| Type: | pb |
| Full Name: | 1940 NFL All-Star Game (December) |
| 1941 | |
| Visitor: | Chicago Bears |
| Home: | NFL All-Stars |
| Visitor Qtr1: | 7 |
| Home Qtr1: | 0 |
| Visitor Qtr2: | 7 |
| Home Qtr2: | 14 |
| Visitor Qtr3: | 7 |
| Home Qtr3: | 0 |
| Visitor Qtr4: | 7 |
| Home Qtr4: | 0 |
| Date: | December 29, 1940 |
| Stadium: | Gilmore Stadium |
| City: | Los Angeles, California |
| Visitor Coach: | Luke Johnsos |
| Visitor Coach Team: | Chicago Bears |
| Home Coach: | Ray Flaherty |
| Home Coach Team: | Washington Redskins |
| Mvp: | none selected |
| Referee: | John Olds |
| Attendance: | 21,000 |
| Network: | not televised |
| Last: | 1940 (Jan) |
| Next: | 1942 (Jan) |
The 1940 National Football League All-star Game (December) was the professional football league's third all-star game. The game pitted the Chicago Bears, the league's champion for the 1940 season, against a team of all-stars.[1] The game was played on Sunday, December 29, 1940, at Gilmore Stadium in Los Angeles, California before an overflow crowd of 21,000,[2] with members of the Stanford and Nebraska football teams also in attendance; the two were scheduled to play in the Rose Bowl, with Nebraska using the All-Star Game to research the Bears' T formation, which was being used by Stanford head coach and former Bears assistant Clark Shaughnessy.[3] The Bears defeated the All-Stars by a score of 28–14.[2]
The Bears were an 8–5 favorite over the All-Stars after crushing the Washington Redskins 73–0 in the championship game a few weeks earlier.[4] Luke Johnsos coached the Bears in place of George Halas, who was hospitalized following an appendectomy.[5] The All-Stars were coached by Ray Flaherty of the Washington Redskins.[4] John Olds was the referee for the game.[5]
Quarterback Ace Parker of the Brooklyn Dodgers was voted into the game, but declined participation due to ankle and shoulder injuries he suffered during the season. His decision sparked a clash with NFL President Carl Storck, who warned him of potential expulsion from the league should he not play until Dodgers owner Dan Topping successfully pulled him out without consequence.[6] Rather than the All-Star Game, Parker decided to play two charity games in Virginia over the following weeks.[7]