1934 Chicago Bears season

NFL team season November 2013 March 2026 Chicago Bears 1934 13–0 1st NFL Western George Halas Wrigley Field Lost NFL Championship(at Giants) 13–30 Bears seasons The 1934 season was the Chicago Bears' 15th in the National Football League and 12th season under head coach George Halas. The team was able to improve on their 10–2–1 record from 1933 and finished with an undefeated 13–0 record (the best record in the 2nd Halas era). The season began with startling success, as the Bears reeled off nine straight wins in which they scored 20 or more points each game while allowing more than 7 points only twice. The last four wins were more difficult, including a tough win over the Giants in New York and back-to-back home-and-away close victories over the Detroit Lions in that franchise's first year in Detroit. The Bears outscored opponents 286–86, and became the first team to go unbeaten and untied in the NFL's regular season. The Bears won the NFL Western Division title for the second straight year and met the NFL Eastern Division champion New York Giants once again in the NFL Championship game. The Bears were denied perfection as the Giants went on to win what would become known as the "Sneakers Game". Season highlights The 1934 Bears were without a doubt the best offensive team in NFL history to that point. They scored 37 touchdowns in 13 games, with 12 different players reaching the end zone during the year. Bronko Nagurski rushed for 586 yards on 123 carries and 8 touchdowns while blocking for a record-setting performance by rookie Beattie Feathers. Feathers, who played in only 11 games due to a shoulder injury, rushed for 1,004 yards and 8 touchdowns. He was not only the NFL's first official 1,000-yard rusher, NFL National Football League The Official NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book July 1, 2001 Workman Publishing 978-0-7611-2480-1 280 registration https://archive.org/details/officialnfl2001r0000unse/page/280 but he performed this feat 12 years before it would be repeated (by Steve Van Buren in 1946) in an era when all players "went both ways" and many backs on a team shared rushing, receiving, and passing duties. The Bear offense was far more, however, than Nagurski and Feathers running the ball. Red Grange, Carl Brumbaugh, Bill Hewitt, and Gene Ronzani each caught at least 2 touchdown passes, four different players passed for 3 or more each, and "Automatic" Jack Manders led the league with 10 field goals. The club's line got even better than before with Walt Kiesling joining Lyman, Musso, and Kopcha on the best interior unit in football. The Bears breezed into the Polo Grounds in New York as heavy favorites to win their third straight NFL title. Schedule Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Sources 1 September 23 at Green Bay Packers W 24–10 1–0 City Stadium 13,500 Recap 2 September 30 at Cincinnati Reds W 21–3 2–0 Crosley Field 5,500 Recap 3 October 7 at Brooklyn Dodgers W 21–7 3–0 Ebbets Field 20,000 Recap 4 October 10, 1934 at Pittsburgh Pirates W 28–0 4–0 Forbes Field 19,386 Recap 5 October 14 at Chicago Cardinals W 20–0 5–0 Wrigley Field 15,000 Recap 6 October 21 Cincinnati Reds W 41–7 6–0 Wrigley Field 11,000 Recap 7 October 28 Green Bay Packers W 27–14 7–0 Wrigley Field 11,000 Recap 8 November 4 New York Giants W 27–7 8–0 Wrigley Field 25,000 Recap 9 November 11 at Boston Redskins W 21–0 9–0 Fenway Park 26,000 Recap 10 November 18 at New York Giants W 10–9 10–0 Polo Grounds 45,404 Recap 11 November 25 Chicago Cardinals W 17–6 11–0 Wrigley Field 13,800 Recap 12 November 29 at Detroit Lions W 19–16 12–0 Titan Stadium 25,000 Recap 13 December 2 Detroit Lions W 10–7 13–0 Wrigley Field 34,412 Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Thanksgiving: November 29. Standings Championship game 1934 NFL Championship Game The Bears again met the NFL Eastern Division champion New York Giants in the NFL Championship game, this time in New York. The game was played at the Polo Grounds on a very slick, ice-covered field. The Bears were also without star halfback Feathers and All-Pro guard Kopcha. Both teams struggled with the field conditions but the Bears were able to post a 13–3 lead early in the third quarter. The Giants had famously changed their cleats to sneakers at halftime and this gave them an advantage in footing as well as a psychological advantage over the Bears. 27 unanswered New York points ensued, and the Giants won their second NFL title and first championship game, 30–13. Thus, the Bears were denied a perfect season. Roster Future Hall of Fame players Red Grange, back Bill Hewitt, end Walt Kiesling, guard (acquired from Cardinals) Link Lyman, tackle George Musso, tackle Bronko Nagurski, fullback Other leading players Carl Brumbaugh, quarterback Beattie Feathers, back (rookie from University of Tennessee) Luke Johnsos, end Bill Karr, end Joe Kopcha, guard Jack Manders, back/kicker Keith Molesworth, back Gene Ronzani, back References Chicago Bears Category:Chicago Bears seasons Chicago Bears Category:1934 in Chicago