1941 NFL Championship Game

1941 NFL Championship Game

New York Giants	Chicago Bears
9	37

	1	2	3	4	Total
New York Giants	6	0	3	0	9
Chicago Bears	3	6	14	14	37

Date

December 21, 1941

Stadium

Wrigley Field

City

Chicago, Illinois

Referee

Emil Heintz

Attendance

13,341

TV/Radio in the United States

Radio Network

Mutual

Radio Announcers

Bob Elson, Red Barber

Timeline

Previous game

Next game

1940

1942

The 1941 National Football League Championship game was the 9th annual championship game and was held December 21, 1941 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The game was played two weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The attendance was 13,341, the smallest ever to see an NFL title game. Two players who appeared in the game, Young Bussey and Jack Lummus, would be killed in action before World War II ended.

The game featured the Western Division champion Chicago Bears (10-1) who had defeated the Green Bay Packers 33-14 in the first ever divisional playoff game in the NFL. The Eastern Division champions were the New York Giants (8-3). The Bears became the first team since the NFL adopted the championship game in 1933 to win back to back titles.

Ray "Scooter" McLean elected to drop kick the extra point on the last touchdown. This would be the last drop kick in the NFL until Doug Flutie of the New England Patriots kicked one in the last game of the season in 2005.

First Quarter
- CH - FG Snyder 14 3-0 CHI
- NY - Franck, 31 pass from Leemans (kick failed) 6-3 NYG
Second Quarter
- CH - FG Snyder 39 6-6 TIE
- CH - FG Snyder 37 9-6 CHI
Third Quarter
- NY - FG Cuff 16 9-9 TIE
- CH - Standlee, 2 run (Snyder kick) 16-9 CHI
- CH - Standlee, 7 run (Maniaci kick) 23-9 CHI
Fourth Quarter
- CH - McAfee, 5 run (Artoe kick) 30-9 CHI
- CH - Kavanaugh, 42 fumble return (McLean drop kick) 37-9 CHI

Preceded by 1940 NFL Championship Game	NFL Championship Game 1941	Succeeded by 1942 NFL Championship Game

Chicago Bears 1941 NFL Champions

Chicago Bears

Formerly the Decatur Staleys and the Chicago Staleys • Founded in 1919 • Based in Chicago, Illinois

The Franchise

History • Radio broadcasters • Team Executives • Current season

Records

Seasons • Records and statistics • All-time record versus NFL • Bears results on Primetime Football (Sunday Night • Monday Night • Thursday Night) • Holiday Football (Thanksgiving • Christmas) • Team awards and honors • Individual league award winners • Players (A-D - E-K - L-R - S-Z) • Head Coaches • Pro Football Hall of Famers • First-round Draft Picks • Starting Quarterbacks • Pro Bowlers • All-Pro

Stadiums

Staley Field • Wrigley Field • Soldier Field • Memorial Stadium • Soldier Field II

Lore

Fog Bowl • 1932 Playoff Game • First NFL Championship Game • "The Sneakers Game" • Monsters of the Midway • 46 Defense • 15-1 • Super Bowl XX • Thanksgiving Classic • Bears 73, Redskins 0 • Instant Replay Game • Staley Swindle • Cardiac Kids • George S. Halas Trophy • Christmas games • International Series • American Bowl • Bills Toronto Series • Brian Piccolo Award • 75th Anniversary (League • Team • NFL All-Time Team) • The 700 Club

Culture

Brian's Song (1971) / (2001) • "Bear Down, Chicago Bears" • "The Super Bowl Shuffle" • Da Super Fans • Chuck Swirsky • Staley Da Bear • Logos and Uniforms • Halas Hall • A.E. Staley • Jack Brickhouse • Papa Bear • Roosevelt/Wabash • 85386 Payton

Rivalries

Green Bay Packers • Minnesota Vikings

Retired Numbers

3 • 5 • 7 • 28 • 34 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 51 • 56 • 61 • 66 • 77

Key Personnel

Chairman: George McCaskey • President/CEO: Ted Phillips • General Manager: Jerry Angelo • Head Coach: Lovie Smith

NFL Championships (9)

1921 · 1932 • 1933 • 1940 • 1941 • 1943 • 1946 • 1963 • 1985

Super Bowl Appearances (2)

1985 (XX) • 2006 (XLI)

Other honors

NFL Championship Appearances (10) – 1933 • 1934 • 1937 • 1940 • 1941 • 1942 • 1943 • 1946 • 1956 • 1963
NFC Championship Game Appearances (5) – 1984 • 1985 • 1988 • 2006 • 2010
Division Titles | NFL Western (8) – 1933 • 1934 • 1937 • 1940 • 1941 • 1942 • 1943 • 1946 – NFC Central (7) – 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1990 • 2001 – NFC North (3) – 2005 • 2006 • 2010

Current League Affiliations

League: National Football League • Conference: National Football Conference • Division: North Division

Former League Affiliations

League: Independent (1919) • Conference: National Conference (1950–1952); Western Conference (1953–1969) • Division: NFL Western Division (1933–1949); Central Division (1967–1969); NFC Central Division (1970–2001)

Local Broadcast Affiliates

Fox Chicago • WBBM Newsradio 780

Seasons (92)

1920s	1920 • 1921 • 1922 • 1923 • 1924 • 1925 • 1926 • 1927 • 1928 • 1929

1930s	1930 • 1931 • 1932 • 1933 • 1934 • 1935 • 1936 • 1937 • 1938 • 1939

1940s	1940 • 1941 • 1942 • 1943 • 1944 • 1945 • 1946 • 1947 • 1948 • 1949

1950s	1950 • 1951 • 1952 • 1953 • 1954 • 1955 • 1956 • 1957 • 1958 • 1959

1960s	1960 • 1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969

1970s	1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979

1980s	1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989

1990s	1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999

2000s	2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009

2010s	2010 • 2011

New York Giants

Founded in 1925 • Based in East Rutherford, New Jersey

The Franchise	Franchise • Seasons • Coaches • Quarterbacks • Division

History	1925–78 • 1979–1993 • 1994–present • Financial history

Stadiums	Polo Grounds • Yankee Stadium • Yale Bowl • Shea Stadium • Giants Stadium • MetLife Stadium

Culture and Lore	Cleveland Bulldogs • Sneakers Game • The Greatest Game Ever Played • The Fumble • Crunch Bunch • Gatorade shower • Big Blue Wrecking Crew • Wide Right • Little Giants • We Fly High • Manning to Tyree • Bob Sheppard • Jim Hall • Yankee Stadium Legacy • The Comeback • 18–1

Rivalries	Philadelphia Eagles • Dallas Cowboys • Washington Redskins • New York Jets

Head Coaches	Folwell • Alexander • Potteiger • Andrews • Friedman • Owen • Howell • Sherman • Webster • Arnsparger • McVay • Perkins • Parcells • Handley • Reeves • Fassel • Coughlin

Key Personnel	Owners: John Mara, Steve Tisch • General Manager: Jerry Reese • Head Coach: Tom Coughlin

League Championships (7)	1927 • 1934 • 1938 • 1956 • 1986 • 1990 • 2007

Super Bowl Appearances (4)	XXI • XXV • XXXV • XLII

Media	Radio network • Bob Papa • Carl Banks • Howard Cross

Current League Affiliations	League: National Football League • Conference: National Football Conference • Division: East Division

National Football League Championship Games (1933–present)

NFL Championship Game (1933–1969)	1933 • 1934 • 1935 • 1936 • 1937 • 1938 • 1939 • 1940 • 1941 • 1942 • 1943 • 1944 • 1945 • 1946 • 1947 • 1948 • 1949 • 1950 • 1951 • 1952 • 1953 • 1954 • 1955 • 1956 • 1957 • 1958 • 1959 • 1960 • 1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969

AFL Championship Game (1960–1969)	1960 • 1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969

AFL-NFL World Championship Games^[1] (1966–1969)	1966 (I) • 1967 (II) • 1968 (III) • 1969 (IV)

Super Bowl^[2] (1970–present)	1970 (V) • 1971 (VI) • 1972 (VII) • 1973 (VIII) • 1974 (IX) • (1975) X • 1976 (XI) • 1977 (XII) • 1978 (XIII) • 1979 (XIV) • 1980 (XV) • 1981 (XVI) • 1982 (XVII) • 1983 (XVIII) • 1984 (XIX) • 1985 (XX) • 1986 (XXI) • 1987 (XXII) • 1988 (XXIII) • 1989 (XXIV) • 1990 (XXV) • 1991 (XXVI) • 1992 (XXVII) • 1993 (XXVIII) • 1994 (XXIX) • 1995 (XXX) • 1996 (XXXI) • 1997 (XXXII) • 1998 (XXXIII) • 1999 (XXXIV) • 2000 (XXXV) • 2001 (XXXVI) • 2002 (XXXVII) • 2003 (XXXVIII) • 2004 (XXXIX) • 2005 (XL) • 2006 (XLI) • 2007 (XLII) • 2008 (XLIII) • 2009 (XLIV) • 2010 (XLV) • 2011 (XLVI)

1921 APFA de facto championship game • 1932 NFL Playoff Game • NFL Championship Broadcasters • AFL Championship Broadcasters • Super Bowl Champions • Super Bowl Most Valuable Players • Super Bowl Records • Super Bowl Broadcasters • Super Bowl Officials • Super Bowl Halftime • Super Bowl Advertising • Pre-Super Bowl NFL champions • NFL Playoffs (Results) • AFL Playoffs

1 – From 1966 to 1969, the first four Super Bowls were "World Championship" games played between two independent professional football leagues, AFL and NFL, and when the league merged in 1970 the Super Bowl became the NFL Championship Game. 2 – Dates in the list denote the season, not the calendar year in which the championship game was played. For instance, Super Bowl XLI was played in 2007, but was the championship for the 2006 season.