The 1942 NFL season was the 23rd regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, many players left for service in World War II, thus depleting the rosters of all the teams.
The Chicago Bears finished the regular season at 11–0, and faced the 10–1 Washington Redskins in the championship game. Washington, which had been beaten 73–0 in the 1940 title game, got a measure of revenge in spoiling the Bears' hope for a perfect season, winning 14–6.
Major rule changes
- The use of flags on flexible shafts to mark the intersections of goal lines and side lines becomes mandatory.
- A clarification to the offsides rule is added: The center or snapper is not offsides unless a portion of his body is ahead of the defensive team's line.
- A half cannot end on a double foul. Instead, the period will be extended by one untimed down.
- Detachable kicking toes are prohibited.
- When an encroachment or false start causes the other team to be offsides, only the initial foul is penalized.
- A forward pass that first touches an ineligible receiver may be intercepted.
- If the offensive team commits pass interference in their opponent's end zone, it is an automatic touchback.
Final standings
W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against
Note: The NFL did not officially count tie games in the standings until 1972
NFL Championship Game
Washington 14, Chi. Bears 6, at Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C., December 13, 1942
Awards
League leaders
References
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| Early era
(1920–1969) |
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| Modern era
(1970–present) |
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