| Bernie Masterson | |
| Birth Date: | 10 August 1911 |
| Birth Place: | Shenandoah, Iowa, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Player Years1: | 1931–1933 |
| Player Team1: | Nebraska |
| Player Years2: | 1934–1940 |
| Player Team2: | Chicago Bears |
| Player Positions: | Quarterback |
| Coach Years1: | 1940 |
| Coach Team1: | Stanford (assistant) |
| Coach Years2: | 1941 |
| Coach Team2: | UCLA (assistant) |
| Coach Years3: | 1945 |
| Coach Team3: | St. Mary's Pre-Flight |
| Coach Years4: | 1946–1947 |
| Coach Team4: | Nebraska |
| Coach Years5: | 1948 |
| Coach Team5: | NY Yankees (assistant) |
| Coach Years6: | 1950 |
| Coach Team6: | Iowa (backfield) |
| Coach Years7: | 1951 |
| Coach Team7: | Lewis |
| Overall Record: | 14–18–1 |
| Bowl Record: | 1–0 |
| Championships: | |
| Awards: | |
| Statleague: | NFL |
| Statlabel1: | Games played |
| Statvalue1: | 72 |
| Statlabel2: | Starts |
| Statvalue2: | 37 |
Bernard Edward Masterson (August 10, 1911 – May 16, 1963) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln from 1946 to 1947, compiling a record of 5–13.[1] Masterson played college football at Nebraska from 1931 to 1933.[2] He played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) with the Chicago Bears from 1934 to 1940.[3]
Masterson was a three-sport athlete at Lincoln High. He was an all-state back in football, a starter on the 1930 state championship basketball team, and a track star.[4] Moving on to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, he starred from 1931 to 1933 as a back on three straight unbeaten Big Six championship teams. He was selected All-Big Six in 1933.[5]
Masterson played quarterback for the Chicago Bears from 1934 to 1940 when the Bears were known as the "Monsters of the Midway". During his pro career, the Bears were 59–19–3 and were in three NFL championship playoffs. Bernie has an NFL career total of 3,372 passing yards and 35 touchdowns.[6]
In 1940, Clark Shaughnessy hired Masterson to coach Stanford quarterback Frankie Albert.[7]
He joined the United States Navy in 1942, and coached Navy teams for Iowa and St. Mary's Pre-Flight until 1945.[8]
He came back to Nebraska as head football coach for 1946 and 1947. He went 5–13 in the two seasons as head coach.
Masterson died of a heart attack in Chicago on May 16, 1963, and was buried at All Saints Cemetery in Des Plaines.[8] [9] He was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 1977.