1936 NFL Championship

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The 1936 NFL season is a pivotal chapter in the league's burgeoning history, a year that solidified the sport's growing popularity and showcased a fascinating clash of styles. It was a time when the league was still finding its footing, characterized by regional rivalries, evolving offensive strategies, and the emergence of legendary figures.

The season witnessed a hard-fought battle for supremacy, with teams vying for the coveted championship title against economic hardship and social change.

-Changes in the NFL for 1936

The 1936 NFL season was the 17th regular season of the National Football League and it is filled with interesting items that helped shape the modern game. Possibly the most significant takeaway of the year was the stability shown in the League. For the first time, since its inception in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, there were no teams that folded that played the previous season. Likewise there was no further growth of the organization either, as no new franchises came onboard.

A second advent in 1936 NFL football was that all teams played the same number of scheduled games for the first time (12). League President Joe Carr saw his nine-team league have a bit of competition from a rival pro football organization, a group that called itself the American Football League.

-A 1936 Competitor to the NFL Emerges in Pro Football

The American Football League 2.0 was a short-lived but exciting attempt at a rival pro football institution. Many of the franchises of the AFL robbed the rosters of the NFL teams they shared cities with. That is except for Booston who refused to take any players from the NFL Boston Redskins franchise. (We will see in a bit how this may have benefitted the Redskins)

This AFL was the second of three instances an alternate League by that name would compete with the NFL, the first being the one organized by Red Grange land C.C. Pyle back in 1926. This second-generation AFL would feature an six-team league organized by former New York Giants personnel director Dr. Harry March. The popularity of the rival League was evident when fifteen cities launched applications to join the AFL. After careful consideration and viability items were addressed, March and a few others selected the six best choices to help the new League. Dr. March spearheaded the effort to have it be a league with the players' input in decision-making. March served as the president of the fledgling association until his resignation in October and his replacement by New York Yankees Football franchise owner James Bush.

The teams in this edition of the American Football League were:

-Boston Shamrocks - The eventual AFL Champions.

-New York Yankees - The second time a pro football franchise used this iconic MLB name in an organization called the AFL.

-Cleveland Rams - The inaugural season of the current LA Rams franchise in pro football

-Brooklyn Tigers

-Pittsburgh Americans

-Syracuse Braves

The AFL had attendance issues with five of its teams. New York, Cleveland, and Boston had substantial numbers at the box office, but their revenue needed more to carry the load of the entire League. The AFL was looking for some additional viable franchises after it first season.

-1936 NFL Season and Title Game

The National Football League, despite the competition, kept rolling along. The NFL's nine teams comprised the Chicago Bears, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Pirates, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Cardinals, Boston Redskins, Brooklyn Dodgers, and Detroit Lions.

Philadelphia Owner Bert Bell's suggestion of holding a League-wide Draft came to fruition that year with the Eagles picking former University of Chicago Maroons star Jay Berwanger. Though Berwanger never played a snap in the League, the process of teams with the worst records the previous season set the standard for parity in not only the NFL and pro football but for professional sports across the globe.

Green Bay ran away with the NFL's Western Division by outclassing the competition with a stellar record of 10-1-1. In the Eastern Division, there was a race between three teams to claim the right to win the Division. Near the end of the scheduled season, a big game was on the docket to help determine the Eastern representative in the postseason. The Pittsburgh Pirates were at 6–5 and the Boston Redskins at 5–5 when they met on November 29 in Boston before a crowd of only 7,000. The lack of fan support did not deter Boston, and on the arm of Sammy Baugh, defeated the Pirates 30–0. The Redskins, now at 6–5, had a showdown set in the final game of their regular season with the 5–5–1 New York Giants, who remained contenders for the Divisional crown. On December 6, the Boston Redskins won the contest 14–0 before 18,000 spectators in the Polo Grounds.

Redskins Owner George Preston Marshall, unhappy with the way his team had been supported in Beantown, decided to change the location of the 1936 Championship from his homefield in Boston to the New York Polo Grounds, where his team defeated the Giants a game earlier in front of a nice sized crowd.

The Green Bay Packers had the best regular season record, and they defeated the Boston Redskins in the NFL Championship Game, 21-6.

The Packers were led by quarterback Arnie Herber, who threw for 1,239 yards and eight touchdowns. Herber's favorite target was receiver Don Hutson, who caught 536 yards and six touchdowns.

This season highlighted the contrasting approaches to the game, particularly in the championship showdown. The Green Bay Packers, a team steeped in tradition and known for their powerful running game, faced off against the Boston Redskins, a franchise that was rapidly gaining notoriety for their innovative passing attack. Under the guidance of the iconic Curly Lambeau, the Packers represented the established order, a team built on grit and experience. The Redskins, led by the dynamic duo of quarterback Sammy Baugh and coach Ray Flaherty, embodied the future of the game, a team that dared to challenge conventional wisdom.

The 1936 NFL Championship Game, played at the Polo Grounds in New York City, became a defining moment in the league's history. It was a contest that pitted contrasting philosophies against each other, a battle between the old guard and the new wave. The outcome of this game would not only determine the season's champion but also offer a glimpse into the future direction of professional football. The Packers' decisive victory over the Redskins served as a testament to their dominance and a reminder of the enduring power of a well-rounded team, while the Redskins' presence in the championship game signaled the dawn of a new era, one where the aerial attack would become increasingly vital.