Age: 27 (Nov. 21)
5th season in pro
football & with Bears
College: Columbia
Height: 6’0” Weight: 195
Prelude:
The Bears traded up to the
second spot in the 1939 NFL draft to take Luckman, who had been a star
single-wing tailback in college. Following a difficult rookie season of
transitioning to T-formation quarterback (he played at halfback for part of the
year), he led the Bears to championships in 1940 and ’41 and was an All-Pro
selection in 1941 and ’42. Luckman was intelligent and an excellent tactician
on the field as well as an outstanding passer from any range.
1943 Season Summary
Appeared in all 10 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate
league rank in Top 20]
Passing
Attempts – 202 [2]
Completions – 110 [2]
Yards – 2194 [1]
Completion percentage – 54.5 [2]
Yards per attempt – 10.9 [1]
TD passes – 28 [1]
Most TD passes, game – 7 at NY
Giants 11/14
Interceptions – 12 [5, tied with Tony Canadeo]
Passer rating – 107.5 [1](Ranked
2nd by system used at time)
Rushing
Attempts – 22
Yards – -40
Yards per attempt – -1.8
TDs – 1
Punting
Punts – 34 [5]
Yards – 1220
Average – 35.9 [9]
Punts blocked – 1
Longest punt – 78 yards
Interceptions
Interceptions – 4 [10, tied with four others]
Return yards – 85 [7]
TDs – 0
Kickoff Returns
Returns – 1
Yards – 7
Average per return – 7.0
TDs – 0
Punt Returns
Returns – 4
Yards – 46
Average per return – 11.5
TDs – 0
Longest return – 14 yards
Scoring
TDs – 1
Points – 6
Postseason: 1 G (NFL
Championship vs. Washington
Pass attempts – 26
Pass completions – 15
Passing yardage – 286
TD passes – 5
Interceptions – 0
Rushing attempts – 8
Rushing yards – 64
Average gain rushing – 8.0
Rushing TDs – 0
Interceptions – 2
Return yards – 39
TDs – 0
Punts – 5
Yards – 74
Average – 24.7
Punt returns – 2
Yards – 32
Average per return – 16.0
TDs – 0
Awards & Honors:
NFL MVP: Joe F. Carr Trophy
1st team All-NFL:
AP, UPI, INS, Chicago Herald-American, Pro Football Illustrated, NY Daily News
Bears went 8-1-1 to win Western
Division while leading the league in total yards (3961), passing yards (2310),
scoring (315 points), and touchdowns (45). Defeated Washington
Aftermath:
Having joined the Merchant
Marine, Luckman missed part of the 1944 season but was still selected as a
consensus first-team All-Pro for the fourth straight year. He came back to lead
the NFL in passing yards (1727) and TD passes (14) in ’45 and did so again in
1946 with 1826 yards and 17 touchdowns along with a league-leading 8.0 yards
per attempt. The Bears won the NFL Championship, their fourth with Luckman at
quarterback. He was a first-team All-Pro for one last time in 1947 as he threw
for a career-high 2712 yards and again led the league in yards per attempt
(8.4) although he also led in interceptions (31, by far his career high). He
played three more seasons, largely as a backup to Johnny Lujack, and retired in
1950. Overall, his passing totals of 14,686 yards and 137 TD passes seem modest
by modern standards, but his 8.4 yards per attempt still rank second all-time
and his record of 28 TD passes in ’43 remained the NFL standard until 1959. The
Bears retired Luckman’s #42 and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of
Fame, Class of 1965.
--
MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL,
AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized
organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper
Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell
Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself).
[Updated 2/9/14]
[Updated 2/9/14]
