1928 Detroit Wolverines (NFL) season explained

Team:Detroit Wolverines (NFL)
Year:1928
Record:7–2–1
League Place:3rd NFL
Coach:LeRoy Andrews
Previous:1926 (Panthers)
Next:1929 (NY Giants)
Shortnavlink:Other seasons

The 1928 Detroit Wolverines season was their first and only season in the league, after relocating from Cleveland in the offseason.[1] The team went 7–2–1, [2] finishing third in the league; their two losses came to Frankford and Providence, the NFL's top two teams.

The Wolverines, led by star quarterback Benny Friedman, also met the New York Giants twice: an easy 28-0 win in Detroit and a 19-19 tie[3] at the Polo Grounds in New York. Ironically, this proved to be the team's downfall, as the Wolverines piqued the interest of Giants owner Tim Mara, who wanted to acquire Friedman and Detroit's other star players.

Mara did so by buying the entire Detroit franchise, and promptly shutting it down, thus delivering Friedman et al to New York.

The NFL would not return to the Motor City until 1934, when the Portsmouth Spartans moved to Detroit and were rebranded as the Lions.

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResult
1October 14, 1928 at New York YankeesW 35–12
2October 21, 1928New York GiantsW 28–0
3October 28, 1928 at Chicago BearsW 6–0
4November 3, 1928at Frankford Yellow JacketsL 25–7
5November 4, 1928at Providence Steam RollerL 7–0
6November 11, 1928at New York GiantsT 19–19
7November 18, 1928New York YankeesW 13–0
8November 25, 1928at Chicago BearsW 14–7
9November 29, 1928Dayton TrianglesW 33–0
10December 9, 1928at New York YankeesW 34–6

Players

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cleveland Bulldogs - Ohio History Central.
  2. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dwl/1928.htm 1928 Detroit Wolverines
  3. This contest (as of 2024) is the only game in NFL history to end with this score, thus creating a scorigami.