View source for Card-Pitt

{{Short description|NFL 1944 Temporary team season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox NFL team season
| team = Chicago-Pittsburgh Cardinals-Steelers
| logo = Card-Pitt logo.png
| year = 1944
| record = 0–10
| division_place = 5th [[Eastern and Western Divisions (NFL) 1933-69|NFL Western]]
| coach = [[Phil Handler]], [[Walt Kiesling]]
| stadium = [[Comiskey Park]], [[Forbes Field]]
| radio = [[WGN (AM)|WGN]]{{·}}[[KDKA (AM)|KDKA]]
| playoffs = ''Did not qualify ''
| previous = {{nowrap|[[1943 Chicago Cardinals season|< 1943 Cardinals]]}}<br />[[Steagles|< Steagles]]
| next = {{nowrap|[[1945 Chicago Cardinals season|1945 Cardinals >]]}}<br />[[1945 Pittsburgh Steelers season|1945 Steelers >]]
| alternatenav =
* ←&nbsp;[[1943 Chicago Cardinals season|1943]]
* [[List of Arizona Cardinals seasons|Cardinals seasons]]
* [[1945 Chicago Cardinals season|1945]]&nbsp;→<br />←&nbsp;[[Steagles|1943 (Steagles)]]
* [[List of Pittsburgh Steelers seasons|Steelers seasons]]
* [[1945 Pittsburgh Steelers season|1945]]&nbsp;→
}}
'''Card-Pitt''' was the team created by the temporary merger of two [[National Football League]] (NFL) teams, the [[History of the Chicago Cardinals|Chicago Cardinals]] and the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]], during the [[1944 NFL season|1944 season]]. It was the second such merger for the Steelers, who had combined with the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] in 1943 to form the "[[Steagles]]". The arrangement was made necessary by there being a shortage of numerous players due to [[World War II]] military service, and was dissolved upon completion of the season. The war ended before the start of the 1945 season, and both teams resumed normal operations.

Card-Pitt finished with a 0–10 record in the [[History of National Football League Championship#1933–1966: The advent of the postseason|Western Division]], which led sportswriters to derisively label the team the "Car-Pitts", or "carpets".<ref>Roberts, R. and Welky, D. (Eds.), "The Steelers Reader." University of Pittsburgh Press, 2001, p.61.</ref>

==History==
===Origins===
{{NFL Cardinals history}}
The [[Boston Yanks]] joined the NFL in 1944, while the [[Cleveland Rams]], who had been unable to field a team in 1943, re-joined the league. This resulted in an 11-team league, and the NFL was unable to devise a schedule that was amenable to all registered teams. NFL commissioner [[Elmer Layden]] contacted [[Art Rooney]] and [[Bert Bell]] of the Steelers to request that their team again merge as a potential solution for the scheduling issue. Rooney agreed, on the condition that at least half of the team's home games would be played at [[Pittsburgh]]'s [[Forbes Field]].

The choice of a merger partner for the Steelers proved to be a challenging task. Rumors prior to the NFL's annual April meeting indicated that either Cleveland or the [[Brooklyn Tigers]] would be the selected partner. Cleveland was considered a logical choice based solely on geographic location, but Layden felt it unfair to ask the Steelers to merge with a team that had been defunct a year earlier. Rooney rejected a proposal to merge with Brooklyn, and was hesitant to merge with the new Boston Yanks. He eventually agreed to combine his Steelers with the Cardinals, who had gone winless in 1943 along with having lost 16 straight games since their last win on October 18, 1942. The merged team would compete in the tougher Western Division, which included the [[Green Bay Packers]] and [[Chicago Bears]].

===Pre-season===
Training camp for the merged team began in [[Waukesha, Wisconsin]] on August 15, 1944, under the direction of co-coaches [[Walt Kiesling]] of Pittsburgh and [[Phil Handler]] of Chicago. The coaching staff decided before the start of camp to implement a [[T formation]] offense. Some of the Steelers' players had been exposed to the 'T' with playing alongside Philadelphia Eagles players the previous year, but the Cardinals had used it very little. Card-Pitt lacked a dependable [[quarterback]], but the team began the season with optimism.

During the team's first game, an exhibition at [[Shibe Park]] against the Philadelphia Eagles, that was attended by [[Babe Ruth]], the Eagles scored three first-quarter touchdowns on their way to a 22–0 victory. Card-Pitt regained its footing the following week, but lost 3–0 to a [[Washington Redskins]] team that had been predicted to win the game by three touchdowns.

===1944 season===
Card-Pitt opened the regular season portion of its schedule in front of 21,000 spectators at Forbes Field on September 24, 1944, against a Cleveland Rams team led by former Steelers head coach [[Aldo Donelli]]. Card-Pitt came back from a 16–0 deficit to take the lead, but a bad punt late in the fourth quarter allowed Cleveland to score the winning touchdown for a final score of 28–23. The team won an exhibition game the next week at Forbes Field, 17–16 over the [[New York Giants]].

{{Quote box|quote= "Why don't they call themselves the Car-Pits? I think it's very appropriate as every team in the league walks over them."|source='''Irate fan letter to the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'''''|width=33%}}
Quarterback [[List of Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterbacks|Coley McDonough]] was drafted into the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] two days before the team's second regular season game, a contest against Green Bay.<ref>Kiss Em Goodbye: An ESPN Treasury of failed, forgotten, and departed teams, pp.67–68, Dennis Purdy, Ballantine Books, New York, 2010, {{ISBN|978-0-345-52012-8}}</ref> The ''[[Pittsburgh Press]]'' gave the team little chance to defeat the Packers, who would go on to win that game 34–7. However, [[John McCarthy (American football)|John McCarthy]], a rookie out of [[Saint Francis University (Pennsylvania)|Saint Francis University]] in [[Loretto, Pennsylvania]], performed well as McDonough's replacement.<ref>2005 Saint Francis University, Loretto, Pennsylvania Alumni Directory page 307 Class of 1942</ref>

Card-Pitt then met the [[Chicago Bears]], a team missing [[Most Valuable Player|MVP]] quarterback [[Sid Luckman]] and coach [[George Halas]] among a roster that had been depleted by the war and injuries, in the third game of the season. The ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' called Card-Pitt's effort against the Bears "pitiful", and the coaching staff became so irate that they fined [[John Butler (running back)|Johnny Butler]], [[John Grigas]] and [[Elbie Schultz|Eberle Schultz]] $200 apiece for "indifferent play". Upset with the coaches' strict, dictatorial style, the team refused to practice until the fined players received a fair hearing.<ref>Algeo, Matthew, "Last Team Standing: How the Steelers and the Eagles--'The Steagles'--Saved Pro Football during World War II." Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2006, p. 207–208.</ref> The players then met with Rooney, and Grigas and Schultz agreed to pay their fines and return to practice. Butler was suspended indefinitely, before being placed on [[Waivers (American football)|waivers]] and later claimed by Brooklyn. Rooney eventually rescinded the fines, except for Butler's.

''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'' sports editor [[Al Abrams]] then quoted a disgusted fan as having written, "Why don't they call themselves the Car-Pits? I think it's very appropriate as every team in the league walks over them."<ref>{{cite news|last=Abrams|first=Al|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=October 20, 1944|page=15|title=Sidelights on Sports|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3ZBRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0mkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1524%2C4458510}}</ref> The team lost a rematch against the Giants. Midway through their next game against the Washington Redskins, a brawl between the two teams erupted and had to be broken up by police. Coaches Kiesling and Handler were in the middle of the fight, while Rooney, a former [[boxing|boxer]], ran to join his team, until he realized that it would be a breach of protocol for an NFL owner to get into a fight with opposing players. The Redskins would go on to win the game, 42–20. Card-Pitt's Cliff Duggan was fined $200 for his role in the fight, however, Rooney paid his fine.

Losses then ensued against the Rams, Packers and Lions, and Grigas left the team to return home to [[Massachusetts]]. He had twice won the league rushing title, but had grown tired of losing and retired. Despite his sudden departure, he was named to the ''[[New York Daily News]]'' [[All-Pro]] team, and finished the season with 610 yards rushing, an average of 3.3 yards per carry. His departure was followed by a 49–7 loss to the Bears. The team's 0–10 season tied the [[Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)|Brooklyn Tigers]] for the league's worst record. The merger of the Chicago Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers was dissolved the day after the season ended. Only five teams since 1944 have [[Imperfect season|gone winless in the NFL for an entire season]]: the [[1960 Dallas Cowboys season|1960 Dallas Cowboys (0–11–1)]], the [[1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0–14)]], the ([[National Football League Players Association#1982 strike|strike shortened]]) [[1982 Baltimore Colts season|1982 Baltimore Colts (0–8–1)]], the [[2008 Detroit Lions season|2008 Detroit Lions (0–16)]] and the [[2017 Cleveland Browns season|2017 Cleveland Browns (0-16)]].

===Aftermath===
{{Quote box|quote="The season couldn't have turned out any worse than this one."|source='''[[Bert Bell]]''', co-owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, reflecting on the 1944 season|width=33%}}
The Card-Pitt punters averaged 32.7 yards per attempt,<ref>Kiss Em Goodbye: An ESPN Treasury of failed, forgotten, and departed teams, p.69, Dennis Purdy, Ballantine Books, New York, 2010, {{ISBN|978-0-345-52012-8}}</ref> which, {{as of|2021|lc=y}}, is still the worst mark in NFL history. The team was 0–2 in field goal attempts, while [[Conway Baker]] missed four of his 15 extra point tries.

Card-Pitt passers had a 31% completion rate, and threw for just eight touchdowns; their total of 41 interceptions is still the third highest number in NFL history, even more remarkable given the season was incrementally lengthened to 12, 14, 16, and currently 17 games (the 1944 season had 10). McCarthy threw 13 interceptions, had no touchdown passes, and finished with a [[quarterback rating]] of 3.0.

Card-Pitt also had the worst run defense in the league, and were outscored 328–108 by opponents.
{{Quote box|quote="The worst team in NFL history."|source='''[[Art Rooney]]''', founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers|width=33%}}

Eberle Schultz went from a winless 1944 season to an [[1945 Cleveland Rams season|NFL Championship]] with Cleveland the following year. John Grigas returned to the NFL for three final seasons with the Boston Yanks, and led the team in rushing in 1946. [[Don Currivan]] played alongside Grigas for those three seasons, and ranked third in the league in receiving in 1947, and Currivan also saw played with the [[Los Angeles Rams]], being part of the team that lost to Philadelphia in the [[NFL Championship Game, 1949|1949 NFL Championship Game]].

Tackle [[Chet Bulger]] and center [[Vince Banonis]] would be a part of the [[1947 Chicago Cardinals season|1947 Chicago Cardinals Championship team]], while Banonis also played for the Detroit Lions, winning League Championships in [[1952 Detroit Lions season|1952]] and [[1953 Detroit Lions season|1953]] (on teams coached by Card-Pitt assistant coach [[Buddy Parker]]).

The Cardinals did not win a game again until October 14, 1945 (nearly three years to the day of their last win), when they beat the [[Chicago Bears]] 23-14: while it was the Cardinals' only win of the 1945 season, this also ended a 29-game losing streak (an NFL record as of 2021). The Steelers, who had won their last game on November 28, 1943, ended a 14-game losing streak on October 21, 1945, beating the [[New York Giants]] 21–7.

In 1947, both teams rose to the top of the league: the Cardinals finished 9–3, beating the Bears in their last game to win the Western Division - their first title since 1925 - while the Steelers finished tied with the Eagles for the Eastern Division.

The Steelers lost a one-game playoff to the Eagles 21–0 in driving snow and rain, and the following week, the [[1947 NFL Championship Game|Championship Game]] saw the Cardinals beat the Eagles 28–21 to win their second NFL Championship (and most recent as of 2021).

In 2009, 65 years after merging for a season, the Steelers and the Cardinals (by then based in [[Glendale, Arizona|Glendale]], [[Arizona]]) played each other in [[Super Bowl XLIII]].

The last remaining active member of Card-Pitt was [[Vince Banonis]], who played his final NFL game in the [[1953 NFL season|1953 season]], where he won the championship as a member of the [[1953 Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions]], although he missed the [[1943 NFL season|1943]] and [[1945 NFL season|1945 seasons]].

==Preseason==
===Schedule===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Card-Pitt|year=1944|border=2}}"| Week
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Card-Pitt|year=1944|border=2}}"| Date
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Card-Pitt|year=1944|border=2}}"| Opponent
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Card-Pitt|year=1944|border=2}}"| Result
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Card-Pitt|year=1944|border=2}}"| Record
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Card-Pitt|year=1944|border=2}}"| Venue
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Card-Pitt|year=1944|border=2}}"| Attendance
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Card-Pitt|year=1944|border=2}}"| Sources
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 1
| September 12
| at [[1944 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]]
| '''L''' 0–22
| 0–1
| 
| 
| 
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 2
| September 18
| [[1944 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]]
| '''L''' 0–3
| 0–2
| 
| 
| 
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 3
| October 1
| at [[1944 New York Giants season|New York Giants]]
| '''L''' 0–22
| 0–3
| 
| 
| 
|}

==Regular season==
===Schedule===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Card-Pitt|year=1944|border=2}}"| Game
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Card-Pitt|year=1944|border=2}}"| Date
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Card-Pitt|year=1944|border=2}}"| Opponent
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Card-Pitt|year=1944|border=2}}"| Result
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Card-Pitt|year=1944|border=2}}"| Record
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Card-Pitt|year=1944|border=2}}"| Venue
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Card-Pitt|year=1944|border=2}}"| Attendance
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Card-Pitt|year=1944|border=2}}"| Recap
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Card-Pitt|year=1944|border=2}}"| Sources
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 1
| September 24
| '''[[1944 Cleveland Rams season|Cleveland Rams]]'''
| '''L''' 28–30
| 0–1
| [[Forbes Field]]
| 30,968
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194409240crd.htm Recap]
| 
|-
! —
|colspan="7"| ''[[Bye (sports)|Bye]]''
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 2
| October 8
| at '''[[1944 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]]'''
| '''L''' 7–34
| 0–2
| [[City Stadium (Green Bay)|City Stadium]]
| 16,535
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194410080gnb.htm Recap]
| 
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 3
| October 15
| at '''[[1944 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]]'''
| '''L''' 7–34
| 0–3
| [[Wrigley Field]]
| 29,940
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194410150chi.htm Recap]
| 
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 4
| October 22
| at [[1944 New York Giants season|New York Giants]]
| '''L''' 0–23
| 0–4
| [[Polo Grounds]]
| 40,734
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194410220nyg.htm Recap]
| 
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 5
| October 29
| at [[1944 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]]
| '''L''' 20–42
| 0–5
| [[Griffith Stadium]]
| 35,540
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194410290was.htm Recap]
| 
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 6
| November 5
| '''[[1944 Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions]]'''
| '''L''' 6–27
| 0–6
| Forbes Field
| 17,743
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194411050crd.htm Recap]
| 
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 7
| November 12
| at '''[[1944 Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions]]'''
| '''L''' 7–21
| 0–7
| [[Tiger Stadium (Detroit)|Briggs Stadium]]
| 13,239
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194411120det.htm Recap]
| 
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 8
| November 19
| '''[[1944 Cleveland Rams season|Cleveland Rams]]'''
| '''L''' 6–33
| 0–8
| [[Comiskey Park]]
| 14,732
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194411190crd.htm Recap]
| 
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 9
| November 26
| '''[[1944 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]]'''
| '''L''' 20–35
| 0–9
| Comiskey Park
| 7,158
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194411260crd.htm Recap]
| 
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 10
| December 3
| '''[[1944 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]]'''
| '''L''' 7–49
| 0–10
| Forbes Field
| 9,069
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194412030crd.htm Recap]
| 
|-
|colspan="10"| '''Note:''' Intra-division opponents are in '''bold''' text.
|}

==Standings==
{{1944 NFL Western standings}}
{{1944 NFL Eastern standings}}

===Game summaries===
==== Week 1 (Saturday September 24, 1944): [[Cleveland Rams]] ====
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road='''Rams'''
|R1=3
|R2=13
|R3=0
|R4=14
|Home=Card-Pitt
|H1=0
|H2=7
|H3=14
|H4=7
}}
''at [[Forbes Field]], [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]]''
* '''Game time:'''
* '''Game weather:'''
* '''Game attendance:''' 20,968
* '''Referee:'''

'''Scoring Drives:'''
* Cleveland – FG Zontini 27
* Cleveland – Kabealo 6 run (West kick)
* Cleveland – Benton 10 run (West kick)
* Chicago-Pittsburgh – Schutz 10 lateral from [[Bob Thurbon|Thurbon]] after 52 kick return (Baker kick)
* Chicago-Pittsburgh – [[Eddie Rucinski|Rucinski]] 40 pass from McDonough (Baker kick)
* Chicago-Pittsburgh – Grigas 3 run (Baker kick)
* Cleveland – Benton 18 pass from Colella (West kick)
* Chicago-Pittsburgh – Butler 67 pass from McDonough (Baker kick)
* Cleveland – Benton 5 pass from Reisz (West kick)

====Week 2 (Sunday, October 8, 1944): [[Green Bay Packers]]====
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road=Card-Pitt
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=0
|R4=7
|Home='''Packers'''
|H1=7
|H2=14
|H3=0
|H4=13
}}
''at [[East Stadium]], [[Green Bay, Wisconsin]]''
* '''Game time:'''
* '''Game weather:'''
* '''Game attendance:''' 16,535
* '''Referee:'''

'''Scoring Drives:'''
* Green Bay – Hutson 55 pass from Comp (Sorenson kick)
* Green Bay – Starreturn 2 run (Hutson kick)
* Green Bay – Hutson 7 pass from Comp (Hutson kick)
* Green Bay – Brock 30 run (kick failed)
* Chicago-Pittsburgh – Butler 33 pass from Grigas (Robbnett kick)
* Green Bay – Perkins 83 interception (Hutson kick)

====Week 3 (Sunday October 15, 1944): [[Chicago Bears]]====
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road=Card-Pitt
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=0
|R4=7
|Home='''Bears'''
|H1=7
|H2=13
|H3=0
|H4=14
}}
''at [[Wrigley Field]], [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]]''
* '''Game time:'''
* '''Game weather:'''
* '''Game attendance:''' 29,940
* '''Referee:'''

'''Scoring Drives:'''
* Chicago Bears – McLean 8 run (Gudauskas kick)
* Chicago Bears – Fordham 1 run (kick failed)
* Chicago Bears – Berry 51 pass from Long (Gudauskas kick)
* Chicago Bears – Berry 15 pass from Ronzani (Gudauskas kick)
* Chicago-Pittsburgh – Thurbon 25 run (Baker kick)
* Chicago Bears – Grygo 8 run (Gudauskas kick)

====Week 4 (Sunday October 22, 1944): [[New York Giants]]====
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road=Card-Pitt
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=0
|R4=0
|Home='''Giants'''
|H1=0
|H2=9
|H3=7
|H4=7
}}
''at [[Polo Grounds]], [[New York, New York]]''
* '''Game time:'''
* '''Game weather:'''
* '''Game attendance:''' 40,734
* '''Referee:'''

'''Scoring Drives:'''
* New York – Paschal 4 run (Strong kick)
* New York – Safety, McCarthy's punt blocked out of end zone by Cope
* New York – Paschal 3 run (Strong kick)
* New York – Paschal 45 run (Cuff kick)

====Week 5 (Sunday October 29, 1944): [[Washington Redskins]]====
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road=Card-Pitt
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=7
|R4=13
|Home='''Redskins'''
|H1=7
|H2=7
|H3=7
|H4=21
}}
''at [[Griffith Stadium]], [[Washington, D.C.]]''
* '''Game time:'''
* '''Game weather:'''
* '''Game attendance:''' 35,540
* '''Referee:'''

'''Scoring Drives:'''
* Washington – Aguirre 58 pass from Filchock (Aguirre kick)
* Washington – Aguirre 47 pass from Filchock (Aguirre kick)
* Chicago-Pittsburgh – Grigas 1 run (Baker kick)
* Washington – Moore 75 run (Weldon kick)
* Chicago-Pittsburgh – Grigas 8 run (kick failed)
* Chicago-Pittsburgh – Currivan 7 pass from Grigas (Baker kick)
* Washington – Seymour 3 run (Weldon kick)
* Washington – Seymour 23 pass from Filchock (Weldon kick)
* Washington – Turley 35 pass from [[Sammy Baugh|Baugh]] (Weldon kick)

====Week 6 (Sunday November 5, 1944): [[Detroit Lions]]====
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road='''Lions'''
|R1=21
|R2=0
|R3=6
|R4=0
|Home=Card-Pitt
|H1=0
|H2=0
|H3=0
|H4=6
}}
''at [[Forbes Field]], [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]]''
* '''Game time:'''
* '''Game weather:'''
* '''Game attendance:''' 17,743
* '''Referee:'''

'''Scoring Drives:'''
* Detroit – Van Tone 19 pass from Westfall (Sinkwich kick)
* Detroit – Westfall 15 pass from Sinkwich (Sinkwich kick)
* Detroit – Sinkwich 5 run (Sinkwich kick)
* Detroit – Van Tone 10 pass from Sinkwich (Sinkwich kick)
* Chicago-Pittsburgh – Bova 8 pass from Grigas (kick failed)

====Week 7 (Sunday November 12, 1944): [[Detroit Lions]]====
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road=Card-Pitt
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=0
|R4=7
|Home='''Lions'''
|H1=7
|H2=7
|H3=0
|H4=7
}}
''at [[Briggs Stadium]], [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]''
* '''Game time:'''
* '''Game weather:'''
* '''Game attendance:''' 13,239
* '''Referee:'''

'''Scoring Drives:'''
* Detroit – Van Tone 1 yard run (Sinkwich kick)
* Detroit – Sinkwich 2 yard run (Sinkwich kick)
* Chicago-Pittsburgh – Thurbon 1 run (Baker kick)
* Detroit – Sinkwich 12 yard run (Sinkwich kick)

====Week 8 (Sunday November 19, 1944): [[Cleveland Rams]]====
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road='''Rams'''
|R1=6
|R2=6
|R3=7
|R4=14
|Home=Card-Pitt
|H1=0
|H2=0
|H3=6
|H4=0
}}
''at [[Comiskey Park]], [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]]''
* '''Game time:'''
* '''Game weather:'''
* '''Game attendance:''' 14,732
* '''Referee:'''

'''Scoring Drives:'''
* Cleveland – Colella 54 pass from Kabealo (kick failed)
* Cleveland – Zontini 1 run (kick failed)
* Cleveland – Pritko 35 pass from Reisz (Zontini kick)
* Chicago-Pittsburgh – Bova 46 pass from Grigas (kick failed)
* Cleveland – Gillette 58 run (Zontini kick)
* Cleveland – Petchel 43 pass from Reisz (Zontini kick)

====Week 9 (Sunday November 26, 1944): [[Green Bay Packers]]====
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road='''Packers'''
|R1=7
|R2=7
|R3=7
|R4=14
|Home=Card-Pitt
|H1=7
|H2=6
|H3=0
|H4=7
}}
''at [[Comiskey Park]], [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]]''
* '''Game time:'''
* '''Game weather:'''
* '''Game attendance:''' 7,158
* '''Referee:'''

'''Scoring Drives:'''
* Chicago-Pittsburgh – Thurbon 1 run (Baker kick)
* Green Bay – Duhart 1 run (Hutson kick)
* Green Bay – Duhart 11 run (Hutson kick)
* Chicago-Pittsburgh – Thurbon 37 pass from Grigas (kick failed)
* Green Bay – Hutson 36 pass from Comp (Hutson kick)
* Green Bay – Hutson 6 pass from Comp (Hutson kick)
* Green Bay – Perkins 40 interception (Hutson kick)
* Chicago-Pittsburgh – Currivan 72 pass from Grigas (Baker kick)

====Week 10 (Sunday December 3, 1944): [[Chicago Bears]]====
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road='''Bears'''
|R1=7
|R2=7
|R3=7
|R4=28
|Home=Card-Pitt
|H1=0
|H2=7
|H3=0
|H4=0
}}
''at [[Forbes Field]], [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]]''
* '''Game time:'''
* '''Game weather:'''
* '''Game attendance:''' 9,069
* '''Referee:'''

'''Scoring Drives:'''
* Chicago Bears – Berry 9 pass from Ronzani (Gudauskas kick)
* Chicago Bears – Fordham 1 run (Gudauskas kick)
* Chicago-Pittsburgh – Thurbon 1 run (Baker kick)
* Chicago Bears – Famiglietti 23 pass from Ronzani (Gudauskas kick)
* Chicago Bears – Margarita 47 run (Gudauskas kick)
* Chicago Bears – Fordham 2 run (Gudauskas kick)
* Chicago Bears – McEnulty 5 pass from Ronzani (Gudauskas kick)
* Chicago Bears – Turner 48 run (Gudauskas kick)

==Roster==
*[[Conway Baker]], G
*[[Vince Banonis]], C
*[[Clarence Booth]], OT
*[[Tony Bova]], LE
*[[Chet Bulger]], RT
*[[John Butler (Running back)|John Butler]], HB
*[[Don Currivan]], E
*[[Ted Doyle]], OT
*[[Cliff Duggan]], OT
*[[John Grigas]], FB
*[[Walt Kichefski]], E
*[[George Magulick]], HB
*[[Lou Marotti]], G
*[[Johnny Martin (American football)|Johnny Martin]], WB
*[[Walt Masters]], B
*[[John McCarthy (American football)|John McCarthy]], QB
*[[Coley McDonough]], QB
*[[Elmer Merkovsky]], G
*[[John Perko (American football, born 1914)|John Perko]], G
*[[John Popovich]], HB
*[[Walt Rankin]], QB
*[[Marshall Robnett]], C
*[[Eddie Rucinski]], E
*[[Elbie Schultz]], LG
*[[Bernie Semes]], HB
*[[Bob Thurbon]], HB
*[[Clint Wager]], E
*[[Al Wukits]], C

==See also==
* [[Defunct National Football League franchises]]
* [[National Football League franchise moves and mergers]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* {{cite journal | title=Card-Pitt: The Carpits | journal=Coffin Corner | publisher=Professional Football Researchers Association | volume=25 | issue=3 | year=2003 | pages=1–8 | url=http://profootballresearchers.com/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/25-03-982.pdf | author=Forr, James}}

{{1944 NFL season by team}}

{{Arizona Cardinals}}
{{Pittsburgh Steelers}}
{{Early PA football}}
{{Defunct Pennsylvania sports teams}}

[[Category:Card-Pitt| ]]
[[Category:Defunct NFL teams]]
[[Category:Defunct sports clubs and teams in Pittsburgh]]
[[Category:American football teams established in 1944]]
[[Category:American football teams disestablished in 1944]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Steelers seasons|1944]]
[[Category:Chicago Cardinals]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Steelers]]
[[Category:Arizona Cardinals seasons|1944]]
[[Category:NFL winless seasons|1944]]
[[Category:Defunct American football teams in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:1944 NFL season]]
[[Category:1944 in sports in Illinois|Chicago Card]]
[[Category:1944 in sports in Pennsylvania|Chicago Card]]