Detroit Lions Top 50: #29-25 with VIDEO

Dec 30, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions fan cheers during the game against the Chicago Bears at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Continuing on with our countdown of the Detroit Lions top 50 players of all-time, numbers 29 through 25 — coming your way!

29. Alex Wojciechowicz, C/LB, 1938-1946

Alex Wojciechowicz was the Detroit Lions’ first pick in the 1938 NFL Draft and won the starting center job in his first game as a Lion. Even though the Lions were in decline as a team, Alex would play with full effort on both offense and defense.

He played center, where he was known for his unusually wide snapping stance, and also outside linebacker. In 1944, he demonstrated his defensive talents when he intercepted seven passes, a Lions record for several years. Although Wojciechowicz received his fair share of personal recognition, he yearned to play on a championship team. That never happened in Detroit.

In the middle of the 1946 season, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles.

He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968 and in 1975, Wojciechowicz was inducted into the National Polish American Sports Hall of Fame.