The Off-Season: Top NFL Franchises in the 1940s

Professional football continued to increase in interest in the United States, hence the formation of the All-American Football Conference. This was a rival league to the already established NFL. The AAFC was unable to pique the interest of football fans at the same level as the NFL. Following the 1949 season, the NFL absorbed the AAFC, welcoming three of its teams to the league, the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Colts, and the Cleveland Browns, who won all four of the league's championships.

Chicago Bears

The Bears were one of the most prolific franchises throughout the first two decades of the NFL. They maintained their longevity of winning throughout the 1940's, winning a total of four NFL championships, thanks to an ingenious draft in 1939. The famous 1939 draft for the Bears included quarterback Sid Luckman, running back Bill Osmanski, and guard Ray Bray. In 1940, they handed the Washington Redskins perhaps the most overwhelming defeat in the sport's history. They thumped their rivals by a demoralizing score of 73-0. They easily handled the New York Giants a year later en route to a second consecutive NFL title, fifth overall. They appeared in a third consecutive NFL championship game in 1942, only to lose to the Redskins 14-6. In 1943, the Bears reached the championship match for a fourth consecutive season. They earned their third championship in four years by crushing the Redskins 41-21. They would not return to the title game again until 1946 when they defeated the Giants 24-14. The Bears posted winning seasons in nine seasons throughout the 1940's.

Philadelphia Eagles

The decade of the 1940's did not begin so flattering for the Eagles, as they posted losing season in 1940, 1941, and 1942. Led by coach Greasy Neale, they developed into a solid team as the decade progressed. In 1943, united with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but returned to independence in 1944. In 1947, the Eagles appeared in their first NFL Championship game, losing to the Chicago Cardinals 28-21. The Eagles rebounded in 1948, clinching their first NFL Championship by shutting down the Cardinals 7-0. The duplicated their success in 1949, defeating the Los Angeles Rams 14-0 en route to a second successive NFL title. Some of the Eagles legendary players from the 1940's included running back Stan Van Buren, and offensive linemen Bucko Kilroy, Vic Sears, and Alex Wojciechowski.

Washington Redskins

The Redskins appeared in four NFL Championship games in six seasons throughout the 1940's. They were a balanced team in most seasons, but were only able to muster up one NFL Championship. They defeated the Bears 14-6 in the 1942 title showdown. The franchise enjoyed eight winning seasons throughout the 1940's. They were led by Hall of Fame quarterback Sammy Baugh.

Honorable mentions include Green Bay Packers; Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams; Chicago Cardinals

Resource: Pro Football Reference