By Darin The date was December 29, 1963. The venue was the iconic Wrigley Field, and the stakes were the biggest in professional football: the NFL Championship. In a clash that pitted the Chicago Bears against the high-powered New York Giants, the game was less an offensive shootout and more a gritty, defensive struggle for gridiron supremacy.
Back in early 2025, Pigskin Dispatch set out to cover every early NFL Championship game before the AFL merger by inviting guest experts to discuss the history of each season’s title contest. Tom Pollin, a long-time Chicago journalist, joined us for this edition.
The Giants entered the contest with one of the league’s most explosive offenses, but they ran into a brick wall known as the Bears’ defense, a unit coached by the legendary George Halas. With a crowd of 45,801 packed into the historic ballpark, the atmosphere was electric despite the chilly conditions.
This championship became a classic study in contrast. The Bears’ defense successfully neutralized the Giants’ star quarterback and receivers, forcing critical turnovers that halted promising drives. Despite falling behind early, the Bears’ offense, while not prolific, executed just enough to keep pace. The final score, a low-scoring 14–10 victory for the Chicago Bears, is a testament to the dominance of their defensive performance.
The victory sealed the Bears’ eighth NFL title, and it remains a monumental moment in franchise history. It marked the final championship for Coach Halas, affectionately known as “Papa Bear,” solidifying his legacy as one of the most successful figures in American sports. The 1963 Championship is remembered not for its flash, but for the grit and sheer defensive will of the Chicago Bears, who earned their title the hard way on the frozen turf of Wrigley Field.
