Lewis Glen Carpenter (January 12, 1932 – November 14, 2010) was an American football player and coach. He played college football for the University of Arkansas and professionally for ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL) as a halfback and fullback with the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, and Green Bay Packers. He played on three NFL Championship teams, with Detroit in 1953 and with Green Bay in 1961 and 1962. After his playing career ended, Carpenter spent 31 years as an assistant coach in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings (1964–1966), Atlanta Falcons (1967–1968), Washington Redskins (1969), St. Louis Cardinals (1970–1972), Houston Oilers (1970–1974), Green Bay Packers (1975–1985), Detroit Lions (1987–1988), and Philadelphia Eagles (1990–1994). Carpenter also coached the Frankfurt Galaxy of the World League of American Football in 1996 and at Southwest Texas State University. He concluded his 47 years of playing and coaching football at the end of the 1996 season. Scientific tests on his brain diagnosed post-mortem that he had an advanced case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Early years and family
Carpenter was born to Verba Glen Carpenter and Edna Earl Pullam in Hayti, Missouri. He was raised in West Memphis, Arkansas, where he attended high school and played six-man football. In 1951, Lew married Ann Holt. The couple had four daughters; Cheryl, Cathy, Lisa and Rebecca. His brother, Preston Carpenter (19342011), married Jeanne Eytchison and the couple had three sons: Scott, Bruce, and Lewis Todd.
College career
While at the University of Arkansas (1949–1953), Carpenter starred at the halfback position for the Razorbacks. As a senior, he played in the Blue-Grey College All-Star Game. Carpenter also played wide receiver, tight end, and served as back-up quarterback during his college years. Carpenter received varsity letters in football, basketball, and baseball. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology.
Carpenter played baseball after his 1953 senior year in college in the minor (then class B) Carolina League, as a pitcher, with the Winston-Salem Cardinals. During this season he had a batting average of .286 under manager Jimmy Brown. Scouts for the NFL also offered him a contract and football beat baseball in this circumstance.
NFL playing career
Carpenter's primary positions played: defensive half back, fullback, halfback, and offensive half back/running back. Carpenter was listed at a height of 6 foot 2 inches and had a playing weight from 205 to 220 pounds and was considered fast afoot.
Detroit Lions
In 1953, Carpenter was drafted by the National Football League for the Detroit Lions in the eighth round of the draft, 97th selection. The very first time in game play he got the football, he scored a 73-yard touchdown on an interception.
For the next three seasons, Carpenter was a running back. He was the Lions' leading rusher and won his first world championship in 1953.
In 1954, Carpenter led Detroit with 476 rushing yards and in 1955, 543 yards. He helped the Detroit Lions Get back into the 1954 NFL Championship game, by winning the NFL Western Conference, before bowing to the 1954 NFL Champion Cleveland Browns. Over his three seasons with the Lions, he rushed for 1,043 yards, with 60 pass receptions (457 yards gained and 4 touchdowns), and scored 10 touchdowns.
Carpenter's football career was placed on hold for the 1956 season, when he was drafted by the United States Army. He served honorably during an 18-month tour in Germany.
Cleveland Browns
In 1957, after returning from Germany, Carpenter was traded to the Cleveland Browns, where he played with Preston Carpenter, his brother.
In 1957 NFL Draft, the Browns had selected fullback Jim Brown out of Syracuse University, who became the NFL's leading rusher with 942 yards in a 12-game regular season. The emergence of Brown limited Carpenter to 83 attempts rushing, resulting in 315 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Once again at the top of the division with 9 wins, 2 losses and 1 tied game, Cleveland advanced to the Championship Game against Detroit. But the Lions dominated from start to finish, causing six turnovers and limiting the Browns' quarterbacks (Tommy O'Connell and Milt Plum) to 95 yards passing in a 59–14 rout.