1963 NFL season

American football season November 2013 March 2026 1963 Chicago Bears New York Giants Chicago Bears September 14 –December 29, 1963 The 1963 NFL season was the 44th regular season of the National Football League. On April 17, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle suspended Green Bay Packers running back Paul Hornung and Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras indefinitely for gambling on their own teams, as well as other NFL games; Hornung and Karras would miss the entire season, while five of Karras' teammates were fined $2,000 each for placing bets on a game in which they did not participate. This was the final season of the 37-man roster; it was expanded to forty for 1964.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=93JQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CREEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7392%2C1715327 Milwaukee Sentinel Associated Press NFL keeps ties same, ups rosters January 29, 1964 3, part 2 The season ended with the Chicago Bears defeating the New York Giants at Wrigley Field in the NFL Championship Game. Draft The 1963 NFL draft was held December 3, 1962, at Chicago's Sheraton Hotel & Towers. With the first pick, the Los Angeles Rams selected quarterback Terry Baker from Oregon State, the Heisman Trophy winner.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IP9VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1uIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6748%2C535041 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon AP, UPI Baker picked first by LA in NFL draft December 3, 1962 2Bhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lzpYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=V_cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1506%2C4915942 Bend Bulletin Oregon Terry Baker picked by L.A. Rams December 3, 1962 1 Regular season Effects of the JFK assassination In week 11 on November 24, just two days after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the NFL played its normal schedule of games. League commissioner Rozelle said about playing the games: "It has been traditional in sports for athletes to perform in times of great personal tragedy. Football was Mr. Kennedy's game. He thrived on competition."Brady Dave It's Tradition To Carry on, Rozelle Says The Washington Post November 24, 1963 C2 Attendance at games went unaffected despite the assassination.Pro Football Attendance Unaffected November 25, 1963 Leonard Koppett The New York Times 35 Leonard KoppettDespite Many Protests, NFL Crowds Large November 25, 1963 Associated Press The Los Angeles Times D1 Although the choice to play the games was protested, and Rozelle had also eventually regretted the decision,Mayer Larry http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/With-nation-mourning-JFK-NFL-games-were-played/513e0cda-040b-4b5f-9569-993ff8b6725f With nation mourning JFK, NFL games were played Chicago Bears November 22, 2013 November 22, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20150210031617/http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/With-nation-mourning-JFK-NFL-games-were-played/513e0cda-040b-4b5f-9569-993ff8b6725f February 10, 2015 dead mdy-all he stated that Kennedy's press secretary, Pierre Salinger, had urged him to allow the games to be played.Mayer Larry http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/1963-season-Bears-tie-Steelers-17-17/b5cff230-ad0f-4581-9516-ff6559438fe8 1963 season: Bears tie Steelers 17–17 Chicago Bears November 22, 2013 November 22, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20141103093324/http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/1963-season-Bears-tie-Steelers-17-17/b5cff230-ad0f-4581-9516-ff6559438fe8 November 3, 2014 dead mdy-all However, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Redskins had sought postponement of the games.Redskins, Eagles Sought Postponement November 24, 1963 Jack Walsh The Washington Post C1Vocal Critics Upset That NFL Will Play a Full Slate November 24, 1963 Joseph M. Sheehan The New York Times 97 Frank McNamee, a part of the Eagles’ Happy Hundred ownership group, refused to attend the game in favor of a memorial service at nearby Independence Hall, claiming that “the game is being played by order of the commissioner”.NFL Properties et al. 75 Seasons: The Complete Story of the National Football League, 1920-1995. Atlanta: Turner Publishing, 1994, p. 193. Eventually, the game between the two teams in Philadelphia saw acts of kindness from both sides. Before the game, each of the Eagles players contributed $50 to the family of Dallas police officer J.D. Tippit, who was killed by the assassin Lee Harvey Oswald.Game Ball Going to White House The Washington Post Jack Walsh November 25, 1963 A16 After the game ended, players on the Redskins asked head coach Bill McPeak to send the game ball to the White House, thanking Rozelle for allowing the games to be played that weekend, saying that they were "playing...for President Kennedy and in his memory."Redskins Send Game Ball to White House November 25, 1963 Associated Press The Chicago Tribune C4 No NFL games were telecast, since on the afternoon of November 22, just after Kennedy had been pronounced dead, CBS President Frank Stanton ordered that all regular programming be pre-empted until after Kennedy was buried. Normal programming, including the NFL, was replaced by non-stop news coverage, broadcast without commercials. Division races Both division races were undecided until the final games of the regular season. In the Eastern, the Browns were 7–1–0 after eight games, but on November 10, the Browns lost 9–7 at Pittsburgh, while the Giants beat the Eagles 42–14, to tie Cleveland at 7–2–0. When the Giants won again and the Browns lost, the former had the lead. The Western race was close as well. The Bears were 5–0 and the Packers 4–1 entering week 6; Green Bay won at St. Louis, 30–7, while Chicago lost 20–14 at San Francisco, tying the Bears and Packers for the lead at 5–1. Both teams continued to win, and then met in Chicago in week 10 on November 17, where the Bears prevailed decisively, 26–7.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tDYaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0RAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7168%2C252509 Milwaukee Sentinel Lea Bud Bud Lea Spirited Bears maul Packers, take lead November 18, 1963 2, part 2 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jp1RAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YGwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6961%2C2807062 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Bears, Giants win; Cards jolt Browns Associated Press November 18, 1963 28 The week 11 games took place two days after the Kennedy assassination. Although the fourth-year American Football League (AFL) postponed its schedule, the NFL chose to play, although the games were not televised due to round-the-clock network television coverage of the assassination aftermath. The Giants lost at home to St. Louis, 24–17, while Cleveland beat visiting Dallas 27–17, to give the three teams identical 8–3–0 records. The Bears were losing at Pittsburgh, until Roger Leclerc kicked a field goal to get a 17–17 tie, and to stay half a game ahead of Green Bay. In week 12, Green Bay's win was denied when the Lions tied the game 13–13 with a last-minute touchdown in Detroit on Thanksgiving Day,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zfZbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JVQNAAAAIBAJ&pg=893%2C4365997 Youngstown Vindicator Ohio Associated Press Lions tie Packers in last 16 seconds, 13-13; Green Bay trails by game November 29, 1963 12 while Chicago averted another loss by tying Minnesota 17–17 on Sunday. The three-way tie in the East was pared down when Cleveland beat St. Louis 24–10, and New York won 34–27 over Dallas. Week 13 saw both the Bears and Packers winning, while Cleveland lost to Detroit, 38–10. New York won 44–14 over Washington, but at 10–3–0, New York was trailed by Pittsburgh, which had an unusual 7–3–3 record, and the final game of the season would match the Steelers and Giants at Yankee Stadium. Under the rules of the day (ties discarded), a Pittsburgh win over the Giants would have resulted with New York at 10–4–0 (10 4) and the Steelers at 8–3–3 (8 3) and the trip to the championship game.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jp1RAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YGwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6961%2C2807062 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Sell Jack Photo-finish Steelers hope to win title December 14, 1963 12 The Steelers had won the first meeting in Pittsburgh 31–0 on September 22. In a game that decided the conference title, New York beat Pittsburgh 33–17, and the Steelers fell to fourth in the East.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=csZaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OmwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6088%2C2552218 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Giants end Steeler hopes, 33-17 December 16, 1963 1 In the Western race, Green Bay needed to win on the road and for Chicago to lose at home. The Packers played Saturday at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco and beat the league-worst 49ers, 21–17. The Bears' 24–14 win over Detroit at Wrigley Field on Sunday afternoon was announced to the Packers during their flight home, ending their pursuit of a third consecutive league title.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VlUaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wxAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6361%2C103017 Milwaukee Sentinel Lea Bud Bud Lea Packers are disappointed, not surprised December 16, 1963 3, part 2 Although the Packers' 11–2–1 record without Hornung was the second-best in the league and one of the best in their history, the two losses to Chicago kept them in second place in the West. Green Bay played in the consolation Playoff Bowl in Miami against East runner-up Cleveland on January 5.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=j_sjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QxEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7080%2C855726 Milwaukee Sentinel Lea Bud Bud Lea Starr-led Packers bomb Browns January 6, 1964 2, part 2 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rDlWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HekDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7244%2C1919052 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Packers cuff Browns, 40-23 January 6, 1964 12 Week Western Eastern1 3 teams (Chi, Det, Min) 1–0–0 3 teams (Cle, NYG, StL) 1–0–02 Chicago Bears 2–0–0 Tie (Cle, StL) 2–0–03 Chicago Bears 3–0–0 Cleveland Browns 3–0–04 Chicago Bears 4–0–0 Cleveland Browns 4–0–05 Chicago Bears 5–0–0 Cleveland Browns 5–0–06 Tie (Chi, GB) 5–1–0 Cleveland Browns 6–0–07 Tie (Chi, GB) 6–1–0 Cleveland Browns 6–1–08 Tie (Chi, GB) 7–1–0 Cleveland Browns 7–1–09 Tie (Chi, GB) 8–1–0 Tie (Cle, NYG) 7–2–010 Chicago Bears 9–1–0 New York Giants 8–2–011 Chicago Bears 9–1–1 Tie (Cle, NYG, StL) 8–3–012 Chicago Bears 9–1–2 Tie (Cle, NYG) 9–3–013 Chicago Bears 10–1–2 New York Giants 10–3–014Chicago Bears 11–1–2New York Giants 11–3–0 Final standings y Postseason NFL Championship Game 1963 NFL Championship Game Chicago 14, New York 10 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, on December 29. Playoff Bowl The Playoff Bowl was between the division runners-up, for third place in the league. This was its fourth year and it was played a week after the title game. Green Bay 40, Cleveland 23 at Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, on January 5, 1964. Attendance Regular season paid attendance set a record at 4,163,643, an increase of 160,222 (4.0%) over 1962, yielding an average of 42,486 for the 98 games. The championship game in Chicago drew 45,801 at Wrigley Field on December 29, the third-place Playoff Bowl in Miami had 54,921 at the Orange Bowl on January 5, and the Pro Bowl in Los Angeles drew 67,242 at the L.A. Coliseum on January 12. The attendance for the 33 preseason games was 1,108,636 (average: 33,595). Awards Most Valuable PlayerY. A. Tittle, quarterback, New YorkLeaders of the pack : Starr, Favre, Rodgers and why Green Bay's quarterback trio is the best in NFL history Triumph Books LLC 9781629371047 2015 Coach of the YearGeorge Halas, Chicago Coaching changes Offseason Baltimore Colts: Weeb Ewbank was replaced by Don Shula. Cleveland Browns: Paul Brown was replaced by Blanton Collier. In-season San Francisco 49ers: Red Hickey resigned after three games, and was replaced by Jack Christiansen. See also 1963 American Football League season References 2 NFL Record and Fact Book (1-932994-36-X) NFL History 1961–1970 (Last accessed December 4, 2005) Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (0-06-270174-6) Category:NFL seasons National Football League