The 1946 Chicago Rockets season was the inaugural season for both the Chicago Rockets and the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) in which they played. The Rockets compiled a 5–6–3 record, were outscored by a total of 315 to 263, and finished in last place in the AAFC's West Division.

Dick Hanley, who had been the head coach at Northwestern from 1927 to 1934, was the head coach at the start of the season. After the first three games, the players voted 32-to-1 to remove Hanley. The team felt that Hanley's double-wing system was outdated. After a two-hour meeting between the players and team owner John L. Keeshin, Keeshin fired Hanley. Three of the players (Ned Mathews, Bob Dove, and Willie Wilkin) took over as player-coaches. The "self-coached experiment" ended on October 29 when Pat Boland was hired as head coach.

The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Bob Hoernschemeyer with 1,266 passing yards and 375 rushing yards, halfback Elroy Hirsch with 347 receiving yards, and backup quarterback (and placekicker) Steve Nemeth with 59 points scored (32 extra points, 9 field goals). Hoernschemeyer was the only Chicago player named to the All-AAFC team, receiving second-team honors from both the United Press and on the official All-AAFC team.

Preseason schedule Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Sources 1 August 18 vs. Brooklyn Dodgers T 14–14 0–0–1 Multnomah Stadium 2 September 1 at San Francisco 49ers T 14–14 0–0–2 Kezar Stadium

Schedule Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap Sources 1 Cleveland Browns L 6–20 0–1 Soldier Field Recap 2 New York Yankees T 17–17 0–1–1 Soldier Field Recap 3 Buffalo Bisons W 38–35 1–1–1 Soldier Field Recap 4 September 29 San Francisco 49ers W 24–7 2–1–1 Soldier Field Recap 5 Los Angeles Dons L 9–21 2–2–1 Soldier Field Recap 6 at Brooklyn Dodgers T 21–21 2–2–2 Ebbets Field Recap 7 Miami Seahawks W 28–7 3–2–2 Soldier Field Recap 8 October 27 at Buffalo Bisons L 17–49 3–3–2 Civic Stadium Recap 9 Brooklyn Dodgers L 14–21 3–4–2 Soldier Field Recap 10 at Miami Seahawks W 20–7 4–4–2 Burdine Stadium Recap 11 November 17 at Cleveland Browns L 14–51 4–5–2 Municipal Stadium Recap 12 November 24 at New York Yankees W 38–28 5–5–2 Yankee Stadium Recap 13 at San Francisco 49ers L 0–14 5–6–2 Kezar Stadium Recap — Bye 14 December 15 at Los Angeles Dons T 17–17 5–6–3 LA Memorial Coliseum Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Division standings

Roster 1946 Chicago Rockets final rosterBacks Bill Boedeker CB/RB Walt Clay S/RB Norm Cox RB/S Don Griffin RB/CB Billy Hillenbrand RB/S Elroy Hirsch CB/RB Bob Hoernschemeyer RB/CB/P Bill Kellagher LB/FB Peter Lamana RB/CB Ernie Lewis FB/LB/P Steve Nemeth RB/K/S Bill Schroeder RB/CB Walt Williams RB/S/P

Ends/Receivers Bob Dove Ralph Heywood Pat Lahey Max Morris Bob Motl Frank Quillen Linemen/Linebackers Jim Brutz T/DT Herb Coleman C/LB Charlie Huneke DT/T Quentin Klenk T/DT Mickey Parks LB/C Jim O'Neal G/MG Jim Pearcy G/MG Joe Ruetz DT/G Tony Sumpter MG/G Norm Verry T Evan Vogds G/LB Lloyd Wasserbach T/DT Willie Wilkin T/DT

Rookies in italics

References