[1] The season ended with the Chicago Bears defeating the New York Giants at Wrigley Field in the NFL Championship Game.
With the first pick, the Los Angeles Rams selected quarterback Terry Baker from Oregon State, the Heisman Trophy winner.
[2][3] In week 11 on November 24, just two days after the assassination of President Kennedy, the NFL played its normal schedule of games.
League commissioner Rozelle said about playing the games: "It has been traditional in sports for athletes to perform in times of great personal tragedy.
Although the fourth-year American Football League (AFL) postponed its schedule, the NFL chose to play, although the games were not televised due to round-the-clock network TV coverage of the assassination aftermath.
The Giants lost at home to St. Louis, 24–17, while Cleveland beat visiting Dallas 27–17, to give the three teams identical 8–3–0 records.
The Bears were losing at Pittsburgh, until Roger Leclerc kicked a field goal to get a 17–17 tie, and to stay half a game ahead of Green Bay.
Under the rules of the day (ties discarded), a Pittsburgh win over the Giants would have resulted with New York at 10–4–0 (.714) and the Steelers at 8–3–3 (.727) and the trip to the championship game.
The Bears' 24–14 win over Detroit at Wrigley Field on Sunday afternoon was announced to the Packers during their flight home, ending their pursuit of a third consecutive league title.
Green Bay played in the consolation Playoff Bowl in Miami against East runner-up Cleveland on January 5.