1956 NFL Championship Game

Lore & Background

The New York Giants (8–3–1) hosted the Chicago Bears (9–2–1) on an icy field. The Giants wore sneakers instead of cleats, a tactic they had used in the 1934 'Sneakers Game.' The Giants won 47–7 before 56,836 fans. The 1956 title was the Giants' fourth; their previous championship was in 1938. The Giants' roster included Hall of Fame players Emlen Tunnell (safety), Frank Gifford (running back), Roosevelt Brown (offensive tackle), Sam Huff (linebacker), and Andy Robustelli (defensive end). Assistants Vince Lombardi (offensive coordinator) and Tom Landry (defensive coordinator) later became Hall of Fame head coaches.

In Their Own Story

The air at Yankee Stadium bit with a ferocity that froze breath in lungs. Snowflakes danced in the floodlights, coating the gridiron in a thin layer of white that made footing treacherous for both teams. The snap came, and the ball was tucked tight; Gifford burst through a gap that shouldn't have existed, dodging a tackle from a Lions linebacker who slipped on the ice. He sprinted down the sideline, the crowd's chant rising to a deafening crescendo as he crossed the goal line, sealing a victory that would echo through generations.

Reader's Guide

The game was played on December 30, 1956, at Yankee Stadium. The Giants wore white jerseys at home; the Bears wore navy blue. Scoring summary: First quarter – NY: Mel Triplett 17 run (Ben Agajanian kick), NY: FG Agajanian 17, NY: FG Agajanian 43. Second quarter – NY: Alex Webster 3 run (Agajanian kick), CHI: Rick Casares 9 run (George Blanda kick), NY: Webster 1 run (Agajanian kick), NY: Henry Moore recovered blocked punt in end zone (Agajanian kick). Third quarter – NY: Kyle Rote 9-yard pass from Charlie Conerly (kick failed). Fourth quarter – NY: Frank Gifford 14-yard pass from Conerly (Agajanian kick). Officials: Referee William Downes, Umpire Samuel Wilson, Head linesman Cleo Diehl, Back judge Don Looney, Field judge George Rennix. Players' shares: Giants $3,779 each, Bears $2,485 each.

Did You Know?

• The Giants wore sneakers on the icy field, a tactic from the 1934 'Sneakers Game.'
• The 1956 title was the Giants' fourth NFL championship; their previous was in 1938.
• The game featured future Hall of Fame coaches Vince Lombardi and Tom Landry as assistants.
• The gross receipts were over $517,000, the highest to date.

Historical Context and Venue Shift

The 1956 NFL Championship marked a significant return for two franchises that had been absent from the title game for ten years. The New York Giants, seeking their first championship since 1938, hosted the Western Conference champion Chicago Bears at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx. This venue represented a major transition for the Giants, as it was their inaugural season playing there after moving across the Harlem River from the historic Polo Grounds. Unlike modern rules where home field is determined by regular-season records, this era alternated hosting duties between conferences, placing the game in New York despite the Bears entering as slight favorites following a 17–17 tie against the Giants weeks earlier.

Coaching Staff and Future Legends

While head coach Jim Lee Howell led the Giants to victory, his coaching staff included two assistants who would later become the most celebrated figures in NFL history. Offensive coordinator Vince Lombardi and defensive coordinator Tom Landry were present on the sidelines as coordinators before achieving legendary status with other franchises. Lombardi would eventually guide the Green Bay Packers to five championships during the 1960s, while Landry spent twenty-nine seasons transforming the Dallas Cowboys into a dynasty, winning two Super Bowls in the 1970s. The roster itself was equally star-studded, featuring future Hall of Famers such as safety Emlen Tunnell, running back Frank Gifford, offensive tackle Roosevelt Brown, linebacker Sam Huff, and defensive end Andy Robustelli. This gathering of talent underscored a pivotal moment where the seeds for future coaching dynasties were sown within a single championship game.

The Sneakers Strategy and Game Flow

Played on an icy field with temperatures hovering around 20 °F, the game saw the Giants employ a tactical adjustment that became legendary: wearing sneakers instead of traditional cleats. This decision mirrored a similar strategy used twenty-two years prior in the famous "Sneakers Game" at the Polo Grounds and provided crucial footing on the slick surface. The advantage contributed to a dominant performance where New York built an insurmountable lead through turnovers and explosive plays. Rookie Gene Filipski returned the opening kickoff 53 yards, setting up an early touchdown, while quarterback Ed Brown's fumble and interception further stalled Chicago. By halftime, Alex Webster had scored twice, including a 50-yard screen pass run, as the Giants blocked a punt for another score to lead 34–7 before coasting to a 47–7 victory.

Financial Records and Uniform Legacy

Beyond the economics, the game influenced the visual identity of the franchise. Although the home team, the Giants wore white jerseys while the Bears donned navy blue, adhering to a custom of alternating home colors at the time. This specific use of white tops eventually inspired the design of the Giants' modern road uniforms introduced in 2005, while the designation of blue as the official home jersey was formalized the following year in 1957.