1942 NFL season

The 1942 NFL season was the 23rd regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, many players left for service in World War II, thus depleting the rosters of all the teams.

1942 National Football League season
Regular season
DurationSeptember 13 – December 13, 1942
East ChampionsWashington Redskins
West ChampionsChicago Bears
Championship Game
ChampionsWashington Redskins

The Chicago Bears finished the regular season at 11–0, and faced the 10–1 Washington Redskins in the championship game. Washington, which had been beaten 73–0 in the 1940 title game, got a measure of revenge in spoiling the Bears' hope for a perfect season, winning 14–6.

Draft

The 1942 NFL Draft was held on December 22, 1941 at Chicago's Palmer House Hotel. With the first pick, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected runningback Bill Dudley from the University of Virginia.

Major rule changes

  • The use of flags on flexible shafts to mark the intersections of goal lines and side lines (the predecessor to the pylon) becomes mandatory.
  • A clarification to the offsides rule is added: The center or snapper is not offsides unless a portion of his body is ahead of the defensive team's line.
  • A half cannot end on a double foul. Instead, the period will be extended by one untimed down.
  • Detachable kicking toes are prohibited.
  • When an encroachment or false start causes the other team to be offsides, only the initial foul is penalized.
  • A forward pass that first touches an ineligible receiver may be intercepted.
  • If the offensive team commits pass interference in their opponent's end zone, it is an automatic touchback.

Final standings

NFL Championship Game

Washington 14, Chi. Bears 6, at Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C., December 13, 1942

League leaders

Statistic Name Team Yards
Passing Cecil Isbell Green Bay 2021
Rushing Bill Dudley Pittsburgh 696
Receiving Don Hutson Green Bay 1211

Awards

Joe F. Carr Trophy (Most Valuable Player) Don Hutson, Wide receiver, Green Bay

Coaching changes

Stadium changes

References

  • NFL Record and Fact Book (ISBN 1-932994-36-X)
  • NFL History 1941–1950 (Last accessed December 4, 2005)
  • Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (ISBN 0-06-270174-6)
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