season. Prior to the injury, Schmidt had played in every game for the Lions for seven consecutive years from 1953 to 1959. He returned to the lineup wearing a restraining harness to protect his shoulder. On October 16, in his first game back from the injury, he intercepted a pass and returned it 17 yards for the first touchdown of his NFL career. The Lions lost the first two games of the season, but went 7–3 after Schmidt returned. After the 1960 season, he played in the Pro Bowl and was selected as a first-team All-Pro by the NEA and Sporting News. He was also voted by the NFL players as the league's most valuable defensive player. During the 1961 and 1962 seasons, Schmidt appeared in all 28 regular season games for the Lions, as the team improved to 8–5–1 and 11–3, finishing in second place in the NFL Western Division both years. For the fourth time in his career, Schmidt was selected as the Lions' most valuable player in 1961. He played both years in the Pro Bowl and won first-team All-Pro honors in 1961 from the AP, UPI, NEA, and TSN, and in 1962 from the AP, UPI, and NEA. In April 1963, Schmidt and five other Lions were implicated in a gambling investigation by NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle. Schmidt had placed a $50 bet on the Packers to defeat the Giants in the 1962 NFL Championship Game. Detroit teammate Alex Karras was given an indefinite suspension for his role in the betting; Schmidt and four other Lions were fined $2,000 each. In 1963, Schmidt missed four games with another dislocated shoulder, but still appeared in 10 games and was selected as a first-team All-Pro by the NEA. After the season ended, he played in his tenth consecutive Pro Bowl and was selected for the tenth consecutive year as an All-Pro, receiving first-team honors from the NEA. The NFL players also selected Schmidt as the NFL's most valuable player on defense. Schmidt was paid $22,000 in 1963, making him the club's highest paid defensive player up to that time. In 1964, Schmidt was limited to nine games. His season ended on November 9 when he sustained yet another dislocated shoulder in a loss to the Packers. After sustaining the injury, Schmidt announced that he intended to retire as a player. However, he quickly rescinded his resignation and stated