The 1943 National Football League (NFL) season unfolded against the backdrop of World War II, yet the league demonstrated remarkable resilience and continued to grow in popularity. Despite playing a shortened schedule of ten games, the NFL nearly matched its previous year's record attendance, drawing a cumulative 1,072,462 fans. This impressive turnout, just under 7,000 short of the record, was achieved with 15 fewer games played, indicating a strong
and sustained interest in professional football during a challenging period. The increased competitiveness among teams, even weaker squads, was cited as a factor in this continued fan engagement.
Divisional Battles and Emerging Contenders
The 1943 season featured intense competition across both the Eastern and Western Divisions. In the East, the Phil-Pitt team, a temporary merger due to wartime player shortages, started strong, winning its first two games and leading the division by Week Four. The Washington Redskins, the defending NFL champions, were close behind with a 1–0–0 record. The Western Division saw the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers tie their first game 21–21, and both teams maintained strong starts, holding 2–0–1 records after four weeks.
Week Five brought significant matchups that began to shape the divisional races. The Chicago Bears decisively defeated the Phil-Pitt Steagles 48–21, while the Washington Redskins triumphed over the Green Bay Packers 33–7. These victories propelled both the Bears and the Redskins into first place in their respective divisions, setting them up as the teams to beat as the season progressed. The league's competitive balance, even with wartime adjustments, kept fans engaged and the outcomes uncertain.
Unbeaten Streaks and Historic Ties
The season was marked by impressive unbeaten runs from the eventual division champions. The Redskins, with a 5–0–1 record, and the Bears, at 7–0–1, remained undefeated going into Week Eleven. Their highly anticipated clash on November 21 in Washington saw the Redskins hand the Bears their first loss, winning 21–7. However, the Redskins' own unbeaten streak ended in Week Twelve with a 14–27 loss to Phil-Pitt on November 28. On the same day, the Bears clinched the Western Division title with a 35–24 victory over the Cardinals, finishing their regular season with an 8–1–1 record.
An interesting historical note from the 1943 season occurred on November 7, when the Detroit Lions and New York Giants played to a scoreless tie. As of the 2024 season, this remains the last scoreless tie in NFL history. While scoreless ties were more common in the early days of the league, they had become increasingly rare by the 1930s and early 1940s, making this particular game a unique moment in NFL annals.
The Road to the Championship Game
With the Chicago Bears having secured the Western Division title, the focus shifted to the Eastern Division, where the Washington Redskins and New York Giants battled for supremacy. The two teams faced each other on consecutive Sundays, December 5 and 12, with the second game being a rescheduled contest. The Giants won both matchups, creating a first-place tie with identical 6–3–1 records. This necessitated a tiebreaker playoff game, which was held for the third straight weekend between the two rivals.
The Redskins ultimately won the playoff game against the Giants with a dominant 28–0 performance, earning the right to represent the Eastern Division in the NFL Championship. This set up a rematch of the previous year's championship game between the Washington Redskins and the Chicago Bears, played on December 26 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The Bears ultimately claimed the championship with a 41–21 victory, capping a memorable season that showcased the league's enduring appeal and competitive spirit during a challenging global period.
