The 1932 season was the Chicago Bears' 13th in the National Football League. The team was able to improve on their 9–4–1 record from 1931 and finished with a 7–1–6 record under third-year head coach Ralph Jones.

Season overview The season started with three consecutive 0–0 ties. After a 2–0 loss to the Packers, the Bears had scored zero points in their first four games. After that, the Bears offense improved starting with a 27–7 victory over the Staten Island Stapletons; while their defense never allowed any team, except for the Portsmouth Spartans on November 13, to score in double-digit points. The Bears were undefeated in their last nine "regular season" games (there was no established playoff system), with six wins – four of which were by shutout – and three ties.

The team that gave the Bears the most trouble was the Portsmouth Spartans. The club tied with the Spartans with identical 6–1 records (ties did not count then and were omitted), so a playoff game was set up to determine a winner. The Bears defeated the Spartans, 9–0 in the first-ever NFL postseason game. The game was played indoors at Chicago Stadium because it was expected to be cold at Wrigley Field, and organizers wanted to maximize the attendance and gate revenue.

For the year, the tandem of Red Grange and Bronko Nagurski again paced the Bears as Grange scored seven touchdowns, whereas Nagurski ran for four and passed for three more. Keith Molesworth also contributed with three touchdowns on his own while passing for three more. Luke Johnsos caught two touchdown passes and scored twice on defense as well. Coach Ralph Jones also found a kicker in Paul "Tiny" Engebretson, who had a league-leading 10 extra-point field goals made.

Despite ending with a league championship, the 1932 season was a financial disaster for the Bears, who lost $18,000 on the season.Richard Whittingham, The Chicago Bears: An Illustrated History. Chicago: Rand McNally & Co., 1979; p. 84. This was the only year during which the team lost money outside of the 1921 season, when the team's books closed $71.63 in the red.

Schedule Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Sources 1 September 25 at Green Bay Packers T 0–0 0–0–1 City Stadium 13,000 Recap 2 October 2 at Staten Island Stapletons T 0–0 0–0–2 Thompson Stadium 8,000 Recap 3 October 9 at Chicago Cardinals T 0–0 0–0–3 Wrigley Field 7,234 Recap 4 October 16 Green Bay Packers L 0–2 0–1–3 Wrigley Field 17,500 Recap 5 October 23 Staten Island Stapletons W 27–7 1–1–3 Wrigley Field 27,540 Recap 6 October 30 at Boston Braves T 7–7 1–1–4 Braves Field 18,000 Recap 7 November 6 at New York Giants W 28–8 2–1–4 Polo Grounds 12,000 Recap 8 November 13 Portsmouth Spartans T 13–13 2–1–5 Wrigley Field 5,500 Recap 9 November 20 Brooklyn Dodgers W 20–0 3–1–5 Wrigley Field 6,500 Recap 10 November 24 Chicago Cardinals W 34–0 4–1–5 Wrigley Field 6,800 Recap 11 November 27 at Portsmouth Spartans T 7–7 4–1–6 Universal Stadium 7,000 Recap 12 December 4 New York Giants W 6–0 5–1–6 Wrigley Field Recap Wilfrid Smith, "Bears Whip Giants, 6–0; Stay in Race for Title: Johnsos Takes Pass on Trick Play to Score," Chicago Tribune, Dec. 5, 1932, pp. 27, 29. 13 December 11 Green Bay Packers W 9–0 6–1–6 Wrigley Field 5,000 Recap Playoff December 18 Portsmouth Spartans W 9–0 7–1–6 Chicago Stadium 11,198 Recap

Note: The December 18 game was added to break the tie and is known as the 1932 NFL Playoff Game. It was moved indoors to Chicago Stadium due to inclement weather.

Standings

NFL Playoff Game: Chicago Bears 9, Portsmouth Spartans 0

Roster 1932 Chicago Bears final rosterBacks Carl Brumbaugh QB/RB/CB/S George Corbett RB/QB/CB/S John Doehring RB/S Red Grange RB/CB Keith Molesworth QB/RB/CB/S Bronko Nagurski FB/LB Dick Nesbitt RB/CB Johnny Sisk RB/CB Linemen Gil Bergerson G/DG Bill Buckler G/DG Lloyd Burdick T/DT Zuck Carlson G/DG Tiny Engebretsen T/DT Joe Kopcha G/DG Ookie Miller C/MG Don Murry T/DT Bert Pearson C/MG George Trafton C/MG Ends/Receivers Paul Franklin Bill Hewitt Luke Johnsos K Cookie Tackwell K

Reserve Link Lyman T/DT

Rookies in italics

Players departed from 1931 Link Lyman, tackle (did not play for unknown reasons)

Future Hall of Fame players Red Grange, back Bill Hewitt, end (rookie from University of Michigan) Bronko Nagurski, fullback George Trafton, center

Other leading players Carl Brumbaugh, quarterback John Doehring, back (rookie) Paul Engebretsen, guard/kicker (rookie from Northwestern) Luke Johnsos, end Joe Kopcha, guard (back after two years off) Keith Molesworth, back Dick Nesbitt, back Ookie Miller, center

Awards NFL Championship (2)

References