[1] Before the season, Elmer Layden was named the first Commissioner of the NFL, while Carl Storck resigned as league president.

In addition to these rule changes, this season marked the first time that the league commissioner became involved in enforcement of player conduct standards.

Commissioner Elmer Layden in August assessed $25 fines on Green Bay Packers quarterback Larry Craig and New York Giants halfback Hank Soar for fighting.

In the Eastern Division, the Redskins held a half-game after nine weeks of play: at 5–1–0, their only loss had been 17–10 to the 5–2-0 Giants, who had lost two games in a row.

On the afternoon of December 7, 1941, on the day Japanese planes bombed Pearl Harbor, the Bears were losing to the Cardinals, 0–14, and trailed 24–20 in the fourth quarter before rallying for a 34–24 win.

[6] Although it was the brother of a Chicago Bear — Pug Manders of the Brooklyn Dodgers — that led the league in rushing, three of the top ten ball-carriers in 1941 hailed from George S. Halas' team.

[8] In this era still dominated by the single-wing formation, it was many times the left halfback ("tailback") that handled the bulk of passing duties, with the quarterback ("blocking back") primarily serving as an obstruction or a receiver.