1961 NFL Season
Leaders
Passing Yards: Jurgensen (PHI) - 4,339...Brodie (SFO) - 3,073...Unitas (BAL) - 3,038...Snead (NYG) - 3,010...Starr (GNB) - 2,519
Rushing Yards: Brown (CLE) - 1,362...Taylor (GNB) - 1,199...Smith (SFO) - 945...Webster (NYG) - 895...Perry (BLC) - 734
Receiving Yards: McDonald (PHI) - 1,388...Dugan (WAS) - 1,170...Berry (BLC) - 1,104...Shofner (NYG) - 1,101...Cogdill (DET) - 1,090
Scoring: Watson (PHI) - 156...Taylor (GNB) - 120...Groza (CLE) - 112...Hornung (GNB) - 106...Davis (SFO) - 99
Interceptions: Kerr (WAS) - 12...Bishop (DAL) - 11...Sample (PIT) - 10...Patton (NYG) - 10...Gremminger (GNB) - 8
Sacks: Marchetti (BLC) - 13...Katcavage (NYG) - 13...Stautner (PIT) - 12...Robustelli (NYG) - 8...Braase (BLC) - 10
Division Winners
Eastern - NY Giants (13-1)
Western - San Francisco (11-3)
Passing Yards: Jurgensen (PHI) - 4,339...Brodie (SFO) - 3,073...Unitas (BAL) - 3,038...Snead (NYG) - 3,010...Starr (GNB) - 2,519
Rushing Yards: Brown (CLE) - 1,362...Taylor (GNB) - 1,199...Smith (SFO) - 945...Webster (NYG) - 895...Perry (BLC) - 734
Receiving Yards: McDonald (PHI) - 1,388...Dugan (WAS) - 1,170...Berry (BLC) - 1,104...Shofner (NYG) - 1,101...Cogdill (DET) - 1,090
Scoring: Watson (PHI) - 156...Taylor (GNB) - 120...Groza (CLE) - 112...Hornung (GNB) - 106...Davis (SFO) - 99
Interceptions: Kerr (WAS) - 12...Bishop (DAL) - 11...Sample (PIT) - 10...Patton (NYG) - 10...Gremminger (GNB) - 8
Sacks: Marchetti (BLC) - 13...Katcavage (NYG) - 13...Stautner (PIT) - 12...Robustelli (NYG) - 8...Braase (BLC) - 10
Division Winners
Eastern - NY Giants (13-1)
Western - San Francisco (11-3)
NFL CHAMPIONSHIP - San Francisco 49ers at New York Giants
December 31, 1961 at Yankee Stadium
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/4/6/18466176/700574.jpg)
The 1961 NFL championship game was quite as exciting as last year's. Unless you are a fan of the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers exploded out to a 21-0 led in the first quarter and never looked back as they thumped the New York Giants 42-17 in the cold, pouring rain, to win their first NFL championship.
Billy Kilmer started the scoring with a 7 yard TD run. Minutes later C.R. Roberts found paydirt via a 25 yard TD run. Then the San Francisco defense got in on the action when Matt Hazeltine intercepted Chuck Conerly's errant pass and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown, stunning the 58,000 plus in attendance at Yankee Stadium.
Pat Summerall kicked a 13 yard field goal early in the 2nd quarter to make it a 21-3 game. The 49ers came right back with a seven yard scoring pass from John Brodie to Clyde Conner upping the San Francisco lead to 28-3. That would be the score at halftime.
In the 3rd quarter Brodie tossed a short six yard TD pass to Abe Woodson, upping the score to 35-3 and sending most of the wet, cold crowd to the exits. Brodie only complete three passes in the horrible weather, but two of them were for touchdowns.The Giants managed a couple of touchdowns in the 4th quarter. Alex Webster caught a TD pass from Connerly and Bob Gaiters scored on a one yard plunge to make it a 35-17 game, but then J.D. Smith scored on a 27 yard run for the 49ers to officially ice the game and produce the final score of 42-17.
MVP: Dan Colchico (SFO): 6 Tackles, 1 Stuff, Sack, Forced Fumble, Fumble Recovery
For New York: Conerly 8/22, 56yds, TD, 2INT...Webster 53yds rushing, 26yds receiving...Katcavage 8tkls.
For San Francisco: Brodie 3/12, 58yds, 2TD, 2INT...Smith 98yds rushing, TD...Kilmer 42yds rushing, TD...Conner 52yds receiving...Hazeltine 7tkls, INT, TD,
Billy Kilmer started the scoring with a 7 yard TD run. Minutes later C.R. Roberts found paydirt via a 25 yard TD run. Then the San Francisco defense got in on the action when Matt Hazeltine intercepted Chuck Conerly's errant pass and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown, stunning the 58,000 plus in attendance at Yankee Stadium.
Pat Summerall kicked a 13 yard field goal early in the 2nd quarter to make it a 21-3 game. The 49ers came right back with a seven yard scoring pass from John Brodie to Clyde Conner upping the San Francisco lead to 28-3. That would be the score at halftime.
In the 3rd quarter Brodie tossed a short six yard TD pass to Abe Woodson, upping the score to 35-3 and sending most of the wet, cold crowd to the exits. Brodie only complete three passes in the horrible weather, but two of them were for touchdowns.The Giants managed a couple of touchdowns in the 4th quarter. Alex Webster caught a TD pass from Connerly and Bob Gaiters scored on a one yard plunge to make it a 35-17 game, but then J.D. Smith scored on a 27 yard run for the 49ers to officially ice the game and produce the final score of 42-17.
MVP: Dan Colchico (SFO): 6 Tackles, 1 Stuff, Sack, Forced Fumble, Fumble Recovery
For New York: Conerly 8/22, 56yds, TD, 2INT...Webster 53yds rushing, 26yds receiving...Katcavage 8tkls.
For San Francisco: Brodie 3/12, 58yds, 2TD, 2INT...Smith 98yds rushing, TD...Kilmer 42yds rushing, TD...Conner 52yds receiving...Hazeltine 7tkls, INT, TD,