Playoffs are now an essential part of the NFL’s identity, providing unforgettable moments and crowning champions. But the concept of a playoff didn’t exist until 1932.
That year, the league staged its first-ever playoff game — a showdown between the Chicago Bears and the Portsmouth Spartans (who later became the Detroit Lions) — to determine the league champion.
On the anniversary of this monumental event, DAZN News takes a look back at the game that changed the course of NFL history.
Where did they play?
The game took place on December 18, 1932, at Chicago Stadium, an unusual venue for a football game.
Normally, football games were held outdoors, but a severe winter storm made playing outside impossible.
To adapt, the NFL moved the game indoors to the stadium, primarily used for hockey and horse shows, making this not just the first ever playoff in NFL history but also its first ever indoor game.
The field itself was much smaller than usual, measuring only 80 yards in length and narrower than standard fields, which added an interesting twist to the proceedings.
Why did they play?
Unlike today’s NFL, where playoffs determine the Super Bowl champion, the league in 1932 crowned its champion based solely on regular-season standings.
That year, the Chicago Bears and Portsmouth Spartans both ended the season with identical records of 6-1-4, forcing the league to organise a tiebreaker to decide the title.
The secondary tie breaker using head-to-head results drew a blank as, despite playing each other twice over the season, the games had ended 7-7 and 13-13.
This impromptu game was not officially labelled a 'playoff” at the time, but it laid the foundation for the postseason structure we now know and love.
How the game unfolded
The game itself was a defensive slugfest, with neither team able to score in the first three quarters. The smaller field made it harder for offenses to operate effectively.
Finally, in the fourth quarter, Bears quarterback Carl Brumbaugh handed the ball off to Bronko Nagurski as they executed a legendary play.
Faking a run, Nagurski pulled up and passed to Red Grange, who scored the game’s only touchdown.
The Bears added a safety later to secure a 9-0 victory and claim the NFL championship.
How playoffs became a feature
The success of the 1932 game spurred the NFL to rethink its championship format. The league introduced divisional play the following year, with the winners of each division meeting in an annual championship game.
This was the precursor to today’s NFL Playoffs, which have evolved to include multiple rounds and to culminate in the Super Bowl, one of the biggest sporting events in the world.
This one-off playoff game in 1932, born out of necessity, effectively reshaped how champions were decided and paved the way for the thrilling postseason drama we now enjoy.
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