1940 NFL season explained
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 by 73–0; this result still stands as the most one-sided victory (and highest score) in NFL history as of the 2023 season.
The Pittsburgh Pirates were rebranded as the Steelers before the 1940 season.
Draft
The 1940 NFL draft was held on December 9, 1939, at Milwaukee's Schroeder Hotel. With the first pick, the Chicago Cardinals selected halfback George Cafego from the University of Tennessee.
Major rule changes
- The penalty for a forward pass not from scrimmage is 5 yards.
- Penalties for fouls that occur prior to a pass or kick from behind the line of scrimmage are enforced from the previous spot. However, penalties for fouls during a free ball or when the offensive team fouls behind their line are enforced from the spot of the foul.
- Fouls enforced in the field of play cannot penalize the ball more than half the distance to the offender's goal line.
- If the offensive team commits pass interference in their opponent's end zone, the defense has the choice of 15 yards from the previous spot and a loss of down, or a touchback.
NFL Championship Game
Chi. Bears 73, Washington 0, at Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C., December 8, 1940
League leaders
| Statistic | Name | Team | Yards |
|---|
| Passing | Sammy Baugh | Washington | 1367 |
| Rushing | Byron "Whizzer" White | Detroit | 514 |
| Receiving | Don Looney | Philadelphia | 707 | |
Awards
1940 All Professional Team[1]
First Team
- LE: Don Hutson, Green Bay Packers
- LT: Joe Stydahar, Chicago Bears
- LG: Danny Fortmann, Chicago Bears
- C: Mel Hein, New York Giants
- RG: John Wiethe, Detroit Lions
- RT: Frank Kinard, Brooklyn Dodgers
- RE: Perry Schwartz, Brooklyn Dodgers
- QB: Clarence Parker, Brooklyn Dodgers
- LHB: Sammy Baugh, Washington Redskins
- RHB: Byron "Whizzer" White, Detroit Lions
- FB: Johnny Drake, Cleveland Rams
Second Team
- LE: Don Looney, Philadelphia Eagles
- LT: Jim Barber, Washington Redskins
- LG: Steve Slivinski, Washington Redskins
- C: Clyde Turner, Chicago Bears
- RG: Doug Oldershaw, New York Giants
- RT: John Mellus, New York Giants
- RE: Jim Poole, New York Giants
- QB: Davey O'Brien, Philadelphia Eagles
- LHB: Cecil Isbell, Green Bay Packers
- RHB: Dick Todd, Washington Redskins
- FB: Clarke Hinkle, Green Bay Packers
Coaching changes
Potsy Clark was replaced by Jock Sutherland.
Ernie Nevers was replaced by Jimmy Conzelman.
Gus Henderson was replaced by George Clark.
Stadium changes
References
- NFL Record and Fact Book
- NFL History 1931–1940 (Last accessed December 4, 2005)
- Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League
Notes and References
- Team selected by National Professional Football Writers' Association. George Strickler (ed.), Roster and Record Manual, 1941. New York: Commissioner's Office, 1941; p. 68.
