1941 New York Giants season

NFL team 17th season March 2026 the football team the baseball team of the same name in 1941 1941 New York Giants (MLB) season November 2013 New York Giants 1941 8–3 1st NFL Eastern Steve Owen Polo Grounds Lost NFL Championship(at Bears) 9–37 Giants seasons The 1941 New York Giants season was the franchise's 17th season in the National Football League. Season recap Ed Danowski was lured out of retirement, Tuffy Leemans' back healed, and Mel Hein was talked out of a potential retirement. The Giants sailed through their first five games—only the Washington Redskins came within a touchdown of them as they outscored their first five opponents, 122–27. But the Brooklyn Dodgers, coached by Jock Sutherland and guided on the field by All-Pro Ace Parker, proved the Giants' most formidable opponents, dealing them two of their three defeats this year. The Giants clinched the Eastern Division title weeks in advance of the regular season finale, but no NFL players could have been prepared for the Attack on Pearl Harbor to occur less than fifteen minutes before kickoff of week 14; the three games that day were not interrupted. At the Polo Grounds no official announcements were made, except for a page for OSS head, Col. William J. Donovan, to call his office immediately. After the game, another announcement requested that all military personnel return to their stations.Goldstsein Richard Football Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941: Suddenly the Games Didn't Matter; 'Cut Football Running' A Call From Honolulu An Uncertain Future https://www.nytimes.com/1980/12/07/archives/football-sunday-dec-7-1941-suddenly-the-games-didnt-matter-cut.html nytimes.com New York times 30 November 2025 A bye week was observed before proceeding to the championship game. Schedule Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Sources 1 September 13 at Philadelphia Eagles W 24–0 1–0 Philadelphia Municipal Stadium 25,478 Recap — Bye 2 September 28 at Washington Redskins W 17–10 2–0 Griffith Stadium 35,677 Recap 3 October 5 at Pittsburgh Steelers W 37–10 3–0 Forbes Field 13,458 Recap 4 October 12 Philadelphia Eagles W 16–0 4–0 Polo Grounds 30,842 Recap 5 October 19 Pittsburgh Steelers W 28–7 5–0 Polo Grounds 34,604 Recap 6 October 26 at Brooklyn Dodgers L 13–16 5–1 Ebbets Field 28,675 Recap 7 November 2 Chicago Cardinals L 7–10 5–2 Polo Grounds 29,289 Recap 8 November 9 Detroit Lions W 20–13 6–2 Polo Grounds 27,875 Recap 9 November 16 Cleveland Rams W 49–14 7–2 Polo Grounds 32,740 Recap 10 November 23 Washington Redskins W 20–13 8–2 Polo Grounds 49,317 Recap — Bye 11 December 7 Brooklyn Dodgers L 7–21 8–3 Polo Grounds 55,051 Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. • September 13: Saturday night gameGeorge Strickler, Official National Football League Roster and Record Manual, 1941. Chicago: National Football League, 1941; back cover. Game summaries Game 1: at Philadelphia Eagles New York Giants 1941 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Three: New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles September 13 Giants 3 14 0 7 Eagles 0 0 0 0 Philadelphia Municipal Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 25,478 First quarter NYG Ward Cuff 19-yard FG Second quarter NYG Clint McClain 1-yard run (Cuff kick) NYG Cuff 41-yard pass from Kay Eakin (Cuff kick) Fourth quarter NYG Andy Marefos 1-yard run (Cuff kick) Game 2: at Washington Redskins New York Giants 1941 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Four: New York Giants at Washington Redskins September 28 Giants 7 0 7 3 Redskins 0 7 0 3 Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C. 35,677 First quarter NYG Jim Poole 6-yard pass from Tuffy Leemans (Cuff kick) Second quarter WAS Frank Filchock 67-yard blocked punt return (Bob Masterson kick) Third quarter NYG Vince Dennery 65-yard pass from Andy Marefos (Marefos kick) Fourth quarter WAS Masterson 10-yard FG NYG Cuff 14-yard FG Game 3: at Pittsburgh Steelers New York Giants 1941 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Five: New York Giants at Pittsburgh Steelers October 5 Giants 3 0 14 20 Steelers 3 0 7 0 Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 13,458 First quarter PIT Armand Niccolai 22-yard FG NYG Marefos 24-yard FG Third quarter NYG Cuff 9-yard pass from Leemans (Cuff kick) PIT Walt Kichefski 72-yard pass from Boyd Brumbaugh (Niccolai kick) NYG Howie Yeager 53-yard pass from Marion Pugh (Marefos kick) Fourth quarter NYG Poole 16-yard pass from Len Eshmont (Cuff kick) NYG Frank Reagan 21-yard run (conversion failed) NYG Reagan 8-yard run (Cuff kick) Game 4: vs. Philadelphia Eagles New York Giants 1941 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Six: Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants October 12 Eagles 0 0 0 0 Giants 7 3 0 6 Polo Grounds, New York, New York 30,842 First quarter NYG Poole 5-yard blocked punt return (Cuff kick) Second quarter NYG Marefos 38-yard FG Fourth quarter NYG Yeager 39-yard run (conversion failed) Game 5: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers New York Giants 1941 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Seven: New York Giants at Pittsburgh Steelers October 19 Steelers 0 7 0 0 Giants 0 7 7 14 Polo Grounds, New York, New York 34,604 Second quarter NYG Frank Cope blocked punt recovery in end zone (Marefos kick) PIT Don Looney 66-yard pass from Brumbaugh (Jack Sanders kick) Third quarter NYG Leemans 1-yard run (Cuff kick) Fourth quarter NYG Marefos 1-yard run (Marefos kick) NYG Reagan 3-yard run (Marefos kick) Game 6: at Brooklyn Dodgers New York Giants 1941 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Six: New York Giants at Brooklyn Dodgers October 26 Giants 0 10 3 0 Dodgers 0 7 7 6 Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, New York 28,675 Second quarter NYG Reagan 4-yard run (Cuff kick) BRK Perry Schwartz 12-yard pass from Ace Parker (Bruiser Kinard kick) NYG Win Pedersen 27-yard FG Third quarter BRK Merl Condit 20-yard FG NYG Cuff 15-yard FG Fourth quarter BRK Pug Manders 5-yard run (conversion failed) Game 7: vs. Chicago Cardinals New York Giants 1941 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Nine: Chicago Cardinals at New York Giants November 2 Cardinals 0 7 3 0 Giants 7 0 0 0 Polo Grounds, New York, New York 29,829 First quarter NYG Leemans 6-yard run (Cuff kick) Second quarter CHC Bob Morrow 1-yard run (Bill Daddio kick) Third quarter CHC Daddio 16-yard FG Game 8: vs. Detroit Lions New York Giants 1941 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Ten: Detroit Lions at New York Giants November 9 Lions 0 6 0 7 Giants 7 3 3 7 Polo Grounds, New York, New York 27,875 First quarter NYG Jim Lee Howell 42-yard pass from Leemans (Cuff kick) Second quarter DET Steve Belichick 8-yard run (conversion failed) NYG Marefos 11-yard FG Third quarter NYG Cuff 30-yard FG Fourth quarter NYG Leemans 2-yard run (Cuff kick) DET Belichick 8-yard run (Augie Lio kick) Game 9: vs. Cleveland Rams New York Giants 1941 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Eleven: Cleveland Rams at New York Giants November 16 Rams 7 7 0 0 Giants 14 21 7 7 Polo Grounds, New York, New York 32,740 First quarter NYG George Franck 11-yard run (Cuff kick) CLE Red Hickey 26-yard pass from Parker Hall (Chet Adams kick) NYG Leemans 17-yard run (Cuff kick) Second quarter NYG Yeager 6-yard pass from Ed Danowski (Cuff kick) CLE Maury Patt 2-yard pass from Hall (Adams kick) NYG Yeager 65-yard pass from Danowski (Cuff kick) NYG Doug Oldershaw 26-yard interception return (Cuff kick) Third quarter NYG Franck 44-yard pass from Leemans (Marefos kick) Fourth quarter NYG McClain 11-yard run (Hank Soar kick) Game 10: vs. Washington Redskins New York Giants 1941 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Twelve: Washington Redskins at New York Giants November 23 Redskins 0 0 0 13 Giants 0 0 10 10 Polo Grounds, New York, New York 49,317 Third quarter NYG Franck 3-yard run (Cuff kick) NYG Marefos 23-yard FG Fourth quarter WAS Bob McChesney 25-yard pass from Sammy Baugh (conversion failed) WAS Bob Seymour 3-yard run (Joe Aguirre kick) NYG Franck 7-yard run (Cuff kick) NYG Cuff 38-yard FG Game 11: vs. Brooklyn Dodgers New York Giants 1941 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Fourteen: Brooklyn Dodgers at New York Giants December 7 Dodgers 0 7 7 7 Giants 0 0 0 7 Polo Grounds, New York, New York 55,051 Second quarter BRK Manders 3-yard run (Condit kick) Third quarter BRK Manders 65-yard interception return (Condit kick) Fourth quarter BRK Manders 2-yard run (Condit kick) NYG Eakin 38-yard pass from Soar (Soar kick) Playoffs Round Date Opponent Result Venue Attendance Recap Sources Championship December 21 at Chicago Bears L 9–37 Wrigley Field 13,341 Recap 1941 NFL Championship: at Chicago Bears New York Giants 1941 2;text-align:center; autocollapse 1941 NFL Championship: New York Giants at Chicago Bears December 21 Giants 6 0 3 0 Bears 3 6 14 14 Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois 13,341 First quarter CHB Bob Snyder 14-yard FG NYG Franck 31-yard pass from Leemans (conversion failed) Second quarter CHB Snyder 39-yard FG CHB Snyder 37-yard FG Third quarter NYG Cuff 16-yard FG CHB Norm Standlee 2-yard run (Snyder kick) CHB Standlee 7-yard run (Joe Maniaci kick) Fourth quarter CHB George McAfee 5-yard run (Lee Artoe kick) CHB Ken Kavanaugh 42-yard fumble return (Ray McLean kick) Roster 1941 New York Giants final roster Backs 14 Ward Cuff RB/CB/K 22 Ed Danowski RB/S 12 Kay Eakin RB/CB/P   2 Len Eshmont RB/CB/P 28 Nello Falaschi RB/S 13 George Franck RB/CB/P   4 Tuffy Leemans FB/LB 70 Andy Marefos FB/LB/K 17 Clint McClain RB/CB 25 Dom Principe RB/S 20 Leland Shaffer RB/S 15 Hank Soar RB/CB/K   6 Howie Yeager RB/CB Linemen/Linebackers 69 Tony Blazine T/DT 36 Frank Cope T/DT 55 Lou DeFilippo C/LB 60 Monk Edwards G/T/DG/DT 11 Chet Gladchuk T/DT   7 Mel Hein C/LB   5 Kayo Lunday G/DG 33 John Mellus T/DT 39 Doug Oldershaw G/DG 66 Win Pedersen T/DT 44 Ben Sohn G/DG 42 Orville Tuttle G/DG 32 Len Younce G/DGEnds/Receivers 52 Vince Dennery 49 Dick Horne 21 Jim Lee Howell 29 Jack Lummus 23 Buster Poole 24 Will Walls Reserve 30 Marion Pugh RB/S (Military)   8 Frank Reagan RB/CB/S/P/ (Military) 50 Ed Widseth T/DT (IR) 7px rookies in italics Standings External links 1941 New York Giants season at Pro-Football-Reference See also List of New York Giants seasons References Category:New York Giants seasons New York Giants New York Category:1940s in Manhattan Category:Washington Heights, Manhattan