his pay, out of retirement. Three months before the start of the 1943, he submitted a telegram to Anderson: "SIGN NAGURSKI AND PAY FIVE GRAND. STOP.", which was retrieved by Naval decoders who assumed Nagurski was a Japanese spy before forwarding it to Anderson. Nagurski was contacted by Anderson and was offered the money suggested by Halas. He was initially reluctant due to injuries sustained over his career, but the Great Depression resulted in poor prize money and corruption plaguing the wrestling world, while returning to the Bears would him with an opportunity to support his family. Anderson proposed if Nagurski was unable to consistently run, he could play offensive tackle (a position he played at Minnesota in college); additionally, the new free substitution rules implemented for the 1943 season would allow Nagurski to play until he could stop. During Training Camp, Nagurski injured many of his teammates with his physical style of play. In one incident, friend and offensive lineman George Musso refused to block Nagurski, prompting Anderson to do so in his place; although he was 45 years old, Anderson hoped to prove he was still tough to his players. Instead, Nagurski collided with Anderson's breastbone and knocked him out, forcing trainer Andy Lotshaw to assist the coach with smelling salts. Upon recovering, Anderson yelled, "Tell that son of a bitch that I can still whip his ass. But not today." Sid Luckman Bears quarterback Sid Luckman had one of the greatest seasons for a quarterback in NFL history, and certainly the greatest passing season in the history of the early NFL. "Luckman was essentially the player who first fulfilled the position of quarterback as we know it today: the player expected to handle every snap and attempt almost every pass," says Cold Hard Football Facts. "He was also the first to put up modern-looking numbers. When you consider Luckman's numbers in 1943, consider that the league-wide passer rating that year was a meager 48.5. Hell, his 28 TDs, 12 INTs and 107.5 passer rating would be downright impressive in today's game, let alone back in the virtual Stone Age of the NFL. His 10.9 [yards-per-attempt], meanwhile, is simply mind blowing in any era. The Bears scored 30.3 [points-per-game] in 1943. Again, great in any era." Schedule Game summaries Week 1 Playoffs Standings References Further reading Chicago Bears Chicago Bears seasons National Football League championship seasons Chicago Bears