1937 Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL) season

The 1937 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the team's fifth season as a professional sports club in the National Football League (NFL). The team hired John McNally as head coach after John Bach stepped down during the offseason. McNally was a former player, who played halfback for the Pirates during the 1934 season. His team finished with another 4–7 record however, McNally was welcomed back the next season.

Offseason

Draft

Regular season

Schedule

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1 (Sunday September 5, 1937): Philadelphia Eagles

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 8,588
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Brett 39 pass from Thompson (Weinstock kick)
• Philadelphia – Hanson 3 run (Smukler kick)
• Pittsburgh – Davidson 19 pass from Gildea (Niccolai kick)
• Philadelphia – Hewitt 7 pass from Smukler (Smukler kick)
• Pittsburgh – McNally 92 kick return (Breeden kick)
• Pittsburgh – McNally 44 pass from Fiske (kick failed)

Week 2 (Sunday September 19, 1937): Brooklyn Dodgers

at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, New York

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 18,000
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Karcis 3 run (Kakasic kick)
• Pittsburgh – Gildea 1 run (Kakasic kick)
• Pittsburgh – McNally 6 pass from Fiske (Niccolai kick)

Week 3 (Sunday September 26, 1937): New York Giants

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 33,095
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• New York – Richards 13 pass from Danowski (Manton kick)
• Pittsburgh – Karcis 4 run (Niccolai kick)
• New York – FG Manton 13

Week 4 (Monday October 4, 1937): Chicago Bears

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 22,511
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Chicago Bears – Nolting 13 run (Manders kick)

Week 5 (Sunday October 10, 1937): Detroit Lions

at Titan Stadium, Detroit, Michigan

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 16,000
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Niccolai 11
• Detroit – Caddel 2 run (Clark kick)

Week 6 (Sunday October 17, 1937): Washington Redskins

at Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 12,835
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Washington – Battles 65 interception (Smith kick)
• Pittsburgh – McNally 43 pass from Fiske (Weinstock kick)
• Pittsburgh – Thompson 55 pass from McNally (kick blocked)
• Washington – Malone 7 pass from Baugh
• Washington – Justice 3 pass from Smith (Smith kick)
• Washington – Battles 60 run (Smith kick)
• Washington – Battles 62 run (Smith kick)
• Pittsburgh – McNally 2 pass from Karcis (Niccolai kick)

Week 7 (Sunday October 24, 1937): Chicago Cardinals

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 8,963
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Chicago Cardinals – Deskin 18 pass from Coffee (May kick)
• Chicago Cardinals – Lawrence 2 run (kick failed)
• Pittsburgh – Davidson 65 pass from Fiske (Weinstock kick)

Week 8 (Sunday October 31, 1937): Philadelphia Eagles

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 2,772
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Philadelphia – Pilconis 22 fumble run (Smukler kick)
• Pittsburgh – Davidson 87 interception (kick failed)
• Pittsburgh – FG Niccolai 27
• Pittsburgh – Sortet 26 pass from Gildea (Niccolai kick)

Week 9 (Sunday November 7, 1937): New York Giants

at Polo Grounds, New York, NY

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 21,447
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• New York – Burnett 5 pass from Danowski (Manton kick)
• New York – FG Cuf 35
• New York – Soar 25 interception

Week 10 (Sunday November 14, 1937): Washington Redskins

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 12,000
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Washington – Pinckert 3 pass from Smith (kick failed)
• Pittsburgh – Davidson 68 run (Weinstock kick)
• Pittsburgh – Safety, Baugh tackled in end zone by Mayhew
• Pittsburgh – FG Niccolai 21
• Washington – Justice 40 pass from Baugh (Smith kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Niccolai 41
• Pittsburgh – Karcis 21 run (kick failed)

Week 11 (Sunday November 21, 1937): Brooklyn Dodgers

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 3,706
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Brooklyn – Parker 2 run (Parker kick)
• Brooklyn – Parker 44 punt return (kick failed)
• Brooklyn – FG Maniaci 29
• Brooklyn – Mitchell 15 pass from Parker (Maniaci kick)

Roster

Standings

References