The New York Giants season was the franchise's 17th season in the National Football League.
The Giants managed to put together quite a respectable team this year. Ed Danowski was lured out of retirement, Tuffy Leemans' back healed, and Mel Hein was talked out of a potential retirement. The Giants sailed through their first five gamesâÂÂonly the Washington Redskins came within a touchdown of them as they outscored their first five opponents, 122âÂÂ27. But the Brooklyn Dodgers, coached by Jock Sutherland and guided on the field by All-Pro Ace Parker, proved the Giants' most formidable opponents, dealing them two of their three defeats this year.
The Giants clinched the Eastern Division title weeks in advance of the regular season finale, but no NFL players could have been prepared for the Attack on Pearl Harbor to occur less than fifteen minutes before kickoff of week 14; the three games that day were not interrupted. At the Polo Grounds no official announcements were made, except for a page for OSS head, Col. William J. Donovan, to call his office immediately. After the game, another announcement requested that all military personnel return to their stations. A bye week was observed before proceeding to the championship game.