1961 NFL season
The 1961 NFL season marked the league's 42nd regular year. It grew to 14 teams with two new franchises joining the fold. The Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys entered the competition that fall. These additions shifted the balance of power across divisions. The Vikings joined the Western Division while the Cowboys moved to the Eastern Division. This expansion ended a bye week that had existed in 1960. The schedule also expanded from 12 games per team to 14 games. That 14-game format would remain unchanged for 17 years.
The 1961 NFL draft took place at Philadelphia's Warwick Hotel on the 27th of December 28, 1960. The Minnesota Vikings held the first pick and selected halfback Tommy Mason from Tulane University. An expansion draft followed on the 26th of January 1961. The Vikings chose 36 players from existing NFL rosters during this process. The one-year-old Dallas Cowboys were exempted from losing any players in that draft. This roster building effort set the stage for their inaugural seasons. New talent flowed into the league through these structured selections.
Week Five saw four teams tied at 4, 1 records. The Giants and Eagles led the Eastern Division while the Packers and 49ers led the West. A 31, 0 loss by the 49ers against the Bears shifted momentum. Green Bay beat Minnesota 33, 7 later that week. By Week Nine, the Giants defeated the Eagles 38, 21. Both teams finished with 7, 2 records after that game. The Packers survived a narrow 31, 28 win over Chicago to maintain their lead. In Week Eleven, New York lost 20, 17 to Green Bay. The Eagles won 35, 24 at Pittsburgh to tie the race again. The final standings showed the Packers at 11, 3 and the Giants at 10, 3, 1.
Green Bay shut out the New York Giants 37, 0 in the NFL Championship Game. The match took place at City Stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin on the 31st of December 1961. This decisive victory claimed the 1961 title for the Packers. The Playoff Bowl followed a week later between division runners-up. Detroit defeated Philadelphia 38, 10 at Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida on the 6th of January 1962. That second-place game served as a consolation event for third place in the league. The championship itself remained a single dominant performance by the Packers defense.
Paul Hornung of the Green Bay Packers received Most Valuable Player honors from both the Associated Press and United Press International. Y. A. Tittle of the New York Giants won the Newspaper Enterprise Association award for MVP. Mike Ditka of the Chicago Bears was named Rookie of the Year by two major outlets. Allie Sherman of the New York Giants earned Coach of the Year awards from the AP and UPI. These accolades recognized standout performances across positions. The 1961 All-Pro Team and 1962 Pro Bowl also honored top performers that season.
Norm Van Brocklin became the Minnesota Vikings' first head coach before the season began. Jim Lee Howell was replaced by Allie Sherman as the New York Giants' leader. Buck Shaw stepped down for Nick Skorich with the Philadelphia Eagles. Mike Nixon left his post to be succeeded by Bill McPeak in Washington. In-season changes included Pop Ivy resigning after 12 games with the St. Louis Cardinals. Chuck Drulis, Ray Prochaska, and Ray Willsey served as co-head coaches for the final two games. Briggs Stadium became Tiger Stadium while Metropolitan Stadium hosted the Vikings. The Redskins moved from Griffith Stadium to D.C. Stadium during this period.
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Common questions
What teams joined the NFL in 1961?
The Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys entered the league as new franchises during the 1961 season. These two expansion teams shifted the balance of power across divisions by joining the Western Division and Eastern Division respectively.
When did the 1961 NFL draft take place?
The 1961 NFL draft took place at Philadelphia's Warwick Hotel on the 27th of December 1960. The Minnesota Vikings held the first pick and selected halfback Tommy Mason from Tulane University.
Who won the 1961 NFL Championship Game?
Green Bay shut out the New York Giants 37, 0 to win the 1961 title. This decisive victory occurred at City Stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin on the 31st of December 1961.
Which players received MVP honors for the 1961 NFL season?
Paul Hornung of the Green Bay Packers received Most Valuable Player honors from both the Associated Press and United Press International. Y. A. Tittle of the New York Giants won the Newspaper Enterprise Association award for MVP.
How many games were played per team in the 1961 NFL season?
The schedule expanded from 12 games per team to 14 games during the 1961 season. That 14-game format remained unchanged for 17 years following this expansion.