1937 Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL) season explained

Team:	Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL)
Year:	1937
Record:	4–7
Division Place:	3rd NFL Eastern
Coach:	John McNally
Owner:	Art Rooney
Stadium:	Forbes Field
Playoffs:	Did not qualify
Teamdisplay:	Pittsburgh Pirates
Shortnavlink:	Pirates seasons

The 1937 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the team's fifth season as a professional sports club in the National Football League (NFL). The team hired John McNally as head coach after John Bach stepped down during the offseason. McNally was a former player, who played halfback for the Pirates during the 1934 season. His team finished with another 4–7 record however, McNally was welcomed back the next season.

Offseason

Draft

^[1]

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
1	September 5	Philadelphia Eagles	W 27–14	1–0	Forbes Field	Recap
2	Bye
3	September 19	at Brooklyn Dodgers	W 21–0	2–0	Ebbets Field	Recap
4	September 26	New York Giants	L 7–10	2–1	Forbes Field	Recap
5		Chicago Bears	L 0–7	2–2	Forbes Field	Recap
6	October 10	at Detroit Lions	L 3–7	2–3	University of Detroit Stadium	Recap
7	October 17	at Washington Redskins	L 20–34	2–4	Griffith Stadium	Recap
8	October 24	Chicago Cardinals	L 7–13	2–5	Forbes Field	Recap
9	October 31	Philadelphia Eagles	W 16–7	3–5	Forbes Field	Recap
10	November 7	at New York Giants	L 0–17	3–6	Polo Grounds	Recap
11	November 14	Washington Redskins	W 21–13	4–6	Forbes Field	Recap
12	November 21	Brooklyn Dodgers	L 0–23	4–7	Forbes Field	Recap
13	Bye
14	Bye

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 8,588
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Brett 39 pass from Thompson (Weinstock kick)
• Philadelphia – Hanson 3 run (Smukler kick)
• Pittsburgh – Davidson 19 pass from Gildea (Niccolai kick)
• Philadelphia – Hewitt 7 pass from Smukler (Smukler kick)
• Pittsburgh – McNally 92 kick return (Breeden kick)
• Pittsburgh – McNally 44 pass from Fiske (kick failed)

at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, New York

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 18,000
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Karcis 3 run (Kakasic kick)
• Pittsburgh – Gildea 1 run (Kakasic kick)
• Pittsburgh – McNally 6 pass from Fiske (Niccolai kick)

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 33,095
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• New York – Richards 13 pass from Danowski (Manton kick)
• Pittsburgh – Karcis 4 run (Niccolai kick)
• New York – FG Manton 13

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 22,511
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Chicago Bears – Nolting 13 run (Manders kick)

at Titan Stadium, Detroit, Michigan

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 16,000
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Niccolai 11
• Detroit – Caddel 2 run (Clark kick)

at Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 12,835
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Washington – Battles 65 interception (Smith kick)
• Pittsburgh – McNally 43 pass from Fiske (Weinstock kick)
• Pittsburgh – Thompson 55 pass from McNally (kick blocked)
• Washington – Malone 7 pass from Baugh
• Washington – Justice 3 pass from Smith (Smith kick)
• Washington – Battles 60 run (Smith kick)
• Washington – Battles 62 run (Smith kick)
• Pittsburgh – McNally 2 pass from Karcis (Niccolai kick)

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 8,963
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Chicago Cardinals – Deskin 18 pass from Coffee (May kick)
• Chicago Cardinals – Lawrence 2 run (kick failed)
• Pittsburgh – Davidson 65 pass from Fiske (Weinstock kick)

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 2,772
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Philadelphia – Pilconis 22 fumble run (Smukler kick)
• Pittsburgh – Davidson 87 interception (kick failed)
• Pittsburgh – FG Niccolai 27
• Pittsburgh – Sortet 26 pass from Gildea (Niccolai kick)

at Polo Grounds, New York, NY

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 21,447
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• New York – Burnett 5 pass from Danowski (Manton kick)
• New York – FG Cuf 35
• New York – Soar 25 interception

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 12,000
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Washington – Pinckert 3 pass from Smith (kick failed)
• Pittsburgh – Davidson 68 run (Weinstock kick)
• Pittsburgh – Safety, Baugh tackled in end zone by Mayhew
• Pittsburgh – FG Niccolai 21
• Washington – Justice 40 pass from Baugh (Smith kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Niccolai 41
• Pittsburgh – Karcis 21 run (kick failed)

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 3,706
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Brooklyn – Parker 2 run (Parker kick)
• Brooklyn – Parker 44 punt return (kick failed)
• Brooklyn – FG Maniaci 29
• Brooklyn – Mitchell 15 pass from Parker (Maniaci kick)

Notes and References

1. Web site: 1937 Pittsburgh Pirates Draftees. Pro Football Reference. February 20, 2022.