Chicago Rockets 1948 AAFC Football Jersey (36/Small)

Chicago Rockets Game Worn 1948 AAFC Football Jersey

Size: 36 (Small)

Brand/Model: Rawlings Durene Authentic

Condition: 7/10. Jersey has a couple small holes as shown in closeup photos. Otherwise in great shape, especially for a nearly 80 year old jersey.

This incredible antique dates back to the late-40s as evidence by this style of Rawlings tagging. My best guess is that this is either a Chicago Rockets jersey or potentially a college football jerseys. Of course there are dozens of universities that use the colors red and white, so that would be tough to pinpoint. The Chicago Rockets did wear a red jersey like this without sleeve numbers and with this exact striping pattern as shown in the last photo which is from a newspaper clipping from 1948.

The Chicago Rockets were admittedly a terrible team. They finished the 1948 season 1-13 and  had a turnover margin of minus-30, which is tied for the worst in professional football history. Interestingly, the Rockets played their home games in Soldier Field more than 2 decades before it became the home stadium of the Chicago Bears.

The All-America Football Conference (AAFC) was a major professional American footballleague that challenged the established National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many of the nation's best players, and introduced many lasting innovations to the game. However, the AAFC was ultimately unable to sustain itself in competition with the NFL. After it folded, three of its teams were admitted to the NFL: the San Francisco 49ers, the Cleveland Browns and the original Baltimore Colts.

Numbers and tagging on this jersey are all original, but the exact origins are virtually impossible to nail down. Regardless, this piece of history would be an incredible centerpiece for a vintage football collection!

**ball not included**