1940 Chicago Bears season
Encyclopedia
The 1940
Chicago Bears
season was their 21st regular season
and 5th postseason
completed in the National Football League
. The club posted a 8-3 record under head coach George Halas
. Behind NFL greats Sid Luckman
and Bronko Nagurski
the club rode to a 8-3 record and berth in the NFL Championship. There the club stormed the Washington Redskins
under the brand new formation known as the T formation
to claim their fourth league title.
with their first round pick in the 1940 NFL Draft
. He would be with the Bears for four Championships and be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966.
Note: The team with the best record in the Western Division played the team with the best record in the Eastern Division in the Championship Game
beat the Washington Redskins
73-0 in the NFL's biggest scoring and most lopsided game in NFL history.
1940 NFL season
The 1940 NFL season was the 21st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended when the Chicago Bears defeated the Washington Redskins in the NFL Championship Game, 73–0. This game still stands as the most one-sided victory in NFL history...
Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
season was their 21st regular season
Regular season (NFL)
The National Football League regular season begins the weekend after Labor Day. Each team plays 16 games during a 17-week period. Traditionally, the majority of each week's games are played on Sunday afternoon, with weekly games on Sunday night and Monday night, and occasional games on Thursday...
and 5th postseason
NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held at the end of the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Six teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records, and a tie-breaking procedure exists in the...
completed in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. The club posted a 8-3 record under head coach George Halas
George Halas
George Stanley Halas, Sr. , nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was a player, coach, owner and pioneer in professional American football. He was the iconic longtime leader of the NFL's Chicago Bears...
. Behind NFL greats Sid Luckman
Sid Luckman
Sidney Luckman, known as Sid Luckman, was an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League from 1939 to 1950...
and Bronko Nagurski
Bronko Nagurski
Bronislau "Bronko" Nagurski was a Canadian-born American football player. He was also a successful professional wrestler, recognized as a multiple-time world heavyweight champion.-Youth and collegiate career:...
the club rode to a 8-3 record and berth in the NFL Championship. There the club stormed the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
under the brand new formation known as the T formation
T formation
In American football, a T formation is a formation used by the offensive team in which three running backs line up in a row about five yards behind the quarterback, forming the shape of a "T"....
to claim their fourth league title.
Offseason
The Bears selected Clyde "Bulldog" TurnerBulldog Turner
Clyde Douglas Turner was a professional football player for the Chicago Bears.-NFL playing career:...
with their first round pick in the 1940 NFL Draft
1940 NFL Draft
The 1940 National Football League Draft was held on December 9, 1939.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
. He would be with the Bears for four Championships and be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Location | Result | Score | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, September 22 | Green Bay Packers | East Stadium | Win | 41-10 | 1-0 |
| Wednesday, September 25 | Chicago Cardinals | Comiskey Park | Loss | 7-21 | 1-1 |
| Sunday, October 6 | Cleveland Rams | Municipal Stadium | Win | 21-14 | 2-1 |
| Sunday, October 13 | Detroit Lions | Wrigley Field | Win | 7-0 | 3-1 |
| Sunday, October 20 | Brooklyn Dodgers | Wrigley Field | Win | 16-7 | 4-1 |
| Sunday, October 27 | New York Giants | Polo Grounds | Win | 37-21 | 5-1 |
| Sunday, November 3 | Green Bay Packers | Wrigley Field | Win | 14-7 | 6-1 |
| Sunday, November 10 | Detroit Lions | Briggs Stadium | Loss | 14-17 | 6-2 |
| Sunday, November 17 | Washington Redskins | Griffith Stadium | Loss | 3-7 | 6-3 |
| Sunday, November 24 | Cleveland Rams | Wrigley Field | Win | 47-25 | 7-3 |
| Sunday, December 1 | Chicago Cardinals | Wrigley Field | Win | 31-23 | 8-3 |
Western Division
Note: W= Win, L= Loss, T= Tie, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points for, PA= Points Against| NFL Western Eastern and Western Divisions (NFL) 1933-69 The Eastern and Western Divisions of the National Football League, renamed the American and National Conferences in 1950 and then the Eastern and Western Conferences in 1953, were organized as a result of the disputed NFL championship of 1932... |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK | |
| Chicago Bears | 8 | 3 | 0 | .727 | 238 | 152 | W-2 |
| Green Bay Packers 1940 Green Bay Packers season The 1940 Green Bay Packers season was their 20th season in the National Football League. The club posted a 6-4-1 record under coach Curly Lambeau, earning them a second-place finish in the Western Conference.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-Roster:... |
6 | 4 | 1 | .600 | 238 | 155 | T-1 |
| Detroit Lions 1940 Detroit Lions season The 1940 Detroit Lions season was their 11th in the league. The team failed to improve on their previous season's output of 6-5, winning only five games. They failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.-Schedule:-Standings:... |
5 | 5 | 1 | .500 | 138 | 153 | L-1 |
| Cleveland Rams 1940 Cleveland Rams season The 1940 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's fourth year with the National Football League and the fifth season in Cleveland.-Schedule:-Standings:-References:*... |
4 | 6 | 1 | .400 | 171 | 191 | T-1 |
| Chicago Cardinals 1940 Chicago Cardinals season The 1940 Chicago Cardinals season was their 21st in the league. The team improved on their previous output of 1-10, winning two games. They failed to qualify for the playoffs for the 15th consecutive season.-Schedule:-Standings:-References:... |
2 | 7 | 2 | .222 | 139 | 222 | L-3 |
Note: The team with the best record in the Western Division played the team with the best record in the Eastern Division in the Championship Game
NFL Championship Game
Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
beat the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
73-0 in the NFL's biggest scoring and most lopsided game in NFL history.