# 1947 Detroit Lions season

The 1947 Detroit Lions season was their 18th in the league. The team improved on their previous season's output of 1–10, winning three games. They failed to qualify for the playoffs for the 12th consecutive season.

## Before the season
### Draft

1947 Detroit Lions draft :
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
| 1 | 2 | Glenn Davis * | HB | Army | 1946 Heisman Trophy winner |
| 2 | 12 | Russ Thomas | T | Ohio State | |
| 3 | 14 | Jim Kekeris | T | Missouri | |
| 4 | 24 | Charley Hoover | C | Vanderbilt | |
| 5 | 26 | Bob Chappuis | TB | Michigan | Remained in college |
| 6 | 36 | Bernie Gallagher | G | Penn | Signed with Los Angeles Dons (AAFC) |
| 7 | 46 | Ed Grain | G | Penn | Joined the AAFC |
| 8 | 56 | Harvey James | C | Miami (FL) | |
| 9 | 66 | Kale Alexander | T | South Carolina | Remained in college |
| 10 | 76 | Bump Elliott | B | Michigan | Remained in college |
| 11 | 86 | Pete Sullivan | T | Detroit | |
| 12 | 96 | LaVerne Camarata | B | Iowa State | |
| 13 | 106 | Walt Vezmar | G | Michigan State | |
| 14 | 116 | Dick Hagen | E | Washington | |
| 15 | 126 | J.W. Meeks | B | East Texas State | |
| 16 | 136 | Reed Nilsen | C | BYU | |
| 17 | 146 | Tommy James * | DB | Ohio State | |
| 18 | 156 | Ralph Maugham | E | Utah State | |
| 19 | 166 | Buryl Baty | B | Texas A&M | |
| 20 | 176 | Elmer Madar | E | Michigan | Signed with the Baltimore Colts (AAFC) |
| 21 | 186 | J. T. White | E | Michigan | |
| 22 | 196 | Carl Schuette | LB | Marquette | |
| 23 | 206 | Steve Cipot | T | St. Bonaventure | |
| 24 | 216 | Bill Cadenhead | B | Alabama | |
| 25 | 226 | Jim Cody | T | East Texas State | |
| 26 | 236 | Earl Maves | WB | Wisconsin | Played for Lions in 1948 |
| 27 | 246 | Bill Hillman | B | Tennessee | |
| 28 | 256 | Arch Kelly | E | Detroit | |
| 29 | 266 | Bob Tulis | T | Texas A&M | |
| 30 | 276 | Howard McAfee | T | Tulane | |
| Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career ||||||

## Schedule

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Game recap |
| 1 | September 21 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | L 10–17 | 0–1 | Forbes Field | Recap |
| 2 | September 28 | at Chicago Cardinals | L 21–45 | 0–2 | Comiskey Park | Recap |
| 3 | October 5 | at Boston Yanks | W 21–7 | 1–2 | Fenway Park | Recap |
| 4 | October 12 | Los Angeles Rams | L 13–27 | 1–3 | Briggs Stadium | Recap |
| 5 | October 19 | at Chicago Bears | L 24–33 | 1–4 | Wrigley Field | Recap |
| 6 | October 26 | at Green Bay Packers | L 17–34 | 1–5 | City Stadium | Recap |
| 7 | November 2 | New York Giants | W 35–7 | 2–5 | Briggs Stadium | Recap |
| 8 | November 9 | Chicago Cardinals | L 7–17 | 2–6 | Briggs Stadium | Recap |
| 9 | November 16 | Washington Redskins | W 38–21 | 3–6 | Briggs Stadium | Recap |
| 10 | November 23 | at Los Angeles Rams | L 17–28 | 3–7 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Recap |
| 11 | November 27 | Chicago Bears | L 14–34 | 3–8 | Briggs Stadium | Recap |
| 12 | December 7 | Green Bay Packers | L 14–35 | 3–9 | Briggs Stadium | Recap |
| 13 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. |||||||

## Standings

NFL Western Division :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | PF | PA | STK |
| Chicago Cardinals | 9 | 3 | 0 | .750 | 7–1 | 306 | 231 | W2 |
| Chicago Bears | 8 | 4 | 0 | .667 | 4–4 | 363 | 241 | L2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 6 | 5 | 1 | .545 | 5–3 | 274 | 210 | L1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 6 | 6 | 0 | .500 | 4–4 | 259 | 214 | W2 |
| Detroit Lions | 3 | 9 | 0 | .250 | 0–8 | 231 | 305 | L3 |
    Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

## Players

* Stan Batinski, guard
* Ben Chase, guard
* Ted Cook, end
* Ted Cremer, end
* Bob DeFruiter, halfback
* Robert Derleth, tackle
* Chuck DeShane, guard
* Bill Dudley, halfback
* Jack Dugger, tackle
* Leon Fichman
* John Greene, end
* George Hekkers
* Ralph Heywood, end
* Bill Hillman
* Bob Ivory
* Tommy James, defensive back
* Elmer Jones, guard
* Pete Kmetovic, halfback
* Les Lear, tackle
* Clyde LeForce, quarterback
* Elmer Madarik, halfback
* Joe Margucci, halfback
* Kelly Mote, end
* Reed Nilsen
* Bill O'Brien, halfback
* Mitchell Olenski, tackle
* Merv Pregulman, center
* Ken Reese
* Floyd Rhea, offensive lineman
* Dave Ryan, quarterback
* John Sanchez, tackle
* Cecil Souders, end
* Ed Stacco, tackle
* Dick Stovall, center
* Steve Sucic
* Frank Szymanski, center
* Russ Thomas, tackle
* Walt Vezmar, guard
* Bill Ward, guard
* Joe Watt, halfback
* Bob Westfall, fullback
* Bob Wiese, back
* Camp Wilson, fullback
* Roy Zimmerman, quarterback