1933 NFL season
The 1933 NFL season was the 14th regular season of the National Football League.
Because of the success of the Playoff Game the year before, the league divided its teams into two divisions for the first time, with the winners of each division playing in a Championship Game to determine the NFL Champion.
Three new teams joined the league: the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Cincinnati Reds. The Boston Braves changed their name to the Boston Redskins and the Staten Island Stapletons left the league, though they continued scheduling games against league teams.
The season ended when the Chicago Bears defeated the New York Giants in the first ever NFL Championship Game.
Teams
The league increased from 8 teams to 10 in 1933.| First season in NFL * | Last active season † |
Major rule changes
Due to the success of the 1932 NFL Playoff Game, the league stopped using the exact rules of college football and started to develop its own revisions:- The forward pass is legal anywhere behind the line of scrimmage. Previously, the passer had to be at least five yards back from the scrimmage line. This change is referred to as the "Bronko Nagurski Rule" after his controversial touchdown in the 1932 NFL Playoff Game.
- Hashmarks or inbounds lines are added to the field 10 yards in from each sideline. All plays would start with the ball on or between the hashmarks.
- To increase the number of field goals and decrease the number of tie games, the goal posts are moved from the end lines at the back of the end zones to the goal lines ; the goal posts were moved back to the end line in, where it has remained.
- It is a touchback when a punt hits the opponent's goal posts before being touched by a player of either team.
- It is a safety if a ball that is kicked behind the goal line hits the goal posts, and rolls back out of the end zone or is recovered by the kicking team.
Final standings
NFL Championship Game
Statistical leaders
The 1933 season marked the second year in which official statistics were tracked and retained by the NFL. Certain statistics later regarded as staples were not maintained, including interceptions, punting average, kickoff return yardage and average, and field goal percentage, among others. New NFL records are denoted with the ‡ symbol below.| Name | Team | Yards | |
| Passing | 1. Harry Newman | New York Giants | 973 ‡ |
| 2. Glenn Presnell | Portsmouth Spartans | 774 | |
| 3. Arnie Herber | Green Bay Packers | 656 | |
| Rushing | 1. Jim Musick | Boston Redskins | 809 ‡ |
| 2. Cliff Battles | Boston Redskins | 737 | |
| 3. Bronco Nagurski | Chicago Bears | 533 | |
| Receiving | 1. Paul Moss | Pittsburgh Pirates | 283 |
| 2. Ray Tesser | Pittsburgh Pirates | 282 | |
| 3. Bill Hewitt | Chicago Bears | 273 | |
| Touchdowns | 1. Kink Richards | New York Giants | 7 |
| 1. Shipwreck Kelly | Brooklyn Dodgers | 7 | |
| 3. Ken Strong | New York Giants | 6 | |
| 3. Glenn Presnell | Portsmouth Spartans | 6 |
Source: Pete Palmer, et al., The ESPN Pro Football Encyclopedia. First Edition. New York: Sterling Publishing, 2006; p. 1041.
Coaching changes
- Boston Redskins: Lud Wray was replaced by William Dietz.
- Brooklyn Dodgers: Benny Friedman was replaced by Cap McEwen.
- Chicago Bears: To save money, franchise owner George Halas laid off Ralph Jones and took over the head coaching duties.
- Cincinnati Reds: For the Reds' first season in the league, Al Jolley served three games and Mike Palm served seven.
- Chicago Cardinals: Jack Chevigny was replaced by Paul J. Schissler.
- Pittsburgh Pirates: Forrest Douds became the first head coach of the new team.
- Philadelphia Eagles: Lud Wray became the first head coach of the new team.
Stadium changes
- The renamed Boston Redskins moved from Braves Field to Fenway Park.