What Is 1928 Dayton Triangles football team

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Last updated: April 14, 2026

Quick Answer: The 1928 Dayton Triangles were a professional football team based in Dayton, Ohio, playing in the National Football League (NFL). They finished the season with a 4–4–1 record under head coach Dewey Scanlon, marking their final year as a standalone franchise before relocating and becoming the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1930.

Key Facts

The 1928 Dayton Triangles finished with a 4–4–1 win-loss-tie record
Dewey Scanlon was the head coach for the 1928 season
The team played its home games at Triangle Park in Dayton, Ohio
1928 was the Triangles' ninth and final season as an independent NFL franchise
The franchise relocated to Brooklyn in 1930 and became the Brooklyn Dodgers

Overview

The 1928 Dayton Triangles represented Dayton, Ohio, in the National Football League (NFL), marking their ninth season in the league since joining in 1920 as one of the founding teams. Despite their historical significance, the 1928 season reflected a period of decline, as the team struggled to maintain competitiveness amid growing financial and logistical challenges.

Under head coach Dewey Scanlon, the Triangles posted a modest 4–4–1 record, a slight improvement from their 1927 performance. The team played its home games at Triangle Park, a modest wooden stadium near the Great Miami River, which had limited seating and infrastructure compared to larger-market teams in the NFL.

Record: The 1928 Dayton Triangles finished the season with a 4–4–1 win-loss-tie record, placing them in the lower half of the 11-team league standings.
Head Coach: Dewey Scanlon led the team for the second consecutive year, taking over after previous coach Carl Storck stepped down following the 1926 season.
Home Field: Triangle Park in Dayton, Ohio, served as the team’s home venue, a small wooden stadium with a capacity of approximately 5,000 spectators.
Final Season: 1928 was the last year the team operated as the Dayton Triangles before suspending operations and relocating in 1930.
Historical Legacy: The Triangles were one of the NFL’s original franchises, having joined in 1920, and played a foundational role in the league’s early development.

How It Works

The structure and operation of early NFL teams like the 1928 Dayton Triangles differed significantly from today’s professional football organizations, reflecting the league’s formative and unstable nature during the 1920s.

Franchise Model: Teams operated as semi-independent entities with minimal league oversight; the Triangles were owned and managed locally by a group of Dayton businessmen.
Player Contracts: Rosters were fluid, with players often doubling as factory workers or holding other jobs; salaries were low, averaging between $50 and $100 per game.
Schedule Flexibility: The NFL did not enforce a standardized schedule; teams arranged many of their games independently, leading to uneven competition and varying numbers of games played.
Travel & Logistics: Teams traveled by train or car, often playing road games on short rest; the Triangles frequently faced long trips to face teams in Chicago, Cleveland, and New York.
Game Rules: The 1928 season followed standard NFL rules of the time, including a 10-minute overtime period and a 6–0 scoring system for touchdowns and field goals.
Financial Model: Revenue came primarily from gate receipts; the Triangles struggled financially due to low attendance, averaging fewer than 2,000 fans per home game in 1928.

Comparison at a Glance

Here’s how the 1928 Dayton Triangles compared to other notable NFL teams of the era:

Team	Record (W-L-T)	Coach	Home Stadium	Final Standing
Dayton Triangles	4–4–1	Dewey Scanlon	Triangle Park	7th in NFL
Providence Steam Roller	8–1–2	Arnold “Red” Dunn	Independence Park	1st (champions)
Green Bay Packers	6–6–0	Curly Lambeau	City Stadium	Tied 4th
Chicago Bears	7–2–2	George Halas	Wrigley Field	2nd
New York Giants	2–8–0	LeRoy Andrews	Yankee Stadium	10th

The table highlights that while the Triangles were not among the worst teams, their inconsistent performance and limited resources placed them in the middle tier. Unlike the Providence Steam Roller, who won the 1928 title, or the Bears and Packers, who had stronger financial backing, the Triangles lacked the infrastructure to sustain long-term success.

Why It Matters

The 1928 Dayton Triangles represent a crucial chapter in the evolution of professional football, illustrating both the pioneering spirit and the economic fragility of early NFL franchises.

Historical Foundation: As one of the NFL’s original teams, the Triangles helped establish the legitimacy of professional football during its infancy.
Regional Representation: The team brought major-league sports to a small Midwestern city, fostering local pride and community engagement.
Franchise Mobility: The Triangles’ eventual move to Brooklyn in 1930 set a precedent for team relocations, a common feature in modern professional sports.
Economic Challenges: Their financial struggles underscored the difficulties small-market teams faced in sustaining operations without national revenue streams.
Legacy in Football History: Despite folding, the Triangles’ records and contributions are preserved in NFL archives, recognizing their role in league history.
Influence on League Structure: The instability of teams like Dayton prompted future NFL reforms, including revenue sharing and standardized scheduling.

The 1928 season, though unremarkable on the field, symbolizes the transitional phase of the NFL—from a loosely organized regional circuit to a more structured national league.