<sod>Schmidt held out prior to the start of the 1958 season, seeking a 50% salary increase to $18,000. He ultimately signed a one-year contract in late July.<ref>{{cite news|title=Schmidt Rejects Lion Bid: Joe a Holdout At Last Minute|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|author=George Puscas|date=July 26, 1958|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7033504/schmidt_rejects_lion_bid/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ah, Peace! Schmidt Signs As Lions Step Up Drills|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|author=George Puscas|date=July 29, 1958|page=21|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7033009/ah_peace_schmidt_signs/}}</ref> After winning the NFL championship in 1957, the [[1958 Detroit Lions season|1958 Lions]] fell to 4-7-1 with a scoring defense ranked seventh of 12 teams in the NFL.<ref>{{cite web|title=1958 Detroit Lions Statistics & Players|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|accessdate=October 15, 2016|url=http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/det/1958.htm}}</ref> The Lions struggles continued in 1959 with a 3-8-1 and a scoring defense ranked eighth in the league.<ref>{{cite web|title=1959 Detroit Lions Statistics & Players|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|accessdate=October 15, 2016|url=http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/det/1959.htm}}</ref> Despite the team's decline, Schmidt intercepted a career-high six passes in 1958 and was again a unanimous first-team All-Pro pick by the AP, UPI, NEA, and ''Sporting News'' in both 1958 and 1959.<ref name=PFR/> <eod>
<sod>After serving six months in the [[United States Army]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Lions Lose 3 Players|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=July 25, 1958|page=27|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7033552/lions_lose_3_players/}}</ref> Schmidt held out prior to the start of the 1958 season,<ref>{{cite news|title=Schmidt Rejects Lion Bid: Joe a Holdout At Last Minute|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|author=George Puscas|date=July 26, 1958|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7033504/schmidt_rejects_lion_bid/}}</ref> seeking a 50% salary increase to $18,000. He ultimately signed a one-year contract in late July.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ah, Peace! Schmidt Signs As Lions Step Up Drills|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|author=George Puscas|date=July 29, 1958|page=21|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7033009/ah_peace_schmidt_signs/}}</ref> After winning the NFL championship in 1957, the [[1958 Detroit Lions season|1958 Lions]] fell to 4-7-1 with a scoring defense ranked seventh of 12 teams in the NFL.<ref>{{cite web|title=1958 Detroit Lions Statistics & Players|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|accessdate=October 15, 2016|url=http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/det/1958.htm}}</ref> The Lions struggles continued in 1959 with a 3-8-1 and a scoring defense ranked eighth in the league.<ref>{{cite web|title=1959 Detroit Lions Statistics & Players|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|accessdate=October 15, 2016|url=http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/det/1959.htm}}</ref> Despite the team's decline, Schmidt intercepted a career-high six passes in 1958 and was again a unanimous first-team All-Pro pick by the AP, UPI, NEA, and ''Sporting News'' in both 1958 and 1959.<ref name=PFR/> <eod>