eastern Shore |
| Howard Cassady | HB-SE-FL | March 2, 1934 | 5’10’ | 183 | Ohio St. |
| Gail Cogdill | SE-WR | April 7, 1937 | 6’3′ | 200 | Washington St. |
| Glenn Davis | WR | September 12, 1934 | 6’0′ | 180 | Ohio St. |
| Jim Gibbons | E-TE | September 26, 1936 | 6’2′ | 220 | Iowa |
| Bill Glass | DE-C-T | August 16, 1935 | 6’5′ | 252 | Baylor |
| John Gonzaga | T-G-DE-DT | March 6, 1933 | 6’3′ | 247 | none |
| John Gordy | G-T | June 17, 1935 | 6’3′ | 248 | Tennessee |
| Alex Karras | DT | July 15, 1935 | 6’2′ | 248 | Iowa |
| Night Train Lane | DB-E | April 16, 1927 | 6’1′ | 194 | West. Nebraska CC-Scottsbluff |
| Dan LaRose | T-DE-G | February 8, 1939 | 6’5′ | 250 | Missouri |
| Yale Lary | DB | November 24, 1930 | 5’11’ | 185 | Texas A&M |
| Dick LeBeau | DB | September 9, 1937 | 6’1′ | 185 | Ohio St. |
| Dan Lewis | HB-FB | February 14, 1936 | 6’1′ | 199 | Wisconsin |
| Gary Lowe | DB-HB | May 4, 1934 | 5’11’ | 196 | Michigan St. |
| Bruce Maher | DB | July 25, 1937 | 5’11’ | 190 | Detroit Mercy |
| Gil Mains | DT-DE | December 17, 1929 | 6’2′ | 243 | Murray St. |
| Jim Martin | G-LB-K | April 8, 1924 | 6’2′ | 227 | Notre Dame |
| Willie McClung | T-DT | May 9, 1930 | 6’2′ | 250 | Florida A&M |
| Darris McCord | DE-DT-T | January 4, 1933 | 6’4′ | 250 | Tennessee |
| Max Messner | LB | October 13, 1938 | 6’3′ | 225 | Cincinnati |
| Dick Mills | G | March 6, 1939 | 6’3′ | 240 | Pittsburgh |
| Earl Morrall | QB | May 17, 1934 | 6’1′ | 205 | Michigan St. |
| Jim Ninowski | QB | March 26, 1936 | 6’1′ | 206 | Michigan St. |
| Johnny Olszewski | FB-HB | December 21, 1930 | 5’11’ | 200 | California |
| Nick Pietrosante | FB | September 10, 1937 | 6’2′ | 225 | Notre Dame |
| Joe Schmidt | LB | January 19, 1932 | 6’1′ | 220 | Pittsburgh |
| Bob Scholtz | C-G-T | December 25, 1937 | 6’4′ | 250 | Notre Dame |
| Harley Sewell | G-LB | April 18, 1931 | 6’1′ | 230 | Texas |
| Ollie Spencer | T-G-C | April 17, 1931 | 6’2′ | 245 | Kansas |
| Jim Steffen | DB | May 1, 1936 | 6’0′ | 195 | Occidental |
| Pat Studstill | FL-HB-WR-P | June 4, 1938 | 6’0′ | 180 | Houston |
| Wayne Walker | LB | September 30, 1936 | 6’2′ | 225 | Idaho |
| Paul Ward | DT-G | January 30, 1937 | 6’3′ | 247 | Whitworth |
| Ken Webb | HB-FB | August 15, 1935 | 5’11’ | 207 | Presbyterian |
| Bob Whitlow | C | February 15, 1936 | 6’2′ | 236 | Indiana |
| Sam Williams | DE-E-LB | March 9, 1931 | 6’5′ | 235 | Michigan St. |