After 4 years playing at larger Philadelphia Municipal Stadium the Eagles move to Shibe Park for the 1940 season. The reason for the change was financial — stadium rent was set to go up $400 per game, an amount the struggling Eagles could ill-afford.[2] In February, Eagles owner Bert Bell met with Connie Mack and hammered out an agreement for the team to play all six of their home games at Shibe — two in the afternoon and four under the lights at night.[2]
The 1940 NFL draft was held on December 9, 1939. This year again it was to have 22 rounds, with each team getting 20 picks. The weaker teams only picked in the 2nd and 4th rounds and were passed over in rounds 21 and 22.
The Eagles and Pittsburgh Pirates, before being called Steelers, both finished with 1–9–1, .100 records, but the 1939 Chicago Cardinals ended up at 1–10, .091 and would get the first pick in the draft. The Eagles and Pirates would alternate picking 2nd or 3rd in each round.
Player selections
The table shows the Eagles selections and what picks they had that were traded away and the team that ended up with that pick. It is possible the Eagles' pick ended up with this team via another team that the Eagles made a trade with. Not shown are acquired picks that the Eagles traded away.
Eighth round draft pick Don Looney led the NFL in receiving yards as a rookie in 1940. His career would be cut short by World War II.
Lions – Whizzer White 7-yard rush (Chuck Hanneman kick)
Lions – Whizzer White 5-yard rush (Chuck Hanneman kick)
Game 10: Pittsburgh Steelers
Thursday November 28, 1940 – Thanksgiving Day
1
2
3
4
Final
Pittsburgh Steelers (2–7–2)
0
0
0
0
0
Philadelphia Eagles (1–9–0)
0
0
0
7
7
SCORING PLAYS
PITT
PHIL
TIME
4th
Eagles
Eagles Dick Riffle 17-yard rush (George Somers kick)
0
7
Game 11: at Washington Redskins
Sunday, December 1, 1940
This was the Eagles 2nd game in 3 days.
1
2
3
4
Total
Philadelphia Eagles (1–10–0)
0
0
0
6
6
Washington Redskins (9–2–0)
0
6
7
0
13
Scoring 1st Quarter Scoring Plays
NONE
2nd Quarter Scoring Plays
Redskins – Wilbur Moore 23-yard rush (kick failed)
3rd Quarter Scoring Plays
Redskins – Dick Todd 6-yard rush (Bob Masterson kick)
4th Quarter Scoring Plays
Eagles – Frank Emmons 19-yard pass from Davey O'Brien (kick failed)
Playoffs
The Eagles with a 1–10–1 record finished last in the NFL Eastern Division and fail to make it to the 1940 NFL Championship Game. The game was played at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C., on December 8, 1940. The Chicago Bears, with an 8–3 record, defeated the Washington Redskins, with a 9–2 record, 73–0, the most one-sided victory in NFL history. The Bears scored on 3 interception returns of Washington passes during the game. This was the first NFL title game that was broadcast nationwide on radio by Mutual Broadcasting System.
In December 1940, Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney sold the Steelers to Alexis Thompson and used half of the proceeds to buy a half interest in the Philadelphia Eagles from his friend Bert Bell. Before the start of the 1941 season Rooney, Bell, and Thompson swapped city and NFL rights for Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Steelers players of 1940 and before thereby became Philadelphia Eagles and the Philadelphia Eagles players of 1940 and before likewise became members of the Pittsburgh Steelers – with the exception of several players who were traded between the two teams.
Award and honors
Davey O'Brien leads league with 227 pass attempts
Davey O'Brien leads league with 124 pass completions
Davey O'Brien finishes 2nd in league with 1227 passing yards
Don Looney leads league in passes caught with 58
Don Looney leads league in passing yards with 707 yards
Dick Bassi makes Pro All-Star team as a left guard
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