1945 NFL Championship Game
A goal-post safety gave the Cleveland Rams a 15-14 win and their first NFL title.
The 1945 NFL Championship Game was played on December 16 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, where the Cleveland Rams beat the Washington Redskins 15-14. It made the Rams the first expansion team to win an NFL title, in their last game before moving to Los Angeles.
Quick Facts
- Visitor
- Washington Redskins
- Home
- Cleveland Rams
- Visitor coach
- Dudley DeGroot
- Home coach
- Adam Walsh
- Visitor record
- 8–2
- Home record
- 9–1
- Visitor total
- 14
- Home total
- 15
Facts from the source article.
Background
In the first quarter Sammy Baugh threw from his own end zone and hit the goal post, then on the goal line; under the rules of the day that was a safety, and those two points decided the game. Rookie Bob Waterfield threw touchdown passes to Jim Benton and Jim Gillette. Washington missed two late field goals. It was the coldest title game to that point, at minus 8 degrees Fahrenheit, and the result led to a rule making a pass that hits the goal posts incomplete.
More in Honours & Records
Elsewhere in Los Angeles Rams
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced