1936 NFL Championship Game
Packers win fourth NFL title at Polo Grounds
The 1936 NFL Championship Game was the fourth championship game played in the National Football League (NFL). It took place on December 13 at Polo Grounds in New York City, making it the first NFL title game held on a neutral field. The Eastern Division champion Boston Redskins (7–5) were the home team, but their owner George Preston Marshall, the Packers and the league mutually agreed to move the game from Fenway Park to the Polo Grounds due to low ticket sales in Boston. Several days after the game, Marshall announced he would move the team to his hometown of Washington, D.C. for the following season. This was the first championship game for both the Redskins and the Western Division champion Green Bay Packers (10–1–1), who were favored. The Packers won 21–6 for their fourth NFL title, all under longtime head coach Curly Lambeau, having previously won league championships awarded by league standing in 1929, 1930, and 1931.
- Date
- December 13, 1936
- Location
- City Stadium, Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Opponent
- New York Giants
- Final Score
- Packers 21, Giants 6
- Head Coach
- Curly Lambeau
- Key Quarterback
- Arnie Herber
Lore & Background
The Green Bay Packers went 10–1–1 during the regular season to secure the Western Division title, while the Boston Redskins went 7–5 to win the Eastern Division. The game was played at Polo Grounds in New York City, the first NFL title game on a neutral field. The Packers won 21–6.
In Their Own Story
The wind whipped off the frozen fields of Green Bay, biting at the exposed faces of the players huddled in City Stadium. The crowd, a sea of wool coats and scarves, roared as Arnie Herber dropped back under the pressure. With snow dusting his leather helmet, he launched a spiral that seemed to hang forever against the gray Wisconsin sky. It found its mark in the end zone, igniting a celebration that echoed through the stadium's wooden bleachers. In that moment, the small town knew they were no longer just a local club; they were world champions.
Reader's Guide
The NFL had only four game officials in 1936; the back judge was added in 1947, the line judge in 1965, and the side judge in 1978. The following were the four officials who called the 1936 championship game: Referee: Jordie Jordan, Umpire: Bobby Cahn, Head linesman: Maurice J. Meyer, Field judge: William Halloran.
Did You Know?
- The 1936 NFL Championship Game was the first NFL title game held on a neutral field.
- The Boston Redskins moved to Washington, D.C. for the following season shortly after this game.
- This was the Packers' fourth NFL title, following championships in 1929, 1930, and 1931.
- 61 years later, the Packers would defeat the Boston team that replaced the Redskins, the New England Patriots, in Super Bowl XXXI.
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