1931 Chicago Bears season

The 1931 season was the Chicago Bears' 12th in the National Football League. The team was unable to improve on their 9–4–1 record from 1930 and finished with an 8–5 record under sophomore head coach Ralph Jones. The club finished in third place once again behind the Green Bay Packers and the Portsmouth Spartans.

Background

The Bears opened the season well, winning three of their first four games, including victories over the Cardinals and Giants. Chicago then dropped two in a row, both at home to the Packers and Yellowjackets. Four consecutive wins in the middle of the season put the Bears back in contention; however, another weak ending, losing two of their last three, made the season somewhat of a disappointment. Grange and Nagurski again carried the team, with 9 touchdowns between them (7 by Grange).

The Bears' biggest weakness was an aging interior line, with few young linemen joining the team who had an impact. They also lacked a consistent kicking game, now that Paddy Driscoll and the Sternaman brothers had all retired. Owner George Halas would remedy these problems over the next few years and get the Bears back on top.

Schedule

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1	September 18	Cleveland Indians	W 21–0	1–0	Loyola Stadium	6,000	Recap
2	September 27	at Green Bay Packers	L 0–7	1–1	City Stadium	13,500	Recap
3	October 11	New York Giants	W 6–0	2–1	Wrigley Field	7,500	Recap
4	October 18	Chicago Cardinals	W 26–13	3–1	Wrigley Field	9,000	Recap
5	October 25	Frankford Yellow Jackets	L 12–13	3–2	Wrigley Field	26,000	Recap
6	November 1	Green Bay Packers	L 2–6	3–3	Wrigley Field	30,000	Recap
7	November 8	Portsmouth Spartans	W 9–6	4–3	Wrigley Field	25,000	Recap
8	November 15	at New York Giants	W 12–6	5–3	Polo Grounds	20,000	Recap
9	November 22	at Brooklyn Dodgers	W 26–0	6–3	Ebbets Field	25,000	Recap
10	November 26	Chicago Cardinals	W 18–7	7–3	Wrigley Field	14,000	Recap
11	November 29	at Portsmouth Spartans	L 0–3	7–4	Universal Stadium	9,000	Recap
12	December 6	Green Bay Packers	W 7–6	8–4	Wrigley Field	18,000	Recap
13	December 13	New York Giants	L 6–25	8–5	Wrigley Field	8,000	Recap

Roster

Future Hall of Fame players

• Red Grange, back
• Link Lyman, tackle
• Bronko Nagurski, fullback
• George Trafton, center

Other leading players

• Carl Brumbaugh, quarterback
• Garland Grange, end
• Luke Johnsos, end
• Keith Molesworth, back
• William Senn, back

Other players

• Joe Lintzenich, FB/HB

Players departed from 1930

• Joe Sternaman, quarterback (retired)