How Pottsville Lost a Championship Without Losing
Published on July 30th, 2025 12:25 pm ESTWritten By: Dave Manuel
The NFL's only stripped title happened nearly a century ago.In 1925, the Pottsville Maroons beat the Chicago Cardinals 21-7. That win should have sealed the championship. Instead, it triggered one of pro football's most enduring controversies.
Pottsville was a small-town powerhouse. Physical. Disciplined. That December win in Chicago put them atop the standings. But the title never came.
The Maroons scheduled an unauthorized exhibition game in Philadelphia. Their opponent? A team of Notre Dame All-Stars, featuring the legendary Four Horsemen. The venue? Shibe Park - within the protected territory of the Frankford Yellow Jackets.
NFL president Joseph Carr had warned Pottsville not to play. The Maroons defied the order.
The league responded by suspending the franchise and revoking its rights. The 1925 NFL championship was stripped.
Chicago, now back in contention, scheduled two more games to pad their record. One of them, a 59-0 rout of the Milwaukee Badgers, was tainted. Cardinals backup QB Art Folz recruited four high-school players to fill Milwaukee's roster. It was a blatant rules violation.
Despite both teams breaking league policy, only Pottsville paid the price.
Cardinals owner Chris O'Brien declined to accept the title at the time. But history says otherwise. The league still credits Chicago with the championship.
Over the years, the case for Pottsville has only grown louder. Politicians, historians, and even Steelers owner Dan Rooney have backed the Maroons' claim. The NFL has refused to reverse course.
The Pottsville Maroons remain one of pro football's great what-ifs. Champions on the field. Exiled in the record books. A decision nearly 100 years old continues to divide historians, fans, and franchises alike.
