| Regular season | |
|---|---|
| Duration | September 5 – December 12, 1937 |
| East Champions | Washington Redskins |
| West Champions | Chicago Bears |
| Championship Game | |
| Champions | Washington Redskins |
The1937 NFL season was the 18thregular season of theNational Football League. TheCleveland Rams joined the league as anexpansion team. Meanwhile, theRedskins relocated fromBoston to Washington, D.C.
The season ended when the Redskins, led by rookie quarterbackSammy Baugh, defeated theChicago Bears in the NFL Championship Game.
The1937 NFL draft was held on December 12, 1936, atNew York City'sHotel Lincoln. With the first pick, thePhiladelphia Eagles selected runningback Sam Francis from theUniversity of Nebraska–Lincoln.
Midway through the NFL's 11-game season, the Bears were unbeaten (5–0) in the Western Division, while the Giants were leaders in the Eastern (4–1), and they played to a 3–3 tie. The Giants and Bears continued to stay in the lead in their divisions, and the Bears clinched a spot in the title game with its 13–0 win over Detroit. On December 5, 1937, the final game of the season had Washington (7–3 and .700) traveling to New York (6–2–2 and .750). A win or a tie would give the Giants the Eastern title; the Redskins triumphed, 49–14, and got the division crown and the trip to face Chicago in the 1937 championship game.
| NFL Eastern Division | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | PF | PA | STK | ||
| Washington Redskins | 8 | 3 | 0 | .727 | 6–2 | 195 | 120 | W2 | |
| New York Giants | 6 | 3 | 2 | .667 | 5–2–1 | 128 | 109 | L1 | |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 4 | 7 | 0 | .364 | 4–4 | 122 | 145 | L1 | |
| Brooklyn Dodgers | 3 | 7 | 1 | .300 | 2–5–1 | 82 | 174 | T1 | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 2 | 8 | 1 | .200 | 2–6 | 86 | 177 | L1 | |
| NFL Western Division | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | PF | PA | STK | ||
| Chicago Bears | 9 | 1 | 1 | .900 | 7–1 | 201 | 100 | W4 | |
| Green Bay Packers | 7 | 4 | 0 | .636 | 6–2 | 220 | 122 | L2 | |
| Detroit Lions | 7 | 4 | 0 | .636 | 4–4 | 180 | 105 | L1 | |
| Chicago Cardinals | 5 | 5 | 1 | .500 | 3–5 | 135 | 165 | L2 | |
| Cleveland Rams | 1 | 10 | 0 | .091 | 0–8 | 75 | 207 | L9 | |
Washington 28, Chi. Bears 21, atWrigley Field,Chicago, December 12, 1937
| Statistic | Name | Team | Yards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passing | Sammy Baugh | Washington | 1127 |
| Rushing | Cliff Battles | Washington | 874 |
| Receiving | Gaynell Tinsley | Chicago Cardinals | 675 |
