A 3–8–1 season in 1959 meant the Lions closed out their most successful decade in disappointing fashion. Going into the 1960s, the Lions decided to go with a new rebuild, this time centered around defense. The team started by trading defensive end Gerry Perry to the St. Louis Cardinals for cornerback Dick "Night Train" Lane. Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the best trades that will ever be made in any sport". Lane made three Pro Bowls and four All Pro selections as a Lion. Detroit also drafted star defensive tackle Roger Brown to pair with Alex Karras, Sam Williams and Darris McCord, forming one of the most fierce defensive lines in pro football history. The Lions also still had '50s stars Joe Schmidt and Yale Lary as well as cornerback Dick LeBeau, who the team signed in 1959. Despite a 0–3 start in 1960, the Lions put together a 7–2 record to end the year at 7–5 overall. The Lions finished second in the Western Conference and earned a trip to the Playoff Bowl against their rivals the Cleveland Browns, who finished second in the Eastern Conference.