1948 NFL season

The 1948 NFL draft was held on December 19, 1947, at Pittsburgh's Fort Pitt Hotel. With the first pick, the Washington Redskins selected halfback Harry Gilmer from the University of Alabama.

• Plastic helmets are prohibited. This rule was enacted because critics argued that they were being used more as a weapon than protection.
• A flexible artificial tee is permitted at the kickoff.
• When the intended passer is tackled behind the line of scrimmage, the game clock will stop temporarily until any receivers who have gone down field have had a reasonable time to return.{{citation needed|date=March 2014}}
• When the offense is called for delay of game, the defense may decline the 5-yard distance penalty.{{citation needed|date=March 2014}}
• If a foul occurs behind the line during a backwards pass or fumble, the penalty is enforced from the spot of the pass or fumble.{{citation needed|date=March 2014}}
• It is illegal to bat or punch the ball while it is in a player's possession.{{citation needed|date=March 2014}}
• All officials are equipped with whistles, not horns.

• September 24 - Stan Mauldin, age 27. Played tackle for the Chicago Cardinals from 1946-1948. Died from a heart attack after a game against Philadelphia Eagles.

In the Eastern race, the Eagles demolished Washington 45–0 in Week Five to take a ½ game lead. When the 6–1–1 Eagles met the 6–2 Skins again in Week Ten, they beat Washington 42–21, and won the Division and the right to host the Championship Game.

The other race was all Chicago, with the Cardinals and Bears both having records of 10–1 going into the final week: thus, there was a de facto playoff game for the Western Division for the second year in succession, with a tie forcing a second playoff game the following week.

A record crowd of 51,283 attended Wrigley Field on December 12 for the all-Chicago showdown, with the Bears taking a 21–10 lead on George Gulyanics' touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194812120chi.htm|title=Chicago Cardinals at Chicago Bears - December 12th, 1948 {{!}} Pro-Football-Reference.com|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=2017-01-16}} Charley Trippi's touchdown cut the margin to 21–17, but the Bears had the ball and time on their side. The turning point came when the Cards' Vince Banonis picked off a pass from Johnny Lujack and ran the ball back to the Bears' 19. Elmer Angsman scored a touchdown three plays later to win the game and the Western Division title for the Cards, as well as the right to face the Eagles for the Championship."Cardinals' About Face Beats Bears, 24–21," Wisconsin State Journal (Madison), Dec 13, 1948, p13

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{{1948 NFL Eastern standings}}

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{{1948 NFL Western standings|hidenote=y}}

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Philadelphia Eagles 7, Chicago Cardinals 0 in a blizzard at Shibe Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, December 19, 1948

• UPI NFL Most Valuable Player – Pat Harder, Chicago Cardinals

• Detroit Lions: Gus Dorais was replaced by Bo McMillin.
• Los Angeles Rams: Bob Snyder was replaced by Clark Shaughnessy.
• Pittsburgh Steelers: Jock Sutherland was replaced by John Michelosen.

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• {{cite book |title=Official 2013 National Football League Record & Fact Book |year=2013 |publisher=National Football League |location=New York |isbn=978-1-603-20980-9 |url=https://archive.org/details/official2013nati0000unse |editor1-last=Zimmer |editor1-first=John |editor2-last=Marini |editor2-first=Matt |access-date=October 11, 2013 |format=PDF |url-status=dead |url-access=registration |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012044938/http://seahawksmedia.com/RecFactBook/FactBook2013.pdf |archive-date=October 12, 2013 }}
• Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League ({{ISBN|0-06-270174-6}})

{{1948 NFL season by team}}

{{NFL seasons}}

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Category:NFL seasons