Editing Doak Walker (section)

===Detroit Lions (1950–1955)===
Following his junior year at SMU, Walker was selected by the [[Boston Yanks]] with the third pick of in the [[1949 NFL draft]], held in December 1948. The [[Detroit Lions]] acquired Walker's rights from Boston in exchange for [[John Rauch]], whom the Lions had selected with the second pick of the 1949 NFL Draft. The [[Cleveland Browns]] held the [[All-America Football Conference|AAFC]] to arbitrate their conflicting claims or flip a coin. Instead, the Browns agreed in January 1950 to forego their claim to Walker in exchange for the Lions' second pick in the [[1950 NFL draft]].<ref name=dobtdrt>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X1tIAAAAIBAJ&pg=4301%2C2240946 |newspaper=St. Petersburg Times |location=Florida |agency=Associated Press |title=Detroit obtains draft rights to Doak Walker |date=January 22, 1950 |page=33 }}</ref>

In Detroit, Walker was reunited with former high school teammate [[Bobby Layne]] who the Lions acquired by trade in April 1950.<ref>{{cite news|title=Lions Swap Wilson for Layne|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=April 9, 1950|page=51|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4358070/lions_swap_wilson_for_layne/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The two Texans led the Lions to one of the top scoring offenses during the [[1950 NFL season]], as Layne led the NFL with 2,323 passing yards and Walker led the league with 128 points on five rushing touchdowns, six receiving touchdowns, 38 extra points, and eight field goals.<ref name=PFR/> Walker appeared in all 12 games for the 1950 Lions at the left halfback position; he rushed for 386 yards on 83 carries (4.7 yards per carry), caught 34 passes for 534 yards, and totaled 1,262 all-purpose yards. He was selected by both the [[Associated Press]] (AP) and [[United Press]] (UP) as a first-team player on the [[1950 All-Pro Team]].<ref name=PFR/> His 128 points in 1950 was the second highest single-season total in NFL history to that time.<ref name=Cleats/>

[[File:Doak Walker 1951 (3).jpg|thumb|left|Walker, circa 1951]]
Walker had another strong season in 1951, appearing in all 12 games at left halfback for the Lions, totaling 1,270 all-purpose yards (fourth best in the NFL), scoring 97 points (third best in the NFL), and leading the NFL with 43 extra points. He was again selected by the AP and UP as a first-team All-Pro.<ref name=PFR/>

Walker suffered leg injuries that limited him to seven games during the 1952 season.<ref name=PFR/><ref>{{cite news|title=Injured Leg Finally Hospitalizes Doak|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=October 25, 1952|page=15|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14987941/injured_leg_finally_hospitalizes_doak/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> He was fully recovered in time for the post-season and rushed for 97 yards and caught two passes against the Browns in the [[1952 NFL Championship Game]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Championship – Detroit Lions at Cleveland Browns – December 28th, 1952|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=November 8, 2017|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/195212280cle.htm}}</ref>

Healthy for the full 1953 season, Walker helped lead the Lions to their second consecutive NFL championship. He ranked third in the NFL with 93 points scored and totaled 978 all-purpose yards, including 502 receiving yards and 337 rushing yards.<ref name=PFR/> In the [[1953 NFL Championship Game]], he scored a touchdown and kicked a field goal and an extra point to account for 10 of the Lions' 17 points.<ref>{{cite web|title=Championship – Cleveland Browns at Detroit Lions – December 27th, 1953|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=November 8, 2017|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/195312270det.htm}}</ref> At the end of the 1953 season, Walker was selected by the AP as a first-team All-Pro and by the UP as a second-team All-Pro.<ref name=PFR/>

In 1954, Walker helped lead the Lions to their third consecutive NFL Western Division championship. He led the NFL with 43 extra points (out of 43 attempted) and an average of 14.4 yards per touch. He ranked second in the NFL with 106 points scored and third with 11 field goals. He also kicked a field goal and an extra point in the [[1954 NFL Championship Game]] and was selected by the AP, UP, and ''[[Sporting News|The Sporting News]]'' as a first-team back on the [[1954 All-Pro Team]].<ref name=PFR/>

In July 1955, Walker signed a contract worth $27,500 to play a final season for the Lions and to serve as a special scout for the Lions in Texas in 1956 and 1957.<ref name=DS>{{cite news|title=Doak Signs . . . for $27,500|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=July 30, 1955|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14988256/doak_signs__for_27500/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> At age 28, Walker retired not because his abilities had diminished but because of the need to attend to multiple business interests in Texas.<ref name=DS/> In his final season, he appeared in all 12 games for the Lions and led the NFL in scoring with 96 points.<ref name=PFR/> Walker scored 11 points in the final game of the season to secure the league's scoring title.<ref>{{cite news|title=Lions Are Beaten By Giants, 24–19|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=December 12, 1955|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14988306/lions_are_beaten_by_giants_2419/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> His 1955 scoring title was remarkable given the fact that it was achieved while playing for a team that won only three games and compiled the worst record in the NFL.<ref>{{cite web|title=1955 NFL Standings & Team Stats|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=November 9, 2017|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1955/}}</ref>

On December 11, 1955, the day of Walker's final regular season game, the Lions held a "Doak Walker Day" at [[Briggs Stadium]] at which he was presented with a silver football engraved with the names of his teammates and coaches. Walker's jersey (No. 37) was also retired as part of the ceremony.<ref name=Cleats/><ref>{{cite news|title=Lions Hold 'Day' For Walker Sunday|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=December 7, 1955|page=7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14988328/lions_to_hold_day_for_walker_sunday/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

Walker's final NFL appearance was in the [[1956 Pro Bowl]] at the [[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum]] on January 15, 1956.<ref>{{cite news|title=East Defeats West In Pro Bowl|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=January 16, 1956|pages=4–1, 4–2}}</ref>

At the time of his retirement, Walker ranked third in NFL history with 534 points scored (not including 21 post-season points) in six NFL seasons. Only [[Don Hutson]] (825 points in 11 seasons) and [[Bob Waterfield]] (573 points in eight seasons) had scored more points.<ref name=Cleats>{{cite news|title=Lions Honor Doak: Walker Hangs Up NFL Cleats, Scoring Title|newspaper=Brownwood (TX) Bulletin|date=December 12, 1955|page=4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14990062/walker_hangs_up_nfl_cleats_scoring/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Walker also totaled 1,520 rushing yards on 309 carries (4.9 yards per carry) and 152 receptions for 2,539 yards (16.7 yards per reception).<ref name=PFR/>