1941 NFL season

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The 1941 NFL season was the 22nd regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, Elmer Layden was named the first Commissioner of the NFL, while Carl Storck resigned as league president. Also, the Pittsburgh Pirates were renamed the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The league bylaws were changed to provide for playoffs in cases where division races are tied after the regular season, and rules for sudden-death overtimes in case a playoff game was tied after four quarters.

The Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers finished the regular season tied in the Western Division, setting up the first divisional playoff game in league history. The Bears won 33-14, then defeated the New York Giants 37-9 in the NFL Championship Game.

Contents

[edit] Major rule changes

  • The penalty for illegal shift is 5 yards.
  • The penalty for illegal kick or bat is 15 yards.
  • Whenever a player is ejected from the game, his team is penalized 15 yards.
  • A personal foul committed by the opponent of the scoring team is enforced on the ensuing kickoff.

[edit] Final standings

W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against

Eastern Division
Team W L T PCT PF PA
New York Giants 8 3 0 .727 238 114
Brooklyn Dodgers 7 4 0 .636 158 127
Washington Redskins 6 5 0 .545 176 174
Philadelphia Eagles 2 8 1 .200 119 218
Pittsburgh Steelers 1 9 1 .100 103 276
Western Division
Team W L T PCT PF PA
Chicago Bears 10 1 0 .909 396 147
Green Bay Packers 10 1 0 .909 258 120
Detroit Lions 4 6 1 .400 121 195
Chicago Cardinals 3 7 1 .300 127 197
Cleveland Rams 2 9 0 .182 116 244


[edit] Playoffs

Home team in capitals

Western Division Playoff Game

  • CHI. BEARS 33, Green Bay 14

NFL Championship Game

  • CHI. BEARS 37, N.Y. Giants 9

[edit] Awards

Joe F. Carr Trophy (Most Valuable Player)   Don Hutson, Wide receiver, Green Bay

[edit] References