1925 NFL season
Encyclopedia
The 1925 NFL season was the 6th regular season
of the National Football League
. Five new teams entered the league: New York Giants
, Detroit Panthers, Pottsville Maroons
, Providence Steam Roller
, and a new Canton Bulldogs
team. The Kenosha Maroons
and Minneapolis Marines folded, with Racine Legion mothballing.
All-Stars in Philadelphia (and winning 9–7) on the same day that the Frankford Yellow Jackets
were scheduled to play a game in the same city. Frankford protested, saying that it was violating their protected territory rights.
Although NFL president Joe Carr
warned the Maroons in writing that they faced suspension if they played in Philadelphia, the Maroons claimed that Carr approved the game during a telephone call, and played anyway. In response, Carr fined the club, suspended it from all league rights and privileges (including the right to play for the NFL championship), and returned its franchise to the league.
In 2003, the NFL decided to again examine the case regarding the 1925 championship. But in October the NFL voted 30–2 not to reopen the case. The two teams that voted to reopen the case were Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Thus the Cardinals are still listed as the 1925 NFL champions.
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972
* – The Pottsville Maroons
were suspended from the league in December, resulting in the Chicago Cardinals being named the NFL champions.
Regular season (NFL)
The National Football League regular season begins the weekend after Labor Day. Each team plays 16 games during a 17-week period. Traditionally, the majority of each week's games are played on Sunday afternoon, with weekly games on Sunday night and Monday night, and occasional games on Thursday...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Five new teams entered the league: New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Detroit Panthers, Pottsville Maroons
Pottsville Maroons
The Pottsville Maroons were an American football team based in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1920, they went on to play in the National Football League for four seasons, from 1925–1928...
, Providence Steam Roller
Providence Steam Roller
The Providence Steam Roller was a professional American football team based in Providence, Rhode Island in the National Football League from 1925 to 1931. Providence was the first New England team to win an NFL championship...
, and a new Canton Bulldogs
Canton Bulldogs
The Canton Bulldogs were a professional American football team, based in Canton, Ohio. They played in the Ohio League from 1903 to 1906 and 1911 to 1919, and its successor, the National Football League, from 1920 to 1923 and again from 1925 to 1926. The Bulldogs would go on to win the 1917, 1918...
team. The Kenosha Maroons
Kenosha Maroons
The Kenosha Maroons were a National Football League football team in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Officially, the club only played in the league during the 1924 season, dissolving after posting no wins in five games.-Origins:...
and Minneapolis Marines folded, with Racine Legion mothballing.
1925 NFL Championship controversy
Controversy surrounds who actually won the 1925 NFL Championship. Officially, the Chicago Cardinals are listed as the 1925 NFL champions because they finished with the best record; however, many Pottsville fans at the time claimed that the Maroons were the legitimate champions. The Maroons and the Cardinals were the top contenders for the title, with Pottsville winning a late-season meeting between them, 21–7. But the Maroons scheduled a game against a team of University of Notre DameNotre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
All-Stars in Philadelphia (and winning 9–7) on the same day that the Frankford Yellow Jackets
Frankford Yellow Jackets
The Frankford Yellow Jackets were a professional American football team, part of the National Football League from 1924 to 1931, though its origin dates back to as early as 1899 with the Frankford Athletic Association. The Yellow Jackets won the NFL championship in 1926...
were scheduled to play a game in the same city. Frankford protested, saying that it was violating their protected territory rights.
Although NFL president Joe Carr
Joseph Carr
Joseph "Joe" F. Carr was the president of the National Football League from 1921 until his death in 1939. Carr was born in Columbus, Ohio. As a mechanic for the Pennsylvania Railroad in Columbus, he directed the Columbus Panhandles football team in 1907 until 1922...
warned the Maroons in writing that they faced suspension if they played in Philadelphia, the Maroons claimed that Carr approved the game during a telephone call, and played anyway. In response, Carr fined the club, suspended it from all league rights and privileges (including the right to play for the NFL championship), and returned its franchise to the league.
In 2003, the NFL decided to again examine the case regarding the 1925 championship. But in October the NFL voted 30–2 not to reopen the case. The two teams that voted to reopen the case were Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Thus the Cardinals are still listed as the 1925 NFL champions.
Final standings
P = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, STK = StreakNote: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972
| Team | P | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Cardinals 1925 Chicago Cardinals season The 1925 Chicago Cardinals season resulted in the Cardinals winning their first NFL Championship.The end of the Cardinals season was centered around two historic, but controversial, situations. The first was a team scandal with the Milwaukee Badgers... * |
14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | .846 | 230 | 65 | W-2 |
| Pottsville Maroons 1925 Pottsville Maroons season The 1925 Pottsville Maroons season was their inaugural season in the National Football League. The team finished a 10-2 league record and a 13-2 overall record.... * |
13 | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | 270 | 45 | W-5 |
| Detroit Panthers 1925 Detroit Panthers season The 1925 Detroit Panthers season was their third in the league and first season as the Panthers. The team improved on their previous output of 1-5-1, winning eight games. They finished third in the league.-Schedule:-Standings:-References:... |
12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | .800 | 129 | 39 | W-1 |
| New York Giants 1925 New York Giants season The 1925 New York Giants season was the first season for the club in the National Football League. The team finished with a record of 8–4 against league opponents.-Schedule:* Games in italics are against non-NFL teams.-Standings:-External links:... |
12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | .667 | 122 | 67 | W-1 |
| Akron Pros 1925 Akron Pros season The 1925 Akron Pros season was their sixth in the league and last season before becoming the Indians. The team improved on their previous output of 2-6, winning six games. They finished fourth in the league.-Schedule:-Standings:-References:... |
8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | .667 | 65 | 51 | L-2 |
| Frankford Yellow Jackets 1925 Frankford Yellow Jackets season The 1925 Frankford Yellow Jackets season was their second in the National Football League. The team improved on their previous output of 11-2-1, winning thirteen league games to finish the season in sixth place... |
20 | 13 | 7 | 0 | .650 | 190 | 169 | W-2 |
| Chicago Bears 1925 Chicago Bears season The 1925 Chicago Bears season was their sixth regular season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 9-5-3 record under head coach George Halas earning them a seventh place finish in the team standings, their worst showing to that date... |
17 | 9 | 5 | 3 | .643 | 158 | 96 | W-3 |
| Rock Island Independents 1925 Rock Island Independents season The 1925 Rock Island Independents season was their sixth and final season in the league. The team failed to improve on their previous league record of 5-2-2, losing three NFL games. They finished eighth in the league.-Schedule:... |
11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | .625 | 99 | 58 | L-1 |
| Green Bay Packers 1925 Green Bay Packers season The 1925 Green Bay Packers season was their fifth season in the National Football League. The club posted a 8-5 record under player/coach Curly Lambeau earning them a ninth place finish... |
13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | .615 | 151 | 110 | W-1 |
| Providence Steam Roller 1925 Providence Steam Roller season The 1925 Providence Steam Roller season was their inaugural season in the National Football League. The team finished with a 6-5-1 record against NFL teams, finishing tenth in the league.-Schedule:*Game in italics is against a non-NFL team.-Standings:... |
12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | .545 | 111 | 101 | L-1 |
| Canton Bulldogs 1925 Canton Bulldogs season The 1925 Canton Bulldogs season was their fifth in the National Football League and their first season since 1923. The team failed to improve on their previous record against NFL opponents of 11-0-1, winning only four NFL games. They finished eleventh in the league.-Schedule:* Games in italics are... |
8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | .500 | 50 | 73 | L-1 |
| Cleveland Bulldogs 1925 Cleveland Bulldogs season The 1925 Cleveland Bulldogs season was their second in the league. The team failed to improve on their previous record against NFL opponents of 7-1-1, winning only five league games. They finished twelfth in the league.-Schedule:... |
14 | 5 | 8 | 1 | .385 | 75 | 135 | L-1 |
| Kansas City Cowboys 1925 Kansas City Cowboys season The 1925 Kansas City Cowboys season was their second in the league and first as the Cowboys. The team improved on their previous output of 2-7, losing only five games. They finished thirteenth in the league.-Schedule:-Standings:-References:... |
8 | 2 | 5 | 1 | .286 | 65 | 97 | W-1 |
| Hammond Pros 1925 Hammond Pros season The 1925 Hammond Pros season was their sixth in the league. The team failed to improve on their previous record against league opponents of 2-2-1, winning only one game. They finished fourteenth in the league.-Schedule:... |
5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | .200 | 23 | 87 | L-3 |
| Buffalo Bisons 1925 Buffalo Bisons (NFL) season The 1925 Buffalo Bisons season was their sixth in the league. The team failed to improve on their previous record against league opponents of 6-5, winning four games... |
9 | 1 | 6 | 2 | .143 | 33 | 113 | L-4 |
| Rochester Jeffersons 1925 Rochester Jeffersons season The 1925 Rochester Jeffersons season was their sixth and final season in the National Football League. The team improved on their previous record against league opponants of 0–7, losing only six games and logging a tie... |
7 | 0 | 6 | 1 | .000 | 26 | 111 | L-5 |
| Dayton Triangles 1925 Dayton Triangles season The 1925 Dayton Triangles season was their sixth in the league. The team failed to improve on their previous output of 2-6, losing seven games. They tied for sixteenth place in the league.-Schedule:* Game in italics is against a non-NFL team.... |
8 | 0 | 7 | 1 | .000 | 3 | 84 | L-7 |
| Duluth Kelleys 1925 Duluth Kelleys season The 1925 Duluth Kelleys season was their third in the National Football League and final season as the Kelleys. The team failed to improve on their previous record against league opponents of 5-1, losing three games. They tied for sixteenth place in the league.... |
3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 6 | 25 | L-3 |
| Milwaukee Badgers 1925 Milwaukee Badgers season The 1925 Milwaukee Badgers season was their fourth in the National Football League. The team failed to improve on their previous league record of 5-8, losing all their games. They tied for sixteenth place in the league.... |
6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | .000 | 7 | 191 | L-6 |
| Columbus Tigers 1925 Columbus Tigers season The 1925 Columbus Tigers season was their sixth in the National Football League. The team failed to improve on their previous record against league teams of 4-4, losing nine games. They tied for sixteenth place in the league.-Schedule:... |
9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | .000 | 28 | 124 | L-9 |
Pottsville Maroons
The Pottsville Maroons were an American football team based in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1920, they went on to play in the National Football League for four seasons, from 1925–1928...
were suspended from the league in December, resulting in the Chicago Cardinals being named the NFL champions.