1923 Chicago Bears season

The 1923 Chicago Bears season was their fourth regular season completed in the National Football League. The team was able to improve on their 9–3 record from 1922 and finished with a 9–2–1 record under head coach/player George Halas earning them a second-place finish in the team standings earning, the third time in the last four years. As was normal for those days, the Bears played a few games on the road at the beginning of the season and then finished the season with a 9-game homestand. The Bears started very slow, losing 2 of their first 4 games and scoring only 6 points during those games (their two wins were both won 3–0). After losing 6–0 to eventual champion Canton Bulldogs in week 4, the Bears went undefeated after that. Just like in 1922, the Sternaman brothers starred, scoring 5 touchdowns, 6 field goals, and 8 PATs between the two of them. Johnny Bryan emerged as a scoring threat as well, running for 4 scores and passing for another. Most notably, in week 6's game against the Oorang Indians, George Halas set an NFL record with a 98-yard fumble return. Jack Tatum broke it with a 104-yard Fumble Return against the Green Bay Packers in 1972 and Aeneas Williams tied that feat with a 104-yard fumble return against the Redskins in 2000.

1923 Chicago Bears season
Head coachGeorge Halas
Home fieldWrigley Field
Results
Record9–2–2
League place2nd NFL

Future Hall of Fame players

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Other leading players

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Schedule

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Regular season

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Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue
1 September 30 at Rock Island Independents L 0–3 0–1 Douglas Park
2 October 7 at Racine Legion W 3–0 1–1 Horlick Field
3 October 14 at Green Bay Packers W 3–0 2–1 Bellevue Park
4 October 21 Canton Bulldogs L 0–6 2–2 Cubs Park
5 October 28 Buffalo All-Americans W 18–3 3–2 Cubs Park
6 November 4 Oorang Indians W 26–0 4–2 Cubs Park
7 November 11 Akron Pros W 20–6 5–2 Cubs Park
8 November 18 Rock Island Independents W 7–3 6–2 Cubs Park
9 November 25 Hammond Pros W 14–7 7–2 Cubs Park
10 November 29 Chicago Cardinals W 3–0 8–2 Cubs Park
11 December 2 Milwaukee Badgers T 0–0 8–2–1 Cubs Park
12 December 9 Rock Island Independents W 29–7 9–2–1 Cubs Park

Exhibition

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Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue
Ex December 16 Milwaukee Badgers T 7–7 9–2–2 Cubs Park
  • Game in italics was an exhibition game.

Standings

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NFL standings
W L T PCT PF PA STK
Canton Bulldogs 11 0 1 1.000 246 19 W5
Chicago Bears 9 2 1 .818 123 35 W1
Green Bay Packers 7 2 1 .778 85 34 W5
Milwaukee Badgers 7 2 3 .778 100 49 W1
Cleveland Indians 3 1 3 .750 52 49 L1
Chicago Cardinals 8 4 0 .667 161 56 L1
Duluth Kelleys 4 3 0 .571 35 33 L3
Buffalo All-Americans 5 4 3 .556 94 43 L1
Columbus Tigers 5 4 1 .556 119 35 L1
Toledo Maroons 3 3 2 .500 35 66 L1
Racine Legion 4 4 2 .500 86 76 W1
Rock Island Independents 2 3 3 .400 84 62 L1
Minneapolis Marines 2 5 2 .286 48 81 L1
St. Louis All-Stars 1 4 2 .200 25 74 L1
Hammond Pros 1 5 1 .167 14 59 L4
Akron Pros 1 6 0 .143 25 74 W1
Dayton Triangles 1 6 1 .143 16 95 L2
Oorang Indians 1 10 0 .091 50 257 W1
Louisville Brecks 0 3 0 .000 0 90 L3
Rochester Jeffersons 0 4 0 .000 6 141 L4

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

References

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