Reichow's TD pass forgotten part of 1957 Lions' championship-winning game
The 90-year-old ended up being a member of the hated Vikings organization for 50 years. But he's also one of two surviving members of the '57 Lions.
The Lions’ last world championship season of 1957 is memorable in so many ways.
The abrupt resignation of HC Buddy Parker in August at a team banquet.
The comeback to beat the 49ers in San Francisco in the Western Division playoff—a game in which the Lions trailed SF 24-7 at halftime (sound familiar?).
The in-season injury to QB Bobby Layne, which left veteran Tobin Rote to bring the team home down the stretch.
And of course, the culminating, 59-14 massacre of the Browns at Briggs Stadium to win the ring.
Oh—and how about Jerry Reichow’s 16-yard TD pass to Howard “Hopalong” Cassady?
No? That one doesn’t ring a bell?
Reichow is 90 now, living in New Mexico. By my research, he’s one of only two players from that 1957 Lions team who’s still alive—with the passing earlier this fall of LB Joe Schmidt and DE Gene Cronin, along with last December’s death of WR Steve Junker. The other still alive is linebacker Bob Long, also 90 years young.
Reichow, however, is much more known in NFL circles for what he did as a Minnesota Viking—both as a player (1961-64) and as a subsequent executive and scout. He became one of the longest-tenured employees in NFL history.
Being closely associated with the hated Vikings is no way to ingratiate one’s self to the Lions fan base, but Reichow did have a hand in the Honolulu Blue’s last championship.
The touchdown pass itself, though, was rather forgettable.
The Lions were already leading, 52-14, when Reichow, an end who was the team’s emergency QB, subbed for Rote late in the championship game.
He only threw two passes, but one was the TD toss to Cassady, which provided the Lions with their final margin of victory.
It was an all-Big Ten connection, with Iowa Hawkeye Reichow passing to Ohio State Buckeye Cassady.
Jerry Reichow was a Forrest Gump of sorts when it came to pro football.
First was being part of the ‘57 Lions championship. Then after being traded to Philadelphia after the 1959 season, Reichow played on the ‘60 Eagles, who beat the Packers for the championship—the only championship game Vince Lombardi lost in Green Bay.
Next was being an original Viking when Minnesota’s franchise debuted in the NFL in 1961. There, Reichow enjoyed his only Pro Bowl season (50 catches, 859 yards, 11 TD), becoming a favorite target of rookie QB Fran Tarkenton.
After retiring as a player after the ‘64 season, Reichow moved into the Vikings’ front office. There he stayed through the 2019 season, spending the last 14 years as a consultant.
After mostly being a scout for the Vikes for 10 years, Reichow became director of football operations in 1975. He turned that job over to Frank Gilliam in 1992, and became assistant general manager, national scouting.
From 2006-19, Reichow consulted, mainly for the team’s scouts.
Speaking to the Twin Cities Pioneer Press in 2020, Reichow waxed nostalgic about the days of yore in the NFL.
“(Football) is completely different now than back then,” Reichow said in 2020. “It was like caveman football or something back then (in the early days of the Vikings). We didn’t have weights to lift, there was no money. Guys weren’t getting paid anything. It was darn near sandlot ball but a little higher than that.”
Reichow was part of the Vikings’ four teams that lost Super Bowls, but he has his rings as a player with the Lions and Eagles.
As he entered retirement in 2020, Reichow had a message for the Vikings’ scouts.
“I’m always telling our scouts up there in Minnesota, ‘You guys are always talking about retirement, but if you retire you better have something to do or you’ll go haywire.’”
During the 2023 Lions’ playoff run to the NFC Championship game, Reichow told the Denver Gazette, “I’m excited. It’s been so long for that team to get back. I’ve been watching them and they’ve got a good team and I really like their coach (Dan Campbell). He’s a tough guy.”
Jerry Reichow was a champion Detroit Lion and as today’s Lions drive toward Super Bowl 59, I wonder, if the team makes it to the Big Game, whether they’ll fly in Reichow and/or Bob Long (health permitting) to recognize those men as surviving members from the heralded 1957 team.
They should.
I don't know much of anything about the lions championship teams from the 50's. I wish I got to see old time football back when the men were tough as nails.