American Football History Timeline

On January 18, 1951, Rule revisions were adopted at the annual NFL meetings. A rule was instituted that made guards, tackles, and centers ineligible to receive the forward pass, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This rule change led to making the game what it is today, as there can only be 6 eligible receivers on any given play, the widest player on each end of the line, and the four in the backfield. The NFL took control of the original failing Baltimore Colts franchise. Colts owner Abraham Watner returned the Baltimore franchise and its player contracts to the NFL for $50,000. These former Baltimore Colts players were made available in the upcoming 1951 NFL Draft, along with college players. The Colts were originally members of the AAFC, and when that league disbanded, they, along with the Browns and the 49ers, were absorbed into the NFL. In 1953, the Baltimore Colts' name was revived when the NFL granted permission for a struggling Dallas Texans franchise to be taken over by the League. NFL Commissioner Bert Bell challenged the city of Baltimore to sell 15,000 season tickets within six weeks, and when they succeeded, the franchise was sold to Carroll Rosenbloom, who then opened up shop as the Baltimore Colts. Robert Irsay acquired the Los Angeles Rams franchise in 1972 and then subsequently engineered a big trade of teams with Carroll Rosenbloom that year. Twelve years later, on March 28, 1984, Irsay moved the Colts to Indianapolis.

January 18, 1951, Speaking of that 1951 NFL Draft, it took place right after the meeting above was completed. Kyle Rote from SMU was the first pick by the New York Giants. Future Hall of Famers that came out of this Draft were quarterback Y.A. Tittle as the 3rd overall pick by the 49ers, Dan Stanfel by the Lions at 19, and the Bears taking Bill George with the 23rd pick. The Pro-Football-Reference.com website also tells us that other future Pro Football Hall of Famers, Mike McCormack was taken by the New York Yanks, Art Donovan by the Browns, Detroit's pick of Jack Christiansen, and a guy by the name of Don Shula was picked by the Browns. (source)

On January 18, 1963, Al Davis became the head coach and general manager of the Oakland Raiders. Davis had an extremely interesting ride in his pro football career. Al turned the Raiders into winners in 1963, posting a 10-4 record in the AFL after the franchise had managed only a dismal 9-33 record in the three seasons prior to Davis being hired as coach. Soon after, in 1966, according to a bleacherreport.com article, Al Davis was selected to serve as the AFL Commissioner and held that position until the league merged with the NFL. It was after this point that Davis returned to Oakland, where he served as a co-owner of the franchise, eventually becoming the majority owner and the main decision-maker.  

January 18, 1970 - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum - The 20th NFL Pro Bowl featured the Western Conference outlasting the Eastern Conference, 16-13. Chicago Bears legendary halfback Gale Sayers and George Andrie, the defensive end of the Dallas Cowboys, were selected as the game’s Most Valuable Players per the Onthisday.com website.

January 18, 1976 - Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida - The NFL World Championship was settled in Super Bowl X. The Dallas Cowboys, winners of the NFC, were matched up against the AFC champs, the Pittsburgh Steelers. These two teams were filled with future Pro Football Hall of Famers. In fact, there were 12 in all. The Cowboys fielded Roger Staubach, Rayfield Wright, Mel Renfro, and Cliff Harris, while the Steelers countered with Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Jack Lambert, Mel Blount, Joe Greene, Jack Ham, John Stalworth, and Lynn Swann. The Head coaches Chuck Noll and Tom Landry also ended up getting their busts in Canton, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com. The Cowboys had a three-point lead at the half, but the majority of the scoring took place in the final stanza. It was the Steelers who put up two touchdowns in the fourth quarter by some iconic acrobatic catches by Lynn Swann to overcome the Cowboys' late charge. The final score was the Pittsburgh Steelers 21 to 17 points over the Dallas Cowboys. Lynn Swann was an obvious choice as the game’s MVP.

On January 18, 1983, the International Olympic Committee restored Jim Thorpe's Olympic medals for winning both the Pentathlon and Decathlon, 70 years after they were taken from him, according to an NDNsports.com article. At the 1912 Olympic Games, Thorpe became the first Native American to win Olympic gold, years before his people were recognized as American citizens. After his performance at the Games, Sweden’s King Gustav V called Jim Thorpe “The World’s Greatest Athlete.” The victory and the world acclaim were soured, though, about six months later, when it was uncovered that in 1909 and 1910, Thorpe had allegedly had his room and board paid for by a semi-pro baseball team he had played for. The IOC almost immediately stripped Thorpe of the medals and took his name out of the record books while refusing to hear Thorpe’s side of the story of allegedly receiving what would amount to be $25 of his expenses being paid for. After decades of petitioning and the release of 1912 IOC documents, the Olympic governing board returned Thorpe's medals but erroneously listed him as a co-champion of the events. Sorry, there should not be any asterisks next to this great athlete’s name!

January 18, 2000- Robert Wood Johnson IV, the heir to Johnson & Johnson, was approved by the NFL at the owners' meeting to purchase the New York Jets franchise.

January 18, 2004 - Gillette Stadium, Foxborough - The AFC Championship game ended with the New England Patriots defeating the Indianapolis Colts, 24-14.

On January 18, 2004, the NFC Championship was played at Philly’s Lincoln Financial Field, where the Carolina Panthers overcame the home team Philadelphia Eagles, 14-3.

January 18, 2009 - Heinz Field, Pittsburgh - The 2008 AFC Championship game resulted in a Pittsburgh Steelers 23-14 victory over their AFC North rivals, the Baltimore Ravens. Check out our full story on this game.

The January 18, 2009, NFC Championship was played at  the University of Phoenix Stadium. In the game, the Arizona Cardinals knocked off the Philadelphia Eagles, 32-25.

January 18, 2015 - Gillette Stadium, Foxborough - The AFC Championship finished up with the New England Patriots outmatching the Indianapolis Colts, 45-7.

January 18, 2015  - CenturyLink Field, Seattle - The NFC Championship resulted in the Seattle Seahawks taking out the Green Bay Packers, 28-22 in overtime!

On January 19, 1952, the NFL took control of the NY Yanks, according to a story on ProFootballTalk.NBCSports.com. The Yanks, who really got their League start in 1945 when the Brooklyn team reassembled the Yanks franchise that left the NFL in the mid 1940’s and went into the All-America Football Conference. They played as the AAFC’s Boston Yanks for three seasons from 1946 to 1948. In 1949, the franchise changed homes again, returning to the Big Apple as the New York Bulldogs and playing at the Polo Grounds alongside the New York Giants. In the 1950 season, the Bulldogs changed their name back to the Yanks. Later in 1952, the NFL purchased the Yanks from owner Ted Collins. The franchise then moved to Dallas for the upcoming season and adopted the Texans moniker. It was not a good move as the team was not very good, and fan support in the Dallas area was not strong. The team struggled, losing 11 of 12 games. By season’s end, the league had taken over the team and moved its headquarters to Hershey, Pennsylvania. In the end, the Texans folded operations, and, as we discussed in the January 18 edition of the Football History Headlines, they eventually morphed into the second incarnation of the Baltimore Colts.

January 19, 1958 - The Canadian Football League is officially founded. According to an article on CFLHOF.ca, the League is the highest level of professional football in Canada.

January 19, 1964 - Balboa Stadium, San Diego, California - The 3rd annual AFL All-Star Game resulted in the Western Division outlasting the Eastern Division by the close score of 27-24. The Most Valuable Players were LA Chargers rushing weapon Keith Lincoln and Oakland Raiders linebacker Archie Matsos, per Onthisday.com.

January 19, 1969 - Gator Bowl, Jacksonville - The 8th AFL All-Star Game was moved to Jacksonville. In the game, it was the Western Division Stars who vanquished their Eastern Division rivals 38-25. According to the RemembertheAFL.com website, the MVPs were Len Dawson, the great quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs, and Houston Oilers linebacker George Webster. This game took place one week after the AFL had what may have been its greatest triumph ever, when the Jets defeated the Colts in what later became known as Super Bowl III.

January 19, 1969 - LA Memorial Coliseum - The 19th NFL Pro Bowl had the West edging out the East, 10-7, according to Onthisday.com. The Most Valuable Players were appropriate for the home crowd, both Los Angeles Rams, as Merlin Olsen, the defensive tackle, and Quarterback Roman Gabriel took home the honors.

January 19, 2002, "Tuck Rule Game"  or the AFC Divisional Playoff Game, where, with less than 2 minutes to play in regulation, the New England Patriots were trailing the Oakland Raiders, 13-10, in a driving snowstorm. The American Football Database says that the Patriots drove the ball down the field, and while they were still slightly out of field goal range, Brady dropped back to pass and then was hit by a blitzing Charles Woodson of the Raiders, jarring the ball out of Brady’s hand. Raiders linebacker Greg Biekert dove on the ball and was initially credited with a recovered fumble. The on-field officials ruled it a fumble, but after instant replay, the call was overturned, and the play was ruled an incomplete pass. They said that Brady’s arm was moving forward. The Patriots tied the game with a field goal a few moments later, then won 16-13 in overtime.

January 19, 2003: The Oakland Raiders beat the Tennessee Titans, 41-24, in the AFC Championship.

January 19, 2003, NFC Championship, Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia: Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat Philadelphia Eagles, 27-10

January 19, 2014 - Mile High Stadium, Denver- In the AFC Championship, the Denver Broncos knocked off the New England Patriots, 26-16, to advance to the Super Bowl.

January 19, 2014: The Seattle Seahawks narrowly beat the San Francisco 49ers 23-17 to win the 2013 NFC Championship.

January 19, 2020  - Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara - The results of the NFC Championship game were that the San Francisco 49ers thwarted the Green Bay Packers, 37-20.

January 19, 2020: The Kansas City Chiefs overcame the Tennessee Titans 35-24 to reach the Super Bowl.

January 20, 1950 - Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, Philadelphia -The Detroit Lions picked Leon Hart from the University of Notre Dame with the first pick of the 1950 NFL Draft. The interesting thing about this Draft class was that not one player in the top ten picks has become a Hall of Famer at the time of this writing, per the Pro-Football-Reference.com site. San Francisco’s pick of Leo Nomellini at number 11 is where we see the first in this Draft Class to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The only other Hall member from this draft was Ernie Stautner, as the 22nd overall pick by Pittsburgh.

January 20, 1974, Arrowhead Stadium, KC, Missouri: At the 24th NFL Pro Bowl, it was a game for the lovers of good defenses to witness as the AFC held on against the NFC, 15-13. The coaches of the teams were John Madden for the AFC and Tom Landry for the Cowboys. According to the American Football Database, Miami kicker Garo Yepremian was the Most Valuable Player in the contest as he scored all of the AFC’s points on his 5 successful field goals, which is still a Pro Bowl record! It is interesting to note that the victors each received $ 2000, while each member of the losing team put $1500 into the bank.

January 20, 1975, Miami Orange Bowl - The coaches at the 25th NFL Pro Bowl were John Madden of the AFC’s Raiders and Chuck Knox of the LA Rams, according to the VictoriaAdvocate.com website. The Pro Bowl was still an important game back then, as even the Monday Night Football crew was there to carry it live on ABC. This was Larry Csonka’s fifth and final Pro Bowl. The outcome of the contest had the NFC squad of stars edging out their AFC counterparts, 17-10. The game’s MVP was James Harris, the quarterback of the Los Angeles Rams.

January 20, 1980 - Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California - Super Bowl XIV was billed as Tinsel Town versus the Steel City, as the Los Angeles Rams faced the defending champs, the Pittsburgh Steelers. A Washington Post article from the day after the game provides the details. The Steelers entered the game as 11-point favorites, and they covered that spread, but the game was not an easy one for them by any means. A timely interception by Jack Lambert, spectacular catches by Lynn Swann and John Stalworth, and a near-record passing performance from Terry Bradshaw were all needed to overcome the Rams. The LA Defense put the Blonde Bomber under pressure all game and picked off three of his passes, but he shrugged those off and entertained the crowd of over 103,000 packed into the Rose Bowl to watch a fourth quarter surge by the Steelers. Pittsburgh was in fact trailing 19-17 early in the fourth before Stallworth scored by reeling in a 73-yard bomb early in the fourth stanza to erase a 19-17 Ram lead. Then Stalworth somehow gathered in a 45-yarder in the midst of three Ram defenders with three minutes left to set up Franco Harris ' one-yard plunge to ice the game. The Pittsburgh Steelers retained their World Championship with a 31-19 victory over the LA Rams.  Terry Bradshaw was named the game’s MVP.

January 20, 1985, Stanford Stadium, Stanford, California - At Super Bowl XIX, the San Francisco 49ers knocked off the Miami Dolphins, 38-16. According to 49ersWebzone.com, the game was described as a one-sided affair where a young Dan Marino and the Dolphins found themselves vastly overmatched against a guy named Joe Montana. The 49ers defense played exceptionally well, all but silencing Marino's hot hand and making the high-powered Dolphins offense look quite pedestrian. Joe Montana threw for 331 yards and 3 scores as he earned the Most Valuable Player award in the victory.

January 20, 1991 - Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, NY - The AFC Championship for the 1990 season culminated in the Buffalo Bills blasting the Los Angeles Raiders, 51-3! Bills QB Jim Kelly threw for 300 yards and 2 TDs; his favorite target was James Lofton, who caught five balls for 113 and a score, and Thurman Thomas rushed for a touchdown as part of his 138 yards on the ground. (source)

January 20, 1991 - Candlestick Park, San Francisco - There was only one TD scored in the NFC Championship game for the 1990 season, and it was by the team that ended up on the losing side. It doesn’t sound right to hear that, but Joe Montana’s 61-yard scoring strike to wide receiver John Taylor in the 3rd quarter was the only time either team crossed the goal line per the Pro-Football-Reference.com. Matt Bahr of the Giants had an active day as he kicked 5 field goals to supply all of the Giants' points as they beat the San Francisco 49ers, 15-13.

January 20, 2008, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough. The New England Patriots defeated the San Diego Chargers, 21-12, in the AFC Championship game. According to Pro-Football-Reference, Tom Brady tossed two touchdown passes, and Laurence Maroney rushed in another to power the scoring for the Patriots to advance them to Super Bowl XLII with an unblemished 18-0 record.  

January 20, 2008 - Lambeau Field, Green Bay - The NFC Championship was a great quarterback matchup as Eli Manning and his Giants would run their offense, and Brett Favre would do likewise for the Packers team, according to Pro-Football-Reference. Favre got the better of the quarterback battle as he passed for 236 yards and two touchdowns, but his two picks were costly as the New York Giants beat Green Bay 23-20 in Overtime to earn the right to face the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

January 20, 2013 - Gillette Stadium, Foxborough - In the 2012 season's AFC Championship tilt, it was the Baltimore Ravens who more than doubled up the New England Patriots by the score of 28-13. Tom Brady threw for a solid 320 yards against a tough Ravens defense, but with just one touchdown and having two passes intercepted, he was upstaged by the three scoring passes by Joe Flacco, who kept the ball out of defenders' hands per the Pro-Football-Reference.com to advance to Super Bowl XLVII.

January 20, 2013 - Georgia Dome, Atlanta - What a game the NFC Championship was! The Pro-football-Reference website shows that after Atlanta held a 24-14 advantage at the half, the Niners played stingy defense in the second half and Frank Gore pounded the ball across the goal line twice to lift San Francisco to a 28-14 victory over Atlanta to advance to Super Bowl XLVII against the Ravens in the Harbaugh Bowl! We will discuss that game on February 3!  

January 20, 2019 Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans - At the NFC Championship game, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com, the Los Angeles Rams outlasted the New Orleans Saints, 26-23, in overtime. The infamous “Pass Interference No-Call” stunned the NFL fan base. According to an article on Ringer.com, with less than two minutes remaining in the game and the score tied at 20, the Saints were well within field-goal range at the Rams’ 13-yard line. Three plays later, the Saints faced a third-and-10, and a conversion would’ve meant that they’d be able to work the clock to mere seconds and attempt a chip-shot field goal that would’ve basically punched their tickets to the Super Bowl.  Drew Brees dropped back and looked for receiver Tommylee Lewis, but the wideout got basically destroyed by Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman prior to the ball getting to him. No yellow laundry was tossed onto the field, so the Saints were forced to kick earlier than they should have had to, leaving the Rams 1:41 to mount a comeback. And that they did, kicking the tying score in regulation and the game winner in overtime to have the opportunity to go to Super Bowl LIII.

January 20, 2019, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City - What a game and what storylines it had. The main one being the greatest Quarterback of all time, in Tom Brady, leading his team against the new gun slinger in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes. During the 2018 AFC Championship Game, each QB legend had their bright spots in the contest, but none was any bigger than Mahomes putting the Chiefs on his back and scoring 24 points in the fourth, including a game-tying field goal with just 8 seconds left in regulation, Pro-Football-Reference.com. It was Brady and the Patriots, though, that had a drive of their own in the extra session that finished the game with a 2-yard Rex Burkhead touchdown. The New England Patriots outlasted the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime 37-31 to face the Rams in Super Bowl LIII.

January 21, 1949 - According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, this marks the day that the New York Bulldogs/Yanks franchise began. As we alluded to in our January 19 post, the Yanks really got their League starts in 1945, when the Brooklyn team reassembled the Yanks franchise that had left the NFL in the mid-1940’s and joined the All-America Football Conference. They played as the AAFC’s Boston Yanks for three seasons from 1946 to 1948. In 1949, the franchise changed homes again, returning to the Big Apple as the New York Bulldogs and playing at the Polo Grounds alongside the New York Giants. In the 1950 season, the Bulldogs changed their name back to the Yanks. Later in 1952, the NFL purchased the Yanks from owner Ted Collins.  

January 21, 1967 - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum - The results of the 6th AFL All-Star Game were that the Eastern Division knocked off the Western Division, 30-23. According to RemembertheAFL.com, the game’s MVPs were Babe Parilli, the quarterback of the  Boston Patriots, and the great defensive end of the New York Jets, Verlon Biggs.

January 21, 1968 - Gator Bowl, Jacksonville - The Eastern Division of the AFL must have liked playing on January 20. Because at the 7th AFL All-Star Game, the Eastern Division once again got one over on their Western Division rivals by the score of 25-24, per RemembertheAFL.com.  A couple of New York Jets were voted as the offensive Most Valuable Players, as Quarterback Joe Namath and Don Maynard shared that spotlight, and the defensive MVP of the game was Speedy Duncan of the LA Chargers, who played defensive back and also returned kicks. Duncan muffed an early punt that the West recovered and later scored on, but his 90-yard kickoff return later in the game made up for it.

January 21, 1968 - LA Memorial Coliseum - 18th NFL Pro Bowl, according to the American Football Database, was won by the Western Division, which outscored its Eastern counterparts, 38-20. Otto Graham of Washington coached the East while matching wits with the Colts Don Shula. Graham took some heat from his players when he benched QB Fran Tarkenton in the 4th quarter because of who Tarkenton was and the game being a charity exhibition. The Most Valuable Players were Gale Sayers of the Chicago Bears and Green Bay’s Dave Robinson. The MVP honor was the second season in a row that Sayers earned it.

January 21, 1973 - Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas - The 23rd NFL Pro Bowl story was covered once again by the American Football Database. In the contest, the Steelers' Chuck Noll coached the AFC and faced the man in the fedora, Tom Landry, who was coaching the NFC. The AFC edged out the NFC, 33-28. The game’s MVP was O. J. Simpson, the running back of the Buffalo Bills. The winners cashed out $2000 per man while the NFC players got $1500 in the loss.

January 21, 1979 - Miami Orange Bowl, Miami - Super Bowl XIII may be one of the greatest NFL Championships ever played, according to a 247Sports.com article. The two top teams of the era squared off with Hall of Fame Coaches, Tom Landry on the Dallas Cowboys sideline, while the Pittsburgh Steelers strategist was Chuck Noll.  The game was heavily hyped in the build-up, and it really lived up to everyone’s expectations and probably surpassed them. The game was a rematch of Super Bowl X, played 3 years earlier, where the Steelers  won 21-17.  The game still holds the record for hosting 19 future Pro Football Hall of Famers. Nol, Landry, Tex Schramm, the Cowboys GM, Pittsburgh owners Art and Dan Rooney, and assistant coaches for Dallas, Mike Ditka and Ernie Stautner.  Part of the pregame hype was Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson mocking Terry Bradshaw’s intelligence, and this enraged many of the Steelers players. Henderson even had a big hit on T.B. that caused a fumble, giving Dallas only a lead, but the Blonde Bomber overcame 3 turnovers to have a great second half.  His throws put receivers Lynn Swann and John Stalworth both over 100 yards receiving on the day, a Super Bowl record for having two on the same team. Dallas had its chance at the end, but Tight End Jackie Smith dropped a wide-open, sure touchdown pass in the end zone with the Cowboys facing 3rd and three from the Steelers' ten-yard line in the third quarter, and Dallas had to kick a field goal. The Pittsburgh Steelers were victorious over the Dallas Cowboys, 35-31. The game’s MVP was Terry Bradshaw. One final note: this was the last Super Bowl ever played at the Orange Bowl. Five of the first thirteen were played there, including the first matchup of these two teams in Super Bowl X and the great Jets versus Colts game in Super Bowl III.

On January 21, 1992, Bill Cowher was announced as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, becoming only the second coach since 1970. He replaced legend Chuck Noll, who had stepped down after 23 seasons at the helm.

January 21, 2007- RCA Dome, Indianapolis - The Pro-Football Reference.com states that at the AFC Championship game, the Indianapolis Colts outlasted the New England Patriots, 38-34. Running back Joseph Addai completed a late Colts go-ahead drive at the 1:00 mark of the fourth quarter in this classic Peyton Manning versus Tom Brady contest.

On January 21, 2007, the NFC Championship was played at Soldier Field in Chicago. The Pro-Football Reference.com lists the Chicago Bears beating up on the New Orleans Saints, 39-14, to advance to Super Bowl XLI.

January 21, 2018 - Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia - The Philadelphia Eagles crushed the hopes of the Minnesota Vikings, 38-7, in the NFC Championship game.

January 21, 2018, at the AFC Championship, played at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough. Mass. The New England Patriots edge out the Jacksonville Jaguars, 24-20.

January 22, 1953 - During the 1953 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers chose End Harry Babcock from the University of Georgia. According to pro-football-reference.com, Hall of Fame players entered the League through this draft. Cleveland picked Doug Atkins, the defensive end, at number 11. Arizona State's fullback, John Henry Johnson, went to Pittsburgh with the 18th overall pick. The 49ers struck gold with Bob St. Clair in the second round. The Bears had a late steal in the fifth round, grabbing Guard Stan Jones. The Packers chose Center Jim Ringo in the seventh round. Rounding out the future HOFs from the 1953 Draft were Joe Schmidt, linebacker of the Lions, and the Giants' pick, Tackle Rosey Brown. Another Hall of Famer, Chuck Noll, made it as a coach. The Browns drafted him in the 20th round.

January 22, 1967 - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum - At the 17th annual NFL Pro Bowl, the American Football Database recounts how Blanton Collier, coach of the Eastern Conference's Cleveland Browns, used the West's domination as a rallying cry. Vince Lombardi coached the Western team. Football then seemed tilted toward the West Coast at all levels. Western teams had won the NFL championship, the Playoff Bowl, college football’s East-West game, and the Rose Bowl. Collier’s speech apparently worked. The East's stars doubled up the West, 20-10. Offensive MVP was Gale Sayers of the Chicago Bears. On defense, the Eagles' Floyd Peters won the honor from his tackle position.

On January 22, 1981, O. Andrew "Bum" Phillips became head coach of the New Orleans Saints. Coach Phillips had 6 pretty successful years with the Houston Oilers. However, he could never win the big game against the division rival, the powerful Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty of the 1970’s. In Houston, Bum had a 55-35 record according to Pro Football Reference. In his 5 seasons with the Saints, his teams went 27-42.

January 22, 1983 - The Washington Redskins defeated the Dallas Cowboys 31-17 in the NFC Championship to reach Super Bowl XVII.

January 22, 1984 - Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida - The Los Angeles Raiders battled the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII. A Raiders.com article covers the game. The Raiders featured star players like Lyle Alzado, Marcus Allen, and quarterback Jim Plunkett. Allen had one of the greatest Super Bowl runs ever. He took a Plunkett handoff on a play designed to go left, but Washington plugged all the rushing lanes. Marcus cut back instantly and reversed field. He found a hole in the middle and dashed 74 yards for a touchdown. The linked article includes a great video of the play. The LA Raiders beat Washington, 38-9. The game’s MVP was Marcus Allen, the running back of Los Angeles.

January 22, 1989, Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami - Super Bowl XXIII, according to 49erswebzone.com, featured Bill Walsh’s San Francisco 49ers against the Cincinnati Bengals and their Head Coach, Sam Wyche. Joe Montana huddled the 49ers near their own 8-yard line with just over 3 minutes left in the game and down by 3. The Niners had barely moved the ball all game. Still, they traveled 92 yards, and with just 34 seconds left, Montana found Mike Cofer in the end zone for the go-ahead score. The Defense did the rest as the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 20-16. The game’s MVP was Jerry Rice, catching 11 balls for 215 yards and a score. After winning his third Super Bowl as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, Bill Walsh retired.

January 22, 2006 - The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Denver Broncos 34-17 in the AFC Championship; Ben Roethlisberger threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns.

January 22, 2006 - The Seattle Seahawks rushed past the Carolina Panthers 34-14 in the NFC Championship, with Shawn Alexander running for 132 yards and two touchdowns.

January 22, 2012 - The New England Patriots edged the Baltimore Ravens 23-20 in the AFC Championship, sealed by Tom Brady's fourth-quarter TD sneak.

January 22, 2012 - The New York Giants beat the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 in overtime in the NFC Championship, clinched by Lawrence Tynes' 31-yard field goal.

January 22, 2017 - The Atlanta Falcons defeated the Green Bay Packers 44-21 in the NFC Championship to reach the Super Bowl.

On the same day in Foxborough, the New England Patriots beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 36-17 to win the AFC title.

On January 23, 1950, the NFL rule changes, which, according to sportsattic.com, included unlimited free substitution, restored, opening the way for the era of two platoons and specialization in pro football, such as offense, defense, and special team specialists.

January 23, 1953. At the NFL owners meeting, the successful sale of the franchise that would become the reincarnation of a Baltimore franchise took just over four weeks as Carroll Rosenbloom became the principal owner of the new Baltimore Colts and absorbed many of the defunct Dallas Texans team. (Look back at the December 28 History headlines.) Also decided at this meeting was that the NFL's National & American conferences would become Eastern & Western conferences. (source)

January 23, 1978 - Tampa Stadium - At the NFL Pro Bowl, the NFC squad edges out the AFC, 14-13. The game’s MVP was Chicago Bears running back Walter Peyton. According to the Tampa Sport History Blogspot, the game was broadcast nationwide on ABC and called by the renowned “Monday Night Football” crew of Frank Gifford, “Dandy” Don Meredith, and Howard Cosell.

January 23, 1983 - Miami’s Orange Bowl - The New York Jets in the early 1980s were a team built on speed. The worst thing that could have happened to a team of that nature is to have it rain for days on end on a natural playing surface in southern Florida, and unfortunately for the Jets, it did, according to a Newsday article. The game has gone down in NFL history as the "Mud Bowl."  The wet, muddy field negated the Jets' significant speed and skill advantage, and the Miami Dolphins benefited, blanking the New York Jets 14-0 in the AFC Championship Game to advance to the Super Bowl.

January 23, 1994 - Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York - The 1993 season’s AFC Championship game saw the passing offenses almost nullified by the defenses. Bills running back Thurman Thomas thrived with 186 yards on the ground and 3 touchdowns as the Buffalo Bills beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 30-13, to advance to Super Bowl XXVIII. (SOURCE)

January 23, 1994 – Texas Stadium, Irving - The Dallas Cowboys secured their spot in Super Bowl XXVIII by defeating the San Francisco 49ers 38-21 in the NFC Championship game.

January 23, 2000 - Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville - Some new names were found in the AFC Championship in the new millennium as the Tennessee Titans beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, 33-14, per the Pro-Football-Reference.com. Titans Quarterback Steve McNair had almost as many yards rushing, 91 with three TDs, as he did passing, 14 of 23 for 112 yards. With the victory, Tennessee earned the right to play in Super Bowl XXXIV.

On January 23, 2000, a defensive battle ensued in the 1999 NFC Championship game, played at the Trans World Dome in St. Louis, per Pro Football Reference. The St. Louis Rams outscored the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 11-6, to advance to Super Bowl XXXIV to face the Titans.

January 23, 2005 - Heinz Field, Pittsburgh - The New England Patriots ruined the party for the Pittsburgh Steelers, handily defeating them 41-27 in the AFC Championship game. Patriot wideout Deion Branch scored twice as New England won the Lamar Hunt Trophy. (source)

January 23, 2005, The Philadelphia Eagles knocked around the Atlanta Falcons, 27-10, in the NFC Championship played at Lincoln Financial Field in Philly. Chad Lewis caught two Donovan McNabb passes to help the Eagles advance to Super Bowl XXXIX, per the Pro-Football-Reference.

January 23, 2011 - Heinz Field, Pittsburgh - The AFC Championship game had Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall run 27 times for 121 yards and score once to help the Pittsburgh Steelers overcome the New York Jets, 24-19, according to an ESPN.com story.

On January 23, 2011, the NFC Championship, played at Soldier Field in Chicago, featured two longtime NFC North rivals. In the game for the right to play in the Super Bowl, it was the Green Bay Packers knocking out the Chicago Bears, 21-14.

January 23, 2023 - The Infamous 13-second AFC Divisional Playoff between the Chiefs and the Bills, where quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen led their teams to a scoring spree, including a 13-second drive to victory for Kansas City.

On January 24, 1964, CBS purchased the NFL television broadcasting rights for the 1964 & 1965 seasons for a cool $28.2 million. NBC bid $21.5 million for rights to National Football League games in 1964 and 1965, but CBS won the war with a significantly higher bid. The ABC network paid a mere $2,350,000 in 1964 for the rights to broadcast the AFL, less than a third of the annual average of the NBC contract for the AFL’s rights in 1965, according to a New York Times article from January 30, 1964.

January 24, 1971 - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum -The NFC’s top players squashed the AFC squad by the score of 27-6 in the 21st NFL Pro Bowl. Fred Carr, the linebacker of the Green Bay Packers, and Mel Renfro, the corner of the Dallas Cowboys, were selected as the game’s MVPs.

January 24, 1982 - Pontiac Silverdome, Detroit, Michigan - Super Bowl XVI featured the Cincinnati Bengals against the upstart San Francisco 49ers. For this story, we go to StadiumsofProFootball.com, which says this was the first time the Big Game was moved to a traditionally cold-weather venue. 49erswebzone.com fills us in on the other details: after a sizable first-half lead of 20-0, the 49ers watched as the Bengals heated up in the second half to score 21 points of their own. But two Ray Wersching field goals in the fourth quarter preserved the San Francisco victory over the Bengals, 26-21. Niners legendary Quarterback Joe Montanaended up as the game’s MVP as he threw for one TD and had a QB rating of 100.0 in the game.

January 24, 2010 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis – In the AFC Championship, the Indianapolis Colts defeated the New York Jets, 30-17.

January 24, 2010  - Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans - The NFC Championship game to see who would play the Colts was a tight one. The Minnesota Vikings and the New Orleans Saints would battle in this epic game. The starting quarterbacks were legends, with Brett Favre guiding the team in purple while Drew Brees called signals for the Saints.  Farve threw for 310 yards and a score, but was picked off two times, while Brees had three touchdown passes and kept the ball away from Minnesota’s secondary. Adrian Peterson scored the game-tying touchdown on a two-yard plunge at the 5:03 mark of the 4th to send the game to an extra session. Garrett Hartley sealed the Super Bowl trip for the Saints when he kicked a 40-yard field goal in overtime. The New Orleans Saints edged out the Minnesota Vikings, 31-28, per the Pro Football-Reference.com.  

January 24, 2016 - Mile High Stadium, Denver - At the AFC Championship game for the 2015 season, it was Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos who overcame Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, 20-18, to advance to the Super Bowl.

January 24, 2016 - Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte -The Carolina Panthers had no trouble dispatching the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship. The Panthers, with Cam Newton under center and a ferocious defense, gobbled up the red birds 49-15 to advance to the Big game against the Broncos.

January 25, 1981, Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans - The Philadelphia Eagles and the Oakland Raiders squared off against each other in Super Bowl XV. Both teams had great stories coming into the contest. The American Football Fandom site has an insightful article on the game. In the week leading up to the game, President Ronald Reagan was sworn in, and the Iran Hostage crisis had just ended. In light of those recent events, there was a definite patriotic vibe at the venue itself, as the pregame ceremonies honored the end of the crisis. The Raiders were playing in the franchise's third Super Bowl and had beaten the Oilers, Browns, and Chargers in the playoffs to win the AFC from the wild-card position. The Eagles were playing in their first Super Bowl under a young Coach with a style new to the NFL in Dick Vermeil. The Raiders, guided by Quarterback Jim Plunkett, jumped out to an early 14-0 lead, and the Eagles were ill-equipped to recover from it. And when they did try, Raiders linebacker Rod Martin picked off Philadelphia quarterback Ron Jaworski three times for a Super Bowl record.  The Oakland Raiders defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-10. Jim Plunkett earned the game's MVP honors after completing 13 of 21 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns. Plunkett followed Roger Staubach as the second Heisman winner to claim a Super Bowl MVP title, and the Raiders became the first wildcard franchise to win the championship.

January 25, 1987 — Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California — The Denver Broncos and the New York Giants faced off in Super Bowl XXI., according to a Newsday article from the day after. Broncos QB John Elway was under siege all day from a Giant defense that featured the likes of Harry Carson, Leonard Marshall, and Lawrence Taylor. In fact, he was sacked four times in the game, including once for a safety in the second quarter. Phil Simms completed 22 of 25 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns and was named the game's MVP as the Giants defeated the Denver Broncos, 39-20. One of the greatest scenes from the postgame was New York franchise owner Wellington Mara handing the Lombardi Trophy to Coach Bill Parcells in jubilation of the Giants' first Super Bowl victory.

January 25, 1998 - Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego - Super Bowl XXXII was a matchup of two legendary gunslinger QBs as Green Bay’s Brett Favre took the field for the Packers, and the Broncos had their signal caller, John Elway, per a Washington Post article. Elway and company put on a late drive in the fourth. Running back Terrell Davis found paydirt with a one-yard touchdown run with 1 minute 45 seconds remaining and broke the 24-24 tie. The Denver Broncos beat the Green Bay Packers, 31-24, with Broncos running back Terrell Davis voted as the game’s MVP after rushing for 157 yards and three TDs against one of the NFL's best defenses.

On January 25, 2015, at the University of Phoenix in Glendale, Arizona, the NFL was experimenting with new formats to revitalize the Pro Bowl. As reported by NFL.com, it was the second season to use an unconferenced format, with players selected without regard to conference in voting by fans, coaches, and players. The 2014 season’s NFL Pro Bowl pitted a team coached by Michael Irvin against one coached by Chris Carter. The Irvin squad won the game 32-28. The Pro Bowl MVPs were Houston’s J. J. Watt and Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford.

January 26, 1986 - Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans - Super Bowl XX presented the New England Patriots versus the Chicago Bears. The Bears were the top team in the league, boasting only a single loss all season in a Monday Night Football contest at Miami. The defense of that 1985 Bears team may be the best ever in NFL history, as Buddy Ryan and Mike Ditka’s team surrendered only 198 points for the season, according to a History.com article. Players like Dan Hampton, Richard Dent, Mike Singletary, and William "the Refrigerator" Perry made a formidable front against any opposing offense. In fact, at halftime in this game, the Patriots had a total of negative 19 yards! The defense was ferocious, causing 6 New England turnovers, 4 of which resulted in Chicago points. Walter Payton graced the ball control offense of the Bears to perfectly complement the strong D. The Chicago Bears knocked around the New England Patriots that day 46-10 to capture the NFL crown, the first such since 1963. Richard Dent, from his defensive end position, earned the Super Bowl XX Most Valuable Player Award.

January 26, 1991 - Jan Stenerud became the first pure placekicker inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

January 26, 1992 - Metrodome, Minneapolis - Super Bowl XXVI featured the Buffalo Bills and the Washington Redskins. We looked at an article on the Washington Team website to garner the game's details. The 1991 Redskins were a tough, seasoned group that started the season 11-0. They finished 14-2, then crushed the aspirations of Atlanta and Detroit with a 65-17 scoring differential in the playoffs. Their Super Bowl opponents, the Bills, were 13-3 in the regular season and had the NFL's most explosive offense led by Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, and Andre Reed, and a defense that featured sack master Bruce Smith. The first quarter was scoreless as the Bills avoided two deep Washington drives by a missed field goal and an interception of Mark Rypien. However, the Redskins would not be denied in the second quarter as they held a 17-0 halftime lead on a Lohmiller 34-yard field goal, a 10-yard touchdown pass from Rypien to Earnest Byner, and a 1-yard TD plunge by Earnest Byner. It got worse for the Bills just 16 seconds into the third quarter as an errant Kelly pass landed into the hands of linebacker Kurt Gouveia, who returned it 23 yards to the Buffalo 2. One play later, Gerald Riggs crossed the goal line to increase the Redskins' lead. The Bills got things rolling a bit later, but it wasn’t enough as the Washington Redskins outlasted the Buffalo Bills, 37-24. The game’s MVP was Mark Rypien.

January 26, 1997 - Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans - At Super Bowl XXXI, the Green Bay Packers knocked around the New England Patriots, 35-21. Patriot quarterback Drew Bledsoe was intercepted 4 times and sacked 5 times, 3 times by legendary player Reggie White, as the Packers gave pressure all game long. The game’s MVP was kick returner Desmond Howard of Green Bay, who famously returned a 3rd quarter kick 99 yards to paydirt to solidify the Packers' lead.

January 26, 2003 - Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego - Super Bowl XXXVII was a one-sided affair as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Oakland Raiders, 48-21. The Bucs used a surge of 34 unanswered points to dim Oakland’s chances. The Most Valuable Player was Tampa Safety Dexter Jackson, who picked off two first-half Raider passes. Super Bowl XXXVII drew 138.9 million viewers, making it, at the time, the most-watched television program in history.

January 26, 2014 - Aloha Stadium, Honolulu - The first year of the NFL’s attempt to bring a different angle to the stale NFL Pro Bowl had them not separate the stars by conference but take the vote winners and have two former stars, Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders, choose the teams in a style much like you would do in gym class. Team Rice edged out Team Sanders, 22-21. The game’s MVPs were Nick Foles of Philadelphia and linebacker Derrick Johnson of the Kansas City Chiefs.

January 26, 2020 - Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida - At the 2019 season’s NFL Pro Bowl, the AFC defeated the NFC, 38-33. Lamar Jackson, QB of the Baltimore Ravens, and his future teammate Calais Campbell, who at the time was a Defensive End with the Jacksonville Jaguars, were awarded the Most Valuable Player awards.

January 27, 1894 -  The first college basketball game, the University of Chicago beats the Chicago YMCA 19-11. Basketball was invented in December 1891 by James Naismith at the YMCA's School for Christian Workers (now Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts. According to the Chicago History Collegiate, basketball also came to Chicago from Springfield College in the person of Amos Alonzo Stagg, the University of Chicago's new faculty coach, who had played on the Springfield teachers' team in the first public basketball contest. According to Jennifer Taylor Hall’s book Amos Alonzo Stagg: Football’s Man in Motion, Stagg began his coaching career the next year at the Springfield, Massachusetts, YMCA, now Springfield College. Stagg organized the school's first football team, and among his players was James Naismith, the inventor of basketball. The two men used basketball, with five men per side, as an exercise regimen to keep their eleven football players in tip-top shape. Stagg enjoyed the game so much that, when Naismith developed it, he took it with him when he moved on to the University of Chicago.

January 27, 1924 - The Kansas City Blues, later known as the Kansas City Cowboys, were formed. According to a post on sportsecyclopedia.com, the NFL, in just its fifth season, was looking to expand west of the Mississippi, and the first most logical place geographically was Kansas City. They adopted the name Blues in honor of the local minor league baseball team and played their home games at Muehlebach Field. The Blues' first game would come on October 5th, a 3-0 loss to the Milwaukee Badgers. In 1925, they were called the Cowboys, and they played the entire season on the road. The biggest game of 1925 was a 17-0 road upset of the Cleveland Bulldogs. There would not be another season in Kansas City after 1926 as the cost of traveling to and from Kansas City was too cost prohibitive in the NFL’s fledgling formative years. The Cowboys' final game would come on December 12, 1926, with a 12-7 win over the Duluth Eskimos at Muehlebach Field.

January 27, 1955 - The top pick in the 1955 NFL Draft was George Shaw from the University of Oregon, who was the first pick by the Baltimore Colts. Remarkably, there was only one player from this entire draft who made it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame thus far, and that was 9th-round pick, the 102nd overall, the quarterback from the University of Louisville named Johnny Unitas, by the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers, not realizing the great talent they had landed, promptly cut him before training camp was over, per the Pro Football Reference.

January 27, 1956 - The NFL's New York Football Giants franchise ended having their home games played at the Polo Grounds and now called Yankee Stadium their home field, per Larry Scmitt of the Big Blue Interactive. The story goes that Commissioner Bert Bell notified Giants owner Tim Mara that an offer from a Texas-based oil company to pay $1 million for the team, on the condition that they play at a larger venue like Yankee Stadium. Mara declined the offer but figured it to be a pretty good idea to get more butts in the stands with a larger seating capacity, so he did!

January 27, 1960 - The AFL adopts its first 14-game home-and-away schedule.

January 27, 1967 - The New Orleans Saints signed their 1st player, kicker Paige Cothren, per the canalstreetchronicles.com. Cothren was a former Ole Miss fullback who played in the NFL for the LA Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles before joining the Saints.

January 27, 1969 - Chuck Noll is named head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers per the SlicetheLife.com website article. Noll was the youngest coach in NFL history at 37. Chuck Noll had been the defensive coordinator and, once, the DB coach of the Baltimore Colts under Don Shula, who highly recommended Noll. Noll spent 23 seasons on the sidelines of the Steelers until he stepped away in 1992. Under Chuck Noll, the Steelers won 4 Super Bowl Championships in 6 seasons during the 1970’s.

January 27, 1970 - In the 1970 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers chose future Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw from Louisiana Tech with the first pick of the entire draft. Bradshaw would be the signal caller who won those 4 Super Bowls for Chuck Noll that we just talked about, and Terry was the MVP of 2 of them!

January 27, 1980  - Aloha Stadium, Honolulu - At the NFL Pro Bowl the NFC team defeated the AFC, 37-27. The game's MVP was New Orleans Saints running back Chuck Muncie.

January 27, 1985 - Aloha Stadium, Honolulu - Then came the NFL Pro Bowl for the 1984 season, and this time the AFC knocked off the NFC, 22-14. Mark Gastineau, the animated defensive end of the New York Jets, won the Most Valuable Player Award. (source)

January 27, 1991 - Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida - Super Bowl XXV was one of the most memorable Super Bowls of all time. People still talk about it to this day. The statement that takes an avid NFL fan to the game is “Wide Right.” You see, the New York Giants defeated the Buffalo Bills 20-19, but it almost had a very different outcome. With just  4 seconds remaining, Jim Kelly orchestrated an impressive desperation drive that set up a 47-yard field goal attempt by the Bills' very accurate kicker Scott Norwood. As you have already heard, the ball went slightly outside of the upright to the right. The Giants win was preserved, and torture set in for the Bills. The Washington Postcalls the game the closest and most even ever played. The game’s MVP was Giants running back Ottis Anderson who ran for 102 yards and a score.

January 27, 2002 - Heinz Field, Pittsburgh - In the 2001 season’s AFC Championship, the New England Patriots outlasted the Pittsburgh Steelers, 24-17. The Pro Football Reference website tells us that the difference maker in the game was Patriot Antwaan Harris’ return of 49 yards of a blocked field goal attempt! The New England victory placed them in Super Bowl XXXVI.

On January 27, 2002, the NFC Championship for that season was played at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis to determine who would face Tom Brady and the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI.  The Greatest Team on Turf, the St. Louis Rams, scored in every quarter to help them get past the Philadelphia Eagles, 29-24. Ram Marshall Faulk shouldered the load as he rushed 31 times for 159 yards and 2 TDs to lead St. Louis to the win, per the PFR.

January 27, 2013 - Aloha Stadium, Honolulu - The results of the 2012 season’s NFL Pro Bowl were that the NFC smoked the AFC, 62-35, with Tight end Kyle Rudolph of the Minnesota Vikings earning the MVP honors per the OnthisDay.com website.

January 27, 2019 - Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida - Newcomers Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs and safety Jamal Adams of the New York Jets claimed co-MVP honors as the AFC surged past the NFC 26-7 in the 2018 NFL Pro Bowl, per the OnthisDay.com website.

On January 28, 1954, at the 1954 NFL Draft, Bobby Garrett from Stanford was the first pick by the Cleveland Browns.  The PFR informs us that Future Pro Football Hall of Fame entrant Raymond Berry was taken as the 232nd overall pick by the Baltimore Colts, what a steal!

January 28, 1960 - The Dallas Cowboys begin as the NFL made the formal announcement of awarding Dallas a franchise.

January 28, 1960 - The Minnesota Vikings franchise is awarded by the NFL.

On January 28, 1969, the top pick of the 1969 NFL Draft was O.J. Simpson from Southern Cal by the Buffalo Bills, and as we know, he is enshrined in Canton. Other future Hall of Famers from this draft were Mean Joe Greene to Pittsburgh at number 4, the Cardinals taking Roger Wehrli, Ted Hendricks to the Colts at 44, and the Houston Oilers picking up Charlie Joiner with the 93rd pick, per the Pro Football Reference website.

On January 28, 1971, Jim Plunkett, a Stanford University quarterback, was selected by the New England Patriots in the 1971 NFL Draft. John Riggins was the first player in this draft to get a gold jacket as the number 6 pick over all by the Jets, other future Pro Football Hall of Fame members picked in this draft were Jack Youngblood to the Rams at 20, Jack Ham to the Steelers at number 34, the Cardinals inking Dan Dierdorf with the 43rd pick, and the Eagles with a steal of Harold Carmichael at the 161st overall pick per the PFR.

On January 28, 1975, at the 1975 NFL Draft, Quarterback Steve Bartkowski from the University of California was the first pick by the Atlanta Falcons. The Pro Football Reference says that there were multiple Hall of Famers out of this draft. The Cowboys pick Randy White at number 2, Walter Payton by the Bears in the fourth slot, and Robert Brazile selected as the number 6 overall pick by the Houston Oilers franchise. Another future gold jacket bearer was Fred Dean of the Chargers, taken 33rd overall.  (Pro-Football-Reference)

January 28, 1990 - Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans - Super Bowl XXIV The Denver Broncos ran into a buzzsaw in the San Francisco 49ers. The Niners' offense was clicking the whole game, as the box score shows: the only quarter they didn’t put up 14 points was the first, when they scored only 13 points, and that was because they missed an extra-point attempt.  Jerry Rice scored three touchdowns and tormented the Broncos' defense with 138 yards in receiving. The San Francisco 49ers showed there was no doubt that they were the best team in football  as they slaughtered the Denver Broncos, 55-10. Quarterback Joe Montana won the MVP honors, posting an astronomical QB rating of 147.6 per PFR and throwing for 297 yards and 5 TDs. (Pro-Football-Reference)

On January 28, 1995, the Memphis Mad Dogs were announced as the Canadian Football League's 13th franchise as part of a U.S.League expansion plan.

January 28, 1996 - Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona - Super Bowl XXX was the third time that the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys had met in the Super Bowl. The first two times were two of the greatest Championships the League had ever seen. The Steelers had won both contests by four points each time in the 1970’s. This time, the Dallas Cowboys turned the needle on the point differential between these two teams, knocking off the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-17. Cornerback Larry Brown of Dallas won the Most Valuable Player award after he picked off a couple of errant Neil O’Donnell passes and returned them for a total of 77 yards. The American Football Database claims that 95.13 million watched the contest in the United States alone, making it the most-watched TV sports program at the time! (source)

January 28, 2001 - Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida - Defense definitely won a championship in Super Bowl XXXV. The Baltimore Ravens' defense smothered the New York Giants' offense all game long. Raven Duane Starks broke the game open in the third quarter with a 49-yard pick-six. The Giants then promptly returned the kickoff all the way on Ron Dixon’s 97-yard return to the house, but Baltimore took the Giants' kick after the score 84 yards for a touchdown return of their own to cancel out New York’s bright spot. The Baltimore Ravens routed the New York Giants, 34-7, with the MVP belonging to linebacker Ray Lewis, according to the New York Daily News. With 131.2 million viewers, it became the fifth-most-watched program in TV history. (source)

January 28, 2018 - Orlando, Florida - AFC beats NFC, 24-23 at the NFL Pro Bowl. The game’s Most Valuable Players were the tight end of the Tennessee Titans, Delanie Walker, and on the defensive side of the ball, it was Von Miller, the outside linebacker of the Denver Broncos.

On January 29, 1963, The First Inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame were announced. The list is a phenomenal class of legends according to the History and Headlines website. The first class of the enshrined held eleven superstar players of the professional gridiron past, such as Jim Thorpe, Red Grange, Sammy Baugh, Dutch Clark, Don Hutson, Mel Hein, Johnny McNally, Ernie Nevers, Bronko Nagurski, Cal Hubbard, and Pete Henry.  Also inducted on this day were a handful of owners and coaches, including Curly Lambeau, George Marshall, Tim Mara, Bert Bell, and Joe Carr. Then, another special man who got in as a player, a coach, and an owner: George Halas. The article goes on to say that in 1963, there were only two rooms to showcase the museum's wares, whereas in 2017, there were five buildings bulging with pigskin nostalgia!

On January 29, 1964, NBC purchased the TV rights of the AFL for five seasons (1965-69) for $36 million. The money raised in this deal helped the AFL recruit players away from the NFL and fueled the rivalry, which eventually helped pave the way for the AFL-NFL merger just a few short years later. The two sides had to wait until the 1965 season to start, as ABC had one year remaining on its AFL contract to televise the 1964 season. (source)

On January 29, 1974, the Dallas Cowboys took Ed “Too Tall” Jones from Tennessee State as the first pick in the 1974 NFL Draft. Players who have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame per PFRare Lynn Swan, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, and Mike Webster, who were Pittsburgh’s picks at 21, 46, 82, and 125, respectively. Dave Casper, whom Oakland chose at 45. Yes, you heard it correctly, there are 5 Hall of Famers from this draft class, and four of them were picked by the Steelers. Is it any wonder why they had so much success in the mid to late 1970’s?

January 29, 1979 - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum - The NFC outlasted the AFC squad in the NFL Pro Bowl, 13-7. Vikings receiver Ahmad Rashād was awarded the Most Valuable Player honor for the game.

January 29, 1984 - Aloha Stadium, Honolulu - At the NFL Pro Bowl for the 1983 season, it was once again the NFC that triumphed over their AFC counterparts in a big way, 45-3. The MVP of this game was Quarterback Joe Theismann of the Washington Redskins.

January 29, 1989, Aloha Stadium, Honolulu - It seems that the NFC squad just could not lose in the NFL Pro Bowls played on this day. Once again, the NFC defeated the AFC in a big way, with a score of 34-3. The MVP was Randall Cunningham, the Philadelphia Eagles' mobile quarterback.

January 29, 1995 - Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, Florida - Super Bowl XXIX had the  San Francisco 49ers beat up on the San Diego Chargers, 49-26; The game’s MVP was Niners quarterback Steve Young, who threw for 325 yards and 6 touchdowns in the game and had a whopping QB rating of 134.8 per the Pro Football Reference. Jerry Rice scored on three of those passes in the game.

On January 29, 2002, the San Diego Chargers hired Marty Schottenheimer as their head coach. Schottenheimer was the 13th head coach in the franchise’s history.

On January 29, 2012, the NFL Pro Bowl was held once again at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. This time, the AFC outscored the NFC squad, 59-41. The game’s MVP was wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who played for the Miami Dolphins during the season.

January 29, 2017  - Orlando, Florida - Another NFL Pro Bowl and the AFC knocked off the NFC, 20-13. Dual MVPs of the game were KC’s tight end Travis Kelce and Lorenzo Alexander, the fine linebacker of the Buffalo Bills.

January 30, 1892 - Athens,  Georgia - The University of Georgia played its first football game in Athens against Mercer University.  According to an interesting post on the UGA.edu website, the Bulldogs started their first gridiron campaign with Chemistry Professor, Dr. Charles Holmes Herty, who organized not Georgia’s first football team but the first in the deep South of America. In this first game, the Bulldogs pummelled Mercer 50-0. Their schedule for that first season consisted of only one other game, on February 20 against Auburn. We will cover that one more in detail in the upcoming February 20 Football History Headlines. An interesting story that comes from the article tells that in this first game on the athletics fields (now known as Herty Field), some reports indicate that the official scorer for the game missed at least one touchdown when he walked to the city alcohol dispensary on Broad St. across from the campus to purchase a bottle of whiskey during the game. With a 50-point differential, the players from Mercer may have wished they had joined him!

On January 30, 1960, the Oakland Raiders entered the American Football League, according to Raiders.com. The Oakland group was awarded the former Minneapolis-St. The Paul franchise was basically abandoned when the NFL granted permission for the Minnesota Vikings franchise to form before the AFL could step in.

On January 30, 1968, Ron Yary from USC was the first overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings in the 1968 NFL Draft. Yary was an excellent pick as he made it into the Hall of Fame! According to the Pro Football Reference website, the other future Pro Football Hall of Famers from this class so far include Claude Humphrey, Larry Csonka, Curly Culp, Ken Stabler, Charlie Sanders, Elvin Bethea, and Art Shell. The Raiders had a banner day building the core of their offense of the 1970’s with the picks of Shell and Stabler!

On January 30, 1973, the team's front offices assembled in New York for the 1973 NFL Draft. John Matuszak from the University of Tampa was the first overall pick by the Houston Oilers. The Pro Football Reference data shows that Hall of Famers from this class with busts in Canton are John Hannah, Ray Guy, and Joe DeLamielleure.  

January 30, 1983 - Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California - Super Bowl XVII  was a rematch of  Super Bowl VII, which was also played in the LA area, as it pitted the 8-1 Washington Redskins against the Miami Dolphins, who spotted a record of 7-2 in the strike-shortened NFL season. The American Football Database provides the game details in its excellent article.  The Dolphins held a 17-10 lead at the half with a Fulton Walker 98-yard touchdown return of a kickoff and Jimmy Cefalo’s 76-yard TD reception. The turning point in the game came with 10:10 left in the fourth quarter. Washington was facing a fourth down and 1-yard to go situation at the Dolphins' 43-yard line, and they were still trailing 17-13.  That’s when Washington’s veteran running back John Riggins broke through the Dolphin defense and ran all the way to paydirt to take the lead. D.C. Wide receiver Charlie Brown then added an insurance touchdown with his 6-yard scoring catch, and the Washington Redskins outlasted the Miami Dolphins, 27-17. Riggins, with his power running, earned the game’s MVP award.

January 30, 1994 - Georgia Dome, Atlanta - The Buffalo Bills played in their fourth straight Super Bowl, Super Bowl XXVIII, against the powerful Dallas Cowboys. Things looked promising for the Bills in the first half as they held a 13-6 lead in the locker room. The third quarter, though, things started to unravel according to the statmuse.com website article on the game.  Cowboys defender James Washington picked up a 3rd quarter Bill fumble and rambled 48 yards for a score to tie the game. It was then more stifling defense and a heavy dose of running back Emmitt Smith, who scored twice in the second half, leading the Dallas Cowboys to a 30-13 win over the Buffalo Bills. The game’s MVP was Emmitt Smith, who, besides his two late TDs, added 132 hard-earned yards on the ground.

January 30, 2000 - Georgia Dome, Atlanta - Who can forget the suspense of the very last play of Super Bowl XXXIV? The St. Louis Rams were up by seven, but Steve McNair had marched the Tennessee Titans most of the length of the field to the Rams' ten-yard line with 6 seconds on the clock and no timeouts remaining! A Bleacher Report article reminds us of the rest: as DB Mike Jones was covering Titan tight end Frank Wycheck on the play near the goal line, an open Kevin Dyson caught the pass from McNair. Jones left his coverage when the ball was passed and tackled Dyson at his legs, leaving the receiver to stretch for the goal line.  As the play happened, everybody watching was on the edge of their seats, and then Dyson's shoulder touched the ground...the ball was short of the line! The Rams win in the most dramatic of endings over Tennessee, 23-16.  St. Louis Quarterback Kurt Warner won the Most Valuable Player award after he threw for 414 yards and two scores in the game. At the time, this game had the fifth-highest viewership in television history, with over 130.7 million people watching.

On January 30, 2011, the NFL Pro Bowl was played once again at beautiful Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. The game ended with the NFC outscoring the AFC, 55-41.  Washington Redskins defensive back DeAngelo Hall was given the MVP.

The January 31, 1982, NFL Pro Bowl was played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. The final score had the AFC squad defeating their NFC counterparts 16-13. There were Co-MVPs in this game as Kellen Winslow Sr., the tight end of the San Diego Chargers, shared the honor with Lee Roy Selmon, the standout defensive end of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

January 31, 1988 - Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego - Super Bowl XXII was not a very close one when the Denver Broncos faced the Washington Redskins. The Broncos jumped out quickly to a 10-0 lead after Ricky Nattiel caught a John Elway pass for 56 yards and a score. But the Powerful Washington team tattled off 42 unanswered points as QB Doug Williams caught fire and threw for 340 yards and 4 TDS to help the Washington Redskins cruise to a 42-10 victory. The MVP was Doug Williams, according to Pro Football Reference. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198801310den.htm

January 31, 1993 - Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California - Super Bowl XXVII featured some special historic moments: the Buffalo Bills became the second team since the early 1970’s to play in three straight Super Bowls. Interestingly, this would be the third different NFC East team the Bills would face in this run of Super Bowls. The Cowboys were just 4 seasons removed from having a league-worst 1-15 record. Super Bowl XXVII was set up to be interesting indeed, but one team came in a bit more prepared than the other. According to the American Football Fandom site, Dallas forced a Super Bowl record nine turnovers —four interceptions and five lost fumbles and scored 35 points off of those Bills miscues. The Dallas Cowboys won in a landslide, 52-17, over the Bills. Troy Aikman, the quarterback of the Cowboys, won the Most Valuable Player honors as he tossed four touchdown passes and racked up 273 yards through the air. Another interesting note was that a 30-second commercial spot cost $850,000.

January 31, 1999 - Pro Player Stadium, Miami, Florida - Super Bowl XXXIII featured the Dirty Birds of the Atlanta Falcons facing the AFC Champs, the Denver Broncos. Denver was the defending champs, as a year earlier, they had defeated Green Bay for the franchise’s first championship, per PFR. Quarterback John Elway was getting a little long in the tooth, but his mastery of the offense was never in doubt. The Falcons were appearing in their first Super Bowl, led by Quarterback Chris Chandler and running back Jamal Anderson. The Broncos were a little too much for upstart Atlanta, though, as they grounded the Falcons 34-19. Elway, who threw for 336 yards and a touchdown, took home the MVP trophy and traveled to Disney. A 30-second commercial during this Super Bowl would set you back a cool $1.6 million. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199901310atl.htm

January 31, 2010 - Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens - The NFL Pro Bowl game had the AFC one-upping the NFC, 41-34. The MVP of the game was Matt Schaub, the Houston Texans signal caller.

January 31, 2016 -  Aloha Stadium, Honolulu - NFL Pro Bowl Team Irvin defeated Team Rice, 49-27, as the NFL was still in the series of games where two legends would divide the Pro Bowl players up instead of playing Conference versus Conference. The dual Most Valuable Players were Seattle Seahawks players Quarterback Russell Wilson and Defensive End Michael Bennett.

February 2, 1913 – The New York Giants baseball club signed Jim Thorpe. This occurred shortly after his Olympic Gold medals from the 1912 Games were stripped due to his time playing professional baseball in 1910. While Thorpe’s MLB career was relatively uninspiring, he famously returned to football in 1920, when the fledgling NFL (then the APFA) hired him as its marquee player and first president to lend the league instant credibility.

February 2, 1959 – Vince Lombardi signed a five-year contract to coach the Green Bay Packers. His subsequent decade in Wisconsin changed the NFL forever. Coach Lombardi led the "Pack" to three NFL Championships and victories in the first two Super Bowls, cementing one of the greatest coaching legacies in sports history.

February 2, 1986 – Aloha Stadium, Honolulu – At the NFL Pro Bowl, the NFC defeated the AFC 28-24. New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms was named the game’s MVP.

February 2, 1992 – Aloha Stadium, Honolulu – The NFC outlasted the AFC 21-15 in the Pro Bowl, with Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin taking home MVP honors.

On February 2, 1997 – Aloha Stadium, Honolulu – Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mark Brunell won MVP honors after leading the AFC to a dramatic 26-23 overtime victory over the NFC.

February 2, 2003 – Aloha Stadium, Honolulu – The AFC dominated the NFC 45-23. Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams earned the MVP trophy after a prolific rushing performance.

February 2, 2014 – MetLife Stadium, New Jersey – Super Bowl XLVIII was a defensive masterpiece for the Seattle Seahawks, who crushed the Denver Broncos 43-8. The "Legion of Boom" harassed Peyton Manning all night, forcing two interceptions and a safety on the opening play. Seahawks linebacker Malcolm Smith was named MVP after returning an interception for a touchdown.

February 2, 2020 – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami – Super Bowl LIV saw the Kansas City Chiefs overcome a 20-10 fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 31-20. Patrick Mahomes orchestrated 21 unanswered points in the final six minutes to secure the Chiefs' first championship in 50 years, earning Super Bowl MVP honors in the process.

February 3, 1991, Aloha Stadium, Honolulu. The AFC edged out the NFC 23-21 in a hard-fought Pro Bowl, overcoming the prevailing notion that the NFC's star-studded lineup was unbeatable. Buffalo Bills legendary quarterback Jim Kelly, known more for his regular-season prowess than postseason heroics, delivered a performance defined by tenacity and flexibility, winning him the game’s Most Valuable Player award. This tight encounter and Kelly's standout play highlighted an underdog spirit that pervaded the broader narrative of February 3rd's football history, denoting a reversal of expectations and preparing the foundation for other improbable victories associated with this significant date.

On February 3, 2002, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Super Bowl XXXVI heralded the birth of a dynasty. At the time, the St. Louis Rams, famously known as the 'Greatest Show on Turf,' dominated the NFL with their record-breaking offense, establishing an unprecedented standard in the game. They were heavy favorites against the New England Patriots, a team led by a young, relatively unknown Tom Brady. The Patriots were seen as underdogs, with many expecting the Rams to continue their offensive onslaught. However, the Patriots, through a mixture of strategic defense and opportunistic play, managed a +3 turnover margin to stay in contention. In a dramatic climax, Adam Vinatieri kicked a 48-yard field goal as time expired, clinching a 20-17 victory. This key play not only obtained Brady's first MVP award but also signified the beginning of a new era in football history.

February 3, 2008 – University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale – Super Bowl XLII produced one of the greatest upsets in sports history. The undefeated (18-0) New England Patriots faced the 10-6 New York Giants. The Giants' pass rush harassed Tom Brady all day, but the game is immortalized by the "Helmet Catch." While Eli Manning moved to evade the unrelenting Patriots' defense, the unified gasp of the crowd filled the stadium. Manning hurled the ball downfield, and David Tyree, with his eyes focused on the descending football, jumped into the air. The ball, almost slipping out of his grasp, was pinned securely against his helmet, provoking a roar from the stands. This miraculous catch, frozen in time, was followed moments later by Manning finding Plaxico Burress for the game-winning touchdown, ending the Patriots' perfect season with a 17-14 final. Eli Manning took home the MVP.

February 3, 2013, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans. Super Bowl XLVII was the 'Harbowl,' featuring coaching brothers John and Jim Harbaugh. A partial power outage famously delayed the game, creating a moment of great uncertainty that tested the endurance of both teams. In the darkened stadium, both sidelines adapted strategies, with the Ravens using the break to refocus and mentally regroup. At the same time, the 49ers seized the opportunity to readjust their offense and mount a challenging comeback. That sudden pause became a narrative pivot, representing the theme of innovation under pressure that defines February 3rd’s football legacy. Ultimately, the Baltimore Ravens held off a late San Francisco 49ers rally to win 34-31. Quarterback Joe Flacco was named MVP after throwing for 287 yards and 3 touchdowns.

February 3, 2019, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta. Super Bowl LIII was a defensive slugfest between the Patriots and the Rams. In sharp contrast to the earlier dynamic era of the "Greatest Show on Turf," this matchup illustrated the evolution of football strategy, where defense took center stage. The Patriots came out victorious in the lowest-scoring Super Bowl in history, defeating the Rams 13-3. Wide receiver Julian Edelman earned MVP honors with 10 catches for 141 yards, securing New England's record-tying sixth championship.

February 4, 2001 – Aloha Stadium, Honolulu – The AFC struck back, extinguishing the NFC 38-17. Oakland Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon took home the MVP trophy, highlighting his comeback as an elite signal-caller.

February 4, 2007 – Dolphin Stadium, Miami Gardens – Super Bowl XLI saw Peyton Manning and coach Tony Dungy finally capture the championship that had escaped them. Despite a strong Chicago Bears defense, Manning threw for 247 yards and a touchdown to earn MVP honors, leading the Indianapolis Colts to a 29-17 victory in a rainy South Florida classic.

February 4, 2018 – US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis – Super Bowl LII produced a stunning upset as the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New England Patriots 41-33. Led by backup-turned-hero Nick Foles, the Eagles executed the "Philly Special" and a gutsy late drive to secure the franchise's first Super Bowl title. The MVP of the game was Foles after outdueling Tom Brady in a high-scoring thriller.

February 5, 1969 - Vince Lombardi became a part owner, a Vice President, General Manager, head coach, a grilled cheese sandwich, and whatever else it would take to get him to leave Green Bay and join the Washington Redskins franchise. The Slice The Life website shares a great article on the subject. Lombardi, who was the legendary head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1959-67, turned that franchise from the doormat of the League into a perennial Champion for most of a decade! After what is now referred to as Super Bowl II, Lombardi seemed to have hit a wall where the coaching juices had burned out; he was spent, so he spent the 1968 season as the Packers general manager, but found not being in charge on the sideline made him anxious.  The word on the street was that Vince Lombardi was looking to return to coaching, and the immediate suitors for his services included the Philadelphia Eagles and the Boston Patriots. Still, the Redskins President, Edward Bennett Williams, pushed all his chips to the center of the table and offered Lombardi a part-ownership of the team. A lot was happening in D.C. at that time: Nixon just entered the White House, Ted Williams was hired as manager of the Washington Senators MLB club, and across the NFL, the Steelers hired Chuck Noll. At the same time, Oakland put John Madden on the payroll, and now Lombardi with the Redskins! Vince Lombardi served one season of his contract with the team. Still, he improved them to a 7-5-2 record, but unfortunately, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of colon cancer in early 1970 and died on September 3, 1970, at 57. We will never know what the great coach could have done with the franchise from there. Still, he laid a foundation that led to the Redskins appearing in Super Bowl VII in 1973, giving the undefeated Dolphins a run for their money, and then moving on to bigger and better things in the 1980’s.

February 5, 1995 - Aloha Stadium, Honolulu - The AFC stars knocked around the NFC squad, 41-13, in the 1994 season’s NFL Pro Bowl game. The Most Valuable Player of this contest was none other than Marshall Faulk, who at the time played for the Indianapolis Colts as a running back.

February 5, 2006 - Ford Field, Detroit - The big storyline going into Super Bowl XL was that the Motor City’s favorite son (Sorry Arnie Chapman, it’s not you), The Bus, Jerome Bettis, may retire after the game. Bettis was the starting fullback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was coerced out of retirement a year earlier by Rookie Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who promised him a championship if he returned. The Steelers would face a tall challenge from the Seattle Seahawks, led by veteran coach Mike Holmgren, per a Bleacher Report article. The game is forever remembered, unfortunately, for what many call phantom officiating, as Seattle had a couple of close calls not go its way, including a goal-line play in which Roethlisberger ran a QB sneak, and conclusive evidence to overturn a TD called on the field was not apparent. Then, later, an apparent touchdown pass from Matt Hasselbeck to Darrell Jackson was negated by an offensive pass interference foul against Jackson. The Seahawks settled for a field goal. With the Steelers leading 14-10 early in the fourth quarter, a Hasselbeck completion to Jerramy Stevens at the 1-yard line was negated by a holding penalty on offensive lineman Sean Locklear. Ford Field was 80% Steelers fans, according to broadcaster Al Michaels, which added to the sour taste Seattle fans had of the game. The Steelers did make some big plays, though, including a Willie Parker 75-yard TD run and a gadget play where, on an apparent end-around, wide out Antwaan Randle El stopped and launched a 43-yard TD strike to fellow receiver Hines Ward. The Pittsburgh Steelers overcame the Seattle Seahawks, 21-10, with the game’s MVP going to  Hines Ward.  

On February 5, 2011, the legendary filmmaker Ed Sabol, co-founder of NFL Films, was elected for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a contributor. Ed’s NFL films creation is an interesting story, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame website. Apparently, in 1962, Ed created a company named Blair Productions, after his daughter. To secure the exclusive rights to film the 1962 NFL Championship game, Ed doubled the next-closest bid of $ 1,500. Commissioner Pete Rozelle accepted the offer, and Blair Productions was in business, rolling tape at the New York Giants vs Green Bay Packers Title game! Two years later, after experiencing success, the company was renamed NFL Films. Sabol used multiple cameras to capture aspects of the game that the average television viewer did not get to see, such as the sidelines. When he mixed that with the legendary voice of narrator John Facenda, what an experience fans could have in their living rooms!

February 5, 2012 - Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis - We reflected yesterday that at Super Bowl XLII, the Giants rained on the Patriots' perfect season. The two teams met 4 years and a day later in Super Bowl XLVI. But there was a familiar vibe to the game. The Giants' defense again pressured Tom Brady and kept the Juggernaut New England offense off kilter most of the evening. Another similarity was that Eli Manning led the G-Men on another near game-ending drive. The Washington Post reports that the Giants, who were trailing by two points, drove 88 yards to the winning touchdown on a six-yard run by tailback Ahmad Bradshaw with 57 seconds left. The New York Giants once again defeated the New England Patriots in the big game, this time by the score of 21-17. Eli Manning was selected as the game’s Most Valuable Player.  

February 5, 2017 - NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas - Super Bowl LI was one of the greatest comebacks in modern football history. The Atlanta Falcons looked unstoppable as they shredded the New England Patriots for most of the beginning of the game. The halftime score was 21-3, and in the third quarter, it got even worse for the Patriots as Atlanta went up 28-3 after Quarterback Matt Ryan found Tevin Coleman on a six-yard TD pass in the middle of the third. That was when all changed, though. The Patriots then reeled off 25 unanswered points in a little over a quarter to tie the game with 57 seconds left, with James White’s one-yard TD run and a subsequent 2-point conversion to send the game into the Super Bowl’s first overtime in history, per ESPN.com.  In the extra session, the Patriots drove 75 yards in 8 plays, and White ran in another short touchdown to lift the New England Patriots over the Atlanta Falcons, 34-28. It sounds like a broken record, but the MVP was once again Tom Brady of New England. (source)

February 6, 1926 – George Halas led the passage of an NFL rule prohibiting the signing of players whose college class had not yet graduated, ensuring athletes completed their education before turning pro.

February 6, 1983 – In a narrow 20-19 Pro Bowl victory at Aloha Stadium, the NFC edged out the AFC. Co-MVPs were awarded to San Diego Chargers QB Dan Fouts and Green Bay Packers WR John J.J. Jefferson.

February 6, 1994 – The National Conference defense dominated the 1993 season Pro Bowl, winning 17-3. Atlanta Falcons wideout Andre Rison was named the game's MVP.

February 6, 2000 – Offense ruled the day as the NFC put up 51 points to defeat the AFC 51-31 at Aloha Stadium. Minnesota Vikings superstar Randy Moss took home MVP honors.

February 6, 2005 – Super Bowl XXXIX saw the New England Patriots secure a 24-21 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. WR Deion Branch tied a record with 11 catches for 133 yards to win MVP honors without scoring a touchdown.

February 6, 2011 – Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 in Super Bowl XLV. Rodgers threw for 304 yards and three scores to earn the MVP trophy.

February 7, 1999 - Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii - The AFC East Division had once again taken the honor of the Pro Bowl MVP award as both the New York Jets Wide Receiver Keyshawn Johnson and Ty Law the cornerback of the New England Patriots were selected for their fine play in the game. The final score of this all-star contest was the AFC knocking off the NFC squad 23-10 in the 1998 NFL Pro Bowl.

February 7, 2010 - Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Miami, Florida - Super Bowl XLIV was a matchup of all-time great quarterbacks as Peyton Manning and his Indianapolis Colts faced the New Orleans Saints and their most excellent signal caller, Drew Brees. The game started with the Colts storming out to an early 10-0 run to go up by double digits, but two second-quarter field goals cut the margin to a four point game at the half. Saints head Coach Sean Payton then made some major halftime adjustments, outmaneuvering those of Colts sideline boss Jim Caldwell. New Orleans decimated the Indy defense, and all kept Manning and company from scoring a single point in the game’s back half, with 25 unanswered tallies. It led to the New Orleans Saints' first NFL title as they rolled the Indianapolis Colts, 31-17. The Super Bowl XLIV MVP was Drew Brees, who threw for 2 touchdowns and 288 yards, according to the PFR.

February 7, 2016 - Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California - Peyton Manning again led a team to the NFL Championship, now with the Denver Broncos, as they faced Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl L. The game may have been less about these two outstanding QBs and more about the Broncos' defensive player who won the MVP. Denver linebacker Von Miller made life miserable for Mr. Newton all game as the two fumbles that Von created turned into 14 points for the Mile High team; in fact, it was the exact point differential in the game. The  Denver Broncos outscored the Carolina Panthers, 24–10, to seal another Lombardi in glass for the franchise. The Broncos D forced Newton into a dismal 18-for-41 passing performance with an interception. The Panthers, meanwhile, made Peyton Manning look quite pedestrian, as he was 13 of 23 for 141 yards and a pick. Defense does win championships, and this time Denver's defense did more than enough to lock up the title. (source)

February 12, 1937 - Cleveland/Los Angeles/St. The Los Angeles Rams franchise is officially approved to join the NFL. According to an article on the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s website, the Rams franchise began its football life in Cleveland in 1937. They had a rough first 6 seasons, never quite reaching the .500 mark, and then abruptly disbanded for a year in 1943 due to World War II workforce shortages. In 1946, after businessman Dan Reeves purchased the franchise, the Cleveland Rams won the NFL championship game, 15-14, over the Washington Redskins, with guidance from a sensational rookie quarterback from UCLA, Bob Waterfield, who was the league's Player of the Year. Just days after the Big win, Reeves announced that he was moving the team to Los Angeles, California. In 1972, the Baltimore Colts' Carroll Rosenbloom traded the franchise to Bob Irsay, who then took control of the Rams. Then in 1995, the Rams moved to St. Louis, where they played in the Edward Jones Dome. Two years later, in 1999, the Rams became Super Bowl champions. Guided by quarterback Kurt Warner and running back Marshall Faulk, the team beat Tennessee 23-16 in a thrilling Super Bowl XXXIV.  In 2016, the Rams moved to Los Angeles, where they play in the Los Angeles Coliseum.

On February 12, 1998, the Dallas Cowboys signed Chan Gailey as their 4th head coach. In an odd twist of fate, Gaily was released by Dallas after only two seasons. Chan's Cowboys team won the NFC East in 1998 and made the playoffs during his two years at the helm, though they failed to win a single playoff game. Chan Gailey is the only Cowboys coach to have never missed the playoffs while with the franchise.

February 12, 2006 - Aloha Stadium, Honolulu - At the NFL Pro Bowl, the NFC squad outlasted the AFC, 23-17. The game’s MVP was Tampa Bay Buccaneers Linebacker Derrick Brooks.

February 12, 2013, at a ceremony in Philadelphia, the NFL pays tribute to the life of the late Steve Sabol and his many contributions to the league. An NFL.com article states that Steve Sabol won over 40 Emmy Awards and oversaw 107 Emmys for NFL Films. He was the Sporting News' 2002 "Sports Executive of the Year." He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003.

On February 13, 1937, the Boston Redskins received NFL approval to move to Washington, D.C., to share baseball's Griffith Stadium with the Washington Senators of Major League Baseball’s American League. The franchise started in Boston as the Braves in 1932. In a July 5, 1933, Boston Globe article, franchise owner George Marshall announced publicly that he was changing the team's nickname to the Redskins to avoid confusion with the Boston Braves of the American League. Marshall, interestingly enough, credited the name selection on his counsel with naming Native American Head Coach Lone Star Dietz and several players of Native American descent on the 1933 squad. It is speculated, though, that the motivation to change the moniker went further than that, as after a financially devastating and poorly attended season in 1932, Marshall really abandoned the Braves name in favor of the Redskins to try and find financial stability for his club. According to a piece on the Sports Team History website, the team also moved their home field to Fenway Park, home of the Boston Redsox baseball team, to further distance themselves from the Boston Braves and possibly rally fan support for the professional football team. After five frustrating seasons and poor support from the community and the press, Marshall asked for permission to move the team to the Nation’s Capital. After the League office’s approval, the franchise thrived in D.C., winning multiple championships as the Washington Redskins from 1937 through 2019. In 2020, out of respect for the degrading connotation of the Redskins name with Native Americans the franchise was referred to as the Washington Football Team, and all association by name and symbolism with the word redskin was dropped.

February 13, 2005 - Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii - At the 2004 season’s NFL Pro Bowl, the AFC team of all-stars knocked off the NFC squad by the final score of 38-27. Legendary quarterback Peyton Manning, then with the Indianapolis Colts, was voted as the game’s Most Valuable Player.

February 16, 1999 - O.J. Simpson's 1968 Heisman Trophy is sold for $230,000 to help settle a $33.5 million civil judgment against Simpson for the deaths of his ex-wife and her friend.

February 19, 1917 - Helmets are manufactured with interior padding, suspended leather straps, and ear-hole cutouts. These new-fangled head protectors were called Zuppke Helmets, or ZH for short, named after the man who conceived the concept, Head Coach Bob Zuppke of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, according to the Time Toast website. The suspension innovation served as a shock absorber, reducing impact.

On February 21, 1995, the CFL's Sacramento Gold Miners became the San Antonio Texans, according to OnthisDay.com. Apparently, fields in the San Antonio area were not up to the CFL’s standards. After failed attempts to have any of them upgraded and a failed bid by Texans owner Fred Anderson to build a new stadium, the franchise was doomed just a couple of months after the League’s Grey Cup was played. Our friend Chris Lawton from the Ninety-Nine Yards website has an interesting story on what he describes as the ill-fated U.S. Expansion of the CFL in the mid 1990’s. From 1993 through the 1995 seasons, the Canadian Football League tried to gain a foothold in the USA by introducing American teams such as the Baltimore Stallions, Birmingham Barracudas, Las Vegas Posse, Memphis Mad Dogs, Shreveport Pirates, and the Gold Miners/Texans franchise. Unfortunately, none of them would stick on American soil for a variety of reasons: US fans are very loyal to their NFL and college teams, and it is extremely difficult for other forms of football to gain market share.

February 21, 1921 - Youngstown, Ohio - The awesome former end of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Bob Dove, experienced his arrival into this world. According to his biography on the NFF website, Dove was awarded the honor of being a consensus All-America at the end position in 1941 and 1942. The Washington Touchdown Club awarded him its Rockne Trophy as the nation's best lineman in 1942.  The National Football Foundation voters checked all the boxes in 2000 to place Bob Dove into the College Football Hall of Fame. Bob continued his gridiron career, playing professional football with the Chicago Rockets, Chicago Cardinals, and Detroit Lions. When he hung up his cleats, he bounced around the country coaching on a variety of NFL and college teams. https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1724

February 22, 1893 - Alabama, Auburn played 1st Iron Bowl on Feb. 22, 1893Only 450 people attended Birmingham's Lakeview Baseball Park on Feb. 22, 1893, to witness an Auburn 32-22 victory, per an NCAA.com story. Little did the handful of football fans on that winter day realize what would develop from the first game of these two eventual SEC powerhouses. The Iron Bowl is one of the most anticipated matchups of the college football season for fans. We have covered many of the famous plays and players from the series in the Football History Headlines, like Bo Jackson, Kenny Stabler, Joe Namath, and more! The term Iron Bowl came from the venue the game had been played at for many years, Birmingham, Alabama’s Legion Field. The City of Birmingham is known for its historic role in the steel industry, and these two top-flight college programs from the state of Alabama treated the throngs at Legion Field to some great memories. The game was predominantly played there from the late 1940’s until 1989, with the tickets being split between the two schools. The series was interrupted for about 4 decades after the 1907 contest, but when it resumed, it became quite popular. The 1907 game featured allegedly questionable dirty plays and calmouring from both sides, prompting both teams to bring in outside officiating crews to promote a fair playing field, per an article on AngelFire.com. The article points to contract disputes as the main reason the series was suspended. “ During the 1907 game, the hotel allowance for 17 men from each team was $2 per man, per day, including lodging and meals. On Jan. 23, 1908, Alabama coach J.W. Pollard received a proposed contract from Auburn football manager Thomas Bragg asking for $3.50 per day for 22 men from each team for two nights for a game to be played at Birmingham's Fair Grounds. Alabama offered $3 per day for 20 men for two nights. Even then, Auburn and Alabama fans had trouble agreeing on anything, and apparently, a discrepancy of $34 could not be resolved until 41 years later. “Tigers and the Crimson Tide are so intertwined into the fabric of the citizens of Alabama that the victors gain the bragging rights in the state, and there have even been some business dealings reported that were dependent on the game’s outcome!

February 22, 1967, The NFL goal post changes shape & 6' wide border around the field becomes standardized in the NFL. It seems odd for us to watch vintage footage of NFL games before 1974 and see the goal posts on the goal line rather than on the end lines where they stand today. A 1974 rule revision pushed each post back 10 yards, mainly for player safety. We are not going to focus on that rule change in this edition, though, but rather on the one that occurred 7 seasons earlier, when the “H”- style posts were retired from NFL fields, and the more modern “Y” or “sling-shot” goal post became standard equipment. This elimination of one obstacle on each goal line at a time afforded the players and officials fewer chances to collide with those posts, but it also opened up the running and passing lanes just a tad, too. An article on the SI.com website states that in the first dozen years of the NFL’s existence, the League played by the very popular College rules. In 1927, the NCAA took the posts and set them safely on the endline. In 1933, the NFL finally wrote its own rulebook. And in an effort to increase field goal attempts because the general feeling was that there were too many ties, the NFL moved the uprights back to the goal line. That is where they stayed for some 4 decades. The other rule revision on February 22, 1967, was the addition of a 6-foot boundary around the entire field. The American Football Fandom page describes the purpose quite well. “Its outer edge designates the closest that non-players can be to the field, and thus enables the game officials to have a running lane to work in.” As a former high school football official, I can attest that those clear zones around the playing field are vitally important for the safety of the participants, sideline personnel, and game officials. (inspired source for story)

February 24, 1989 - Harold E. Ballard sold the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats to David Braley per OnThisDay.com. Braley was the owner of three Canadian Football League teams over the years and was once the  Canadian League's interim commissioner. His other former teams were the B.C. Lions and the Toronto Argonauts. According to an ESPN.com article, “His teams won four CFL titles, among them Toronto's championship in the 100th Grey Cup in 2012.”

February 24, 1991, End of World League of American Football's (WLAF) 1st draft. According to a web page titled World League of American Football, “The NY/NJ Knights make the first selection on the first day of the WLAF draft and choose 6-3, 290lb offensive tackle Caesar Rentie of Oklahoma.” on February 14 to kick off the picking of teams from scratch draft. This final day of picking was to choose defensive backs and assign 40 Operation Discovery players for each franchise. After some ups and downs and major changes, the leagues disbanded in 2007 under the moniker of NFL Europe.

On February 26, 1989, the Dallas Cowboys fired coach Tom Landry after 29 years. Tom Landry received his first glimpse of coaching as a Giant when Head Coach Steve Owen asked the young Landry to explain the 6-1-4 defense to his teammates when he was still a player in New York. In 1954 and 1955, with Steve Owen out as coach, Landry served as a player/assistant coach under the new head man, Jim Lee Howell. Landry was the defensive coordinator, while Vince Lombardi was in charge of the Giants' offense. Early in 1960, before they even officially existed, Tom Landry was hired as the Dallas Cowboys' Head Coach. The first-year coach had some tough sledding as his team went 0-11-1. The Cowboys' owner, Clint Murchison Jr., had faith in Landry, though, as he promptly signed him to a 10-year extension.  The patience paid off as the team improved, and in 1966, it won 10 games and earned the right to play Lombardi's Packers in the NFL Championship game. Landry coached teams in Dallas that made the Super Bowl 5 times, winning 2 of them, and he was a Bart Starr QB sneak in the Ice Bowl away from a sixth. In 1990, Coach Landry was selected for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

On February 26, 1991, the World League of American Football teams opened up Training Camps just days after the league’s first draft had completed!

Our guest has been a resource for sports media giants such as Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Daily Southtown, and NBC Sunday Night Football, and has appeared in the WGN documentary “Football in Chicago” and a Comcast Sports special on the Chicago Bears. He is recognized as one of the leading authorities on the history of professional football in the country. Joe Ziemba is the award-winning author of the books When Football Was Football: The Chicago Cardinals and the Birth of the NFL and Cadets, Cannons, and Legends: The Football History of Morgan Park Military Academy. Joe Ziemba, welcome to the Pigpen!

On February 27, 1959, the Chicago Cardinals traded running back Ollie Matson to the LA Rams for 9 players. The Los Angeles Rams franchise, headed by General Manager Pete Rozelle, traded seven players, a 1959 second-round pick, and a player to be named later to the Chicago Cardinals for Matson.

The year was 1959. The Los Angeles Rams, led by G.M. Pete Rozelle, traded seven players, a 1959 second-round pick, and a player to be named later to the Chicago Cardinals for Ollie Matson.Rozelle and the late Matson (second from left at right) had history together. Matson was a star fullback at the University of San Francisco, whose 1951 team went undefeated.

March 2, 2004, the Indianapolis Colts signed quarterback Peyton Manning to a 7-year, $98 million deal with a $34.5 million signing bonus. To that date, it was the largest package in NFL history. Manning rewarded the franchise by winning a Super Bowl Championship and losing another title game. He was eventually replaced after a neck injury, but returned triumphantly in Denver to win another Super Bowl game. He was in 14 Pro Bowls, was the NFL MVP 5 times, and held numerous other awards and records per Pro Football Reference.

March 2, 2012 - Bountygate - NFL establishes the existence of a bounty program at the New Orleans Saints from 2009-11. The Saints players had allegedly been given incentives by Defensive Coordinator Greg Williams to injure opposing players. Head Coach Sean Payton, along with GM Mickey Loomis and Williams, were all suspended for the 2012 season as a result of the findings.

On March 3, 1950, the National Football League reverted to calling itself the NFL after 3 months. According to Wikipedia, when the NFL absorbed the All-American Football Conference (AAFC) on December 9, 1949, the 13 teams were realigned into the American and National conferences, which lasted for three seasons. The merged league briefly considered the name "National-American Football League" but reverted to "National Football League" a few months later, on March 3, 1950.(source)

March 3, 1960 - At a special AFL meeting in Oakland, the "allocation" draft was formulated to stock the Oakland club. The issue at hand was that Oakland was a late replacement for the Twin Cities franchise, which resigned after the initial AFL draft due to the NFL announcing a new Vikings franchise in the metro area of St. Paul and Minneapolis. In that round of AFL meetings, which kicked off at the Leamington Hotel in Oakland. Minneapolis-St originally selected 14 players. Paul, in the AFL draft, and were "signed by fellow AFL clubs for Oakland," would transfer to the newly minted franchise. (source 1) (source 2)

March 4, 1956 - Inventors working with the Cleveland Browns used the first radio transmitter in a QB's helmet. John Campbell and George Sarles, a couple of inventors from Ohio, approached Cleveland's head coach, Paul Brown, who was always up for being on the cutting edge of innovation, with an idea. The two inventors had developed a radio transmission system they believed could be safely installed in a football helmet to improve communication with the sideline. Brown loved the idea and asked the two men to develop the gadget in secrecy. According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the radio was carefully mounted in the helmet and, using the seclusion of a wooded area behind Campbell's home, the pair tested the unit. Sarles retreated to the woods with the helmet. The signal became weak, and communication broke off. When Sarles did not return, Campbell set out to find his partner. Soon thereafter, he spotted Sarles talking with a police officer who had intercepted the signal. It was very Fortunate for Sarles and Campbell that the officer was a Browns fan and agreed to keep the discovery under wraps. It is this test that we believe took place on March 4, 1956. Nonetheless, the pair changed the unit's frequency. Quarterback George Ratterman first used the helmet in a preseason exhibition against Detroit. The Lions' sideline grew suspicious during the game when they didn't see Brown's shuffling linemen into the game to carry the ball, so they sent a scout who discovered the transmitter on a light pole behind the Cleveland bench. The Browns used the radio helmet for three more games, but NFL Commissioner Bert Bell then banned the device. In 1985, John Campbell donated the innovative helmet to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, where it is currently on display. Sarles patented the device on September 15, 1959; see that story here.

March 9, 1960 - Per Joe Ziemba, the Cardinals announced that rumors of the franchise leaving Chicago for St. Louis. The relocation of the Chicago Cardinals to St. Louis in 1960 was driven by financial survival. In Chicago, the team was heavily overshadowed by the more popular Bears, leading to poor attendance and near-bankruptcy. Additionally, the NFL sought to block the newly formed AFL from entering the St. Louis market. In March 1960, owners unanimously approved the move, ending the Cardinals' 62-year history in Chicago.

March 9, 2026 - The NFL's "legal tampering" period for Free agency commenced, just days before the League's New Year begins. Potential Free Agents and any NFL teams can legally discuss free agency options and agree to terms.

On March 11, 1892, the first public basketball game was played between the students and the faculty of Springfield College in Massachusetts. Basketball’s inventor, James Naismith, taught at the school, and on the staff was Amos Alonzo Stagg. The headline from the local newspaper, displayed on the forums.realgm.com the next day, reads “Basket Football Game.” The article says over 200 fans watched the contest, in which the students prevailed 5-1. That one bucket by the faculty was made by our football hero, Coach Stagg.

March 11, 1941, Bronko Nagurski defeated Ray Steele in Minnesota to become the National Wrestling Champion. Steele stripped Nagurski of the Wrestling Title on March 7, 1940, so in this victory, Bronko took the belt back from Steele per the Legacyofwrestling.com. We have learned much about Bronko as a football player from his birthday post on our November 3 blog, but many don’t realize that he was quite successful at wrestling as well. According to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame’s website, Nagurski, as a member of the Chicago Bears in the late 1930’s, approached six-time World Champion Wrestler Lou Thesz about grappling in the football offseason. Bronko attracted large crowds and even gained the World NWA Title on several occasions in the years before World War II. Bronko Nagurski was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2009, adding to his enshrinements in the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.  

March 11, 1986, the NFL adopted the instant replay rule, according to an article on Soundandvision.com. The adoption was by no means what we are used to today, as it was experimental and very limited. That first season, there were only 374 total plays, an average of 1.6 per game, with only 10% overturned from what was called on the field. This version was dropped by an owner's vote in 1992, when a majority of 17 teams opposed continuing the practice. The debate over instant replay continued, and a new system was approved for testing in 1996. In 1999, NFL owners voted 28-3 to reinstate instant replay using the new and improved system, which included coaches' challenges. The article goes on to say that the NFL’s earliest experiments with instant replay date back to 1976, which led to tests being conducted on a wider scale in 1978, starting with the Hall of Fame game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins.

March 14, 1967, 1967 NFL Draft: Bubba Smith from Michigan State was the first pick by the Baltimore Colts. We discussed Mr. Smith on his birthday, just recently, in our February 28 post. Bubba played five great seasons for the Colts before a knee injury kept him out of the 1972 season. Smith rejoined the Oakland Raiders in 1973 after his recovery and played there for two years before joining the Houston Oilers for his final two NFL seasons. Bubba played in two Pro Bowls, was an All-Pro for one season, and received a Super Bowl Ring with the Colts for their victory in Super Bowl V, per Pro Football Reference.

1967: The First Combined Draft - As mentioned with Bubba Smith, today marks the anniversary of the 1967 AFL-NFL Common Draft. It was a pivotal moment in the merger process, ensuring that the two leagues stopped "warring" over the same players and began the transition toward the unified league we know today.

On March 14, 1978, the NFL permanently added a 7th official, the Side Judge, to the game-day field. The Operations.NFL.com website notes that the SJ position was added in the late 1970s at the urging of Hall of Fame Coach Don Shula, who felt defensive backs were regularly getting away with holding and interference. Like the Field Judge on the opposite sideline, the Side Judge is usually about 20 yards downfield at the snap, in the defensive secondary. This seventh official allows each of the five eligible receivers to be monitored (the widest player on each side and three backfield players). The Side Judge also has pre-snap duties, such as counting the defense, controlling the sideline, assisting in getting the football to the umpire during dead balls, and watching substitutions from their assigned sideline.

March 14, 2006: The Drew Brees "New Beginning" Twenty years ago today, the New Orleans Saints signed free-agent quarterback Drew Brees. Coming off a major shoulder injury that many thought was career-ending, Brees signed a six-year deal that would eventually lead to a Super Bowl title and rewrite nearly every major passing record in NFL history.

March 22, 1989 - Pete Rozelle announced his retirement as NFL commissioner after 29 years. Rozelle, a surprise pick to replace the legendary Bert Bell—who passed away suddenly during a Steelers-Eagles game—was then working in the Los Angeles Rams' front office. He had just completed major deals, like bringing back Ollie Matson to the Rams from the Cardinals for 11 players. Rozelle was succeeded by Paul Tagliabue.

March 24,  2019, New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski announces retirement as a 3-time Super Bowl winner. The elite Tight End boasted postseason records in 81 receptions, 1163 receiving yards, and caught TDs at 12 per the Pro Football HOF site web page.  

On March 25, 1971, the Boston Patriots became the New England Patriots. Our guest onIn the February 25 podcast, Upton Bell described how he played a part in thisrenaming. Bell, who was the General Manager at the time, says that when hetook the position after leaving the Baltimore Colts that the Boston franchisewas entertaining using the name Bay Side Patriots until Upton noticed that aThe local newspaper put a headline that used the abbreviated B.S. PatriotsTherefore, Bell petitioned Patriots ownership to reconsider and offered the NewThe England Patriots instead.

March 25, 1989 – The "Supplemental Draft" Landmark: The NFL officially moved the Supplemental Draft to the summer months, a process that famously allowed teams to land stars like Bernie Kosar, Cris Carter, and Brian Bosworth.

March 25, 1997 – The "No-Chop" Rule: During the NFL Spring Meetings, owners passed a significant safety rule prohibiting "chop blocks" on defensive players already engaged with another blocker. This was a major step in the league's evolution toward protecting defensive linemen.

March 25, 2002 – Expansion Era Begins: The NFL owners officially voted to realign the league into eight four-team divisions (AFC/NFC North, South, East, West) to accommodate the arrival of the Houston Texans. This created the divisional structure we still use today.

March 27, 1991, the NCAA banned the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football program from postseason play in 1992. Ed Sherman, in an article he wrote for the Chicago Tribune, tells the tale of the incident quite well. A former University of Minnesota administrator, Luther Darville, began handing out cash to football players in 1982. Others in the Minnesota program caught him red-handed in 1988 and stopped the practice with consequences. Therefore, the NCAA felt obligated to conduct its own investigation, and in its aftermath, it laid the hammer down on the program in 1991, preventing the team from participating in a bowl game during the 1991 postseason. Mr. Sherman raises some great points about people who committed crimes, both in Darville’s handing out the funds and in the 1982-era players who accepted them, who did not suffer much at all from the NCAA penalty. But the legacy players and coaches in the Golden Gophers program, almost a decade later, served the penance for what their predecessors did so long ago. D. Alan Williams, chairman of the NCAA`s infraction committee in 1991, had a different opinion, according to the article. First, he said, the NCAA isn`t penalizing individuals. The penalties are imposed on the institution. It`s always unfortunate, but the committee has before it what it is required to do .'' The matter comes down to the fact that there has to be a better solution for punishing those who violate institutions, perhaps a more efficient and timely investigation, rather than one that takes three years to complete. (source)

March 27, 2000 - NFL officials announced that the 1999 season was the first time paid attendance averaged over 65,000 per game. It was also the first time in the League's history that paid attendance reached over 20 million for all games in a single season.

March 28, 1953 - The Sports world loses one of history’s greatest athletes as Jim Thorpe passes away at 65 in Lomita, California. Thorpe most famously won Gold in the 1912 Olympic Games, only to be stripped of it due to playing a bit of minor league baseball in 1910 (see our January 26 post). They posthumously returned the Medals to Thorpe’s credit in 1983. (Our post January 18) But his football prowess is what we most remember this legend for. The Native American played famously for Pop Warner at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, and then, when the early NFL formed, Thorpe became the American Professional Football Association’s first president, and as we know, the APFA later changed its name to the NFL. As a pro football player, Jim played for the Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians, Oorang Indians, Rock Island Independents, and the New York Giants.

March 28, 1963 – Sonny Werblin leads a group that purchases the AFL’s NewYork Titans from the original owner, Harry Wismer. Werblin and company promptly changed the team name to the New York Jets on April 15.

On March 28, 1984, the Colts relocated from Baltimore to Indianapolis. Reports say that franchise owner Bob Irsay moved the Colts in the middle of the night after renovations to Memorial Stadium in Baltimore were not made, as he thought they should be. A Baltimore Sun article by Jon Morgan in 1997 says that Mr. Irsay became a nemesis of then City mayor William Donald Schaefer and, when he later became Maryland’s governor, converted the outrage into the political will to build Camden Yards.Irsay had acquired the club in 1972, a year after they won Super Bowl V, when he traded his rights to the LA Rams to former Colts owner Carroll Rosenbloom. The Colts had a new stadium, the RCA Dome (originally called the Hoosier Dome), which served as their home in Indianapolis for 24 seasons before Lucas Oil Stadium was built. Since the Colts moved to Indy, they have made 2 Super Bowl appearances, including Super Bowl XLI, won by Tony Dungy as coach and Peyton Manning under center.

On March 28, 2012, Cornerback Stephon Gilmore, Defensive End Melvin Ingram & Wide Receiver Alshon Jeffery participated in South Carolina's Pro Day. Gilmore was really impressive in the drills for the DB position and went tenth overall to Buffalo. Ingram left the green room as the 18th pick of the first round by San Diego. Allshon Jeffery's 40-yard dash in the high 4.4/low 4.5 range helped dispel myths of a receiver of his size struggling with speed, and he was taken in the second round by the Bears. The trio of former Gamecocks has made the Pro Bowl a collective 8 times.  (source)

March 28, 2017 -  According to NFL.com, a representative of each of the NFL’s 32 teams attended the 2017 Florida State pro Day. One of the main reasons was to evaluate the talented Running Back Dalvin Cook, who, per the report, had an "exceptional workout" according to NFL Network analyst Gil Brandt.    Further emphasizing his status, Brandt said, "In my mind, he's the No. 2 RB prospect in the draft behind Leonard Fournette… he's explosive & catches the ball well."

March 29, 1994, Coach Jimmy Johnson resigned as head Coach of the  Dallas Cowboys. Johnson left the Cowboys because of a feud with owner Jerry Jones. Johnson coached five seasons in Dallas, made the playoffs in each of his last three, and walked away from the Cowboys after winning back-to-back Super Bowls (Super Bowl XXVII and Super Bowl XXVIII). Johnson returned as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 1996 to 1999 after a two-year hiatus.

On March 29, 1996, the Cleveland Browns chose a new name, the Baltimore Ravens. Owner Art Modell decided to move the franchise out of the City of Cleveland, but one condition of the move was that the Browns' name, logo, and records must remain in Cleveland, and his new team would have to adopt a new identity.

March 30, 2004 - At the NFL Owners Meetings, the group voted to extend the Instant Replay System in place for another 5 years. The plan with the extension was that, the next time the vote came up, proponents would tweak it and make it a permanent fixture in the NFL. Their wish came true in 2007, when a 30-2 vote gave the repeal permanence, so it would not have to be debated each year.   At that same meeting, the owners would give a reward for coaches who were successful on their first two reviews: a third challenge, according to Operations.NFL.com.

March 31, 1906 - The Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS) is formally established.  In 1910, the IAAUS was renamed the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Early football games often resulted in injury and even death, prompting some colleges and universities to close their football programs. The reforms were encouraged by President Roosevelt in 1905. Some of the revisions to the rules from the IAAUS included instituting the legal forward pass and making certain formations illegal.

April 4, 1998, NFL Europe, the Former World League of American Football or WLAF, kicks off its season. 1998 was the first season the league was known as NFL Europe. In that important season, a guy who played for the Amsterdam franchise, Kurt Warner, set the overseas League on fire, throwing for over 2,100 yards. The League schedule would reach its peak at the 1998 World Bowl, played on June 14, 1998, when the Rhine Fire defeated the Frankfurt Galaxy 34-10, according to the FootballDB.com website.

April 7, 1943 - According to an NFL.com post, the League adopted several new rules. Free substitution was permitted, allowing players to be substituted more than once during a game; helmets became mandatory; and a 10-game schedule was adopted.

On April 8, 1943, Frank Sinkwich from the University of Georgia was the first pick by the Detroit Lions in the 1943 NFL Draft. Frank won the Heisman Trophy in 1942 playing for the University of Georgia, making him the first recipient from the Southeastern Conference, the first Georgia Bulldog, and the first Heisman winner born outside of the United States. Sinkwich was born in Croatia before his parents immigrated to America. The Heisman.com website states that  Frank was a two-time All-Pro selection with Detroit in 1943-44, but a knee injury in 1945 essentially ended his professional football career. He later served as head coach of an Erie, Pa., professional team in 1949 and at the University of Tampa in 1950-51.

April 8, 1945, at the 1945 NFL Draft, Charley Trippi from the University of Georgia was the first pick by the Chicago Cardinals. Charley was the subject of an early pro football bidding war, as the AAFC’s New York Yankees even called for a press conference to announce Trippi as their newest member, only for Chicago Cardinals owner Charles W. Bidwill Sr. to announce in Chicago that he had signed Trippi to a four-year contract worth $100,000. For those days, the size of the contract was stunning news and a big breakthrough in the inter-league war.

On April 8, 1966, Al Davis, at the age of 36, became the commissioner of the AFL after a league-wide vote.

April 8, 1976, Lee Roy Selmon from the University of Oklahoma became the first pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the 1976 NFL Draft.

April 8, 2004 - Steve Bisciotti took over as the controlling owner of the Baltimore Ravens, succeeding Art Modell, who operated the franchise for 43 years, first in Cleveland as the Browns and later in Baltimore. Since Bisciotti took over in 2004, the Ravens' 151 wins are the fifth-most in the NFL. The Ravens were Super Bowl XLVII 47 champions in the 2012 season, and their young quarterback, Lamar Jackson, was named the 2019 AP MVP. (source)

April 8, 2015 – The trailblazing history of this date continued when Sarah Thomas became the first woman assigned full-time to an NFL officiating crew. She further broke barriers as the first female official to work an NFL postseason game in 2018 during the AFC Divisional Round between the Patriots and Chargers.  

On April 9, 1945, the NFL required players to wear long stockings. According to ESPN, Commissioner Elmer Layden mandated that NFL players wear their socks up to their lower legs, apparently for aesthetic and uniformity reasons. This rule, still enforced, explains why NFL players wear high socks while many NCAA teams play bare-legged. Displaying bare calves in the NFL can result in a fine from league headquarters. .

On April 9, 1997, the NFL announced a $3 million loan to the CFL and discussions of a possible "World Classic Bowl". The agreement was intended to reduce CFL hostilities regarding NFL games scheduled in Toronto as part of expansion plans. Toronto is the third-largest city in North America. The five-year partnership included the CFL granting the NFL permission to host annual preseason or regular-season games in Toronto or Vancouver during the agreement, per the Seattle Times.  

Jumping ahead to April 9, 2015, Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu retired after 12 seasons with the Steelers. Polamalu was selected to eight Pro Bowls, named first-team All-Pro four times, and was a two-time Super Bowl champion (XL and XLIII). He was the 2010 AP Defensive Player of the Year and played for the Steelers from 2003 to 2014.

On April 10, 1945, the NFL's Boston Yanks & Brooklyn Tigers merged. According to an article on the American Football Fandom pages, the merger resulted from a player shortage caused by World War II. The Yanks were merged with the Brooklyn Tigers for the 1945 season and styled as the Boston Yanks. The merged team played four home games in Boston and one in New York. But fans from neither city cared as they finished with a 3-6-1 record. The Boston Yanks were an NFL team based in Boston, Massachusetts, that played from 1944 to 1948. They played their home games at Fenway Park, and when the Red Sox baseball team needed the field, they played at the Nanning Bowl in nearby Lynn, Massachusetts.

On April 11, 1921, KDKA broadcast the 1st radio sporting event: a boxing match featuring Johnny Ray versus Johnny Dundee, the First Lightweight Boxing Match Wireless Broadcast. Later that same year, on October 8, 1921, marked a significant day in the game of football. On that day, the first live sports radio broadcast of a football game aired on KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The game was played at Forbes Field between West Virginia University and the University of Pittsburgh. (source)

April 12, 1940 - The NFL reduced the penalty for clipping. According to the FootballZebras.com website, up until 1940, the offense might as well have given the ball to the defense immediately if they got flagged for clipping. Before 1940, a clipping penalty was a 25-yard penalty from the spot of the foul. From 1940 to today, the penalty has been 15 yards. At some point during the 1990’s, all levels of football adopted the Block in the Back rule, which further cleaned up the clipping rule. Prior to this change, almost any block from behind was considered a clip. The Block in the back foul is a block from behind, above the waist, and carries a 10-yard penalty, while the clip is limited to behind the back and below the waist of the offended player.

April 13, 1908, Groundbreaking on Philadelphia's Shibe Park, home of the A's & Phillies, as well as the Eagles and Steagles, too! Shibe Park is also often referred to as Connie Mack Stadium, named after the legendary player /manager of the Philadelphia Athletics from 1901 to 1950. From 1940 through 1948, according to an article on Philly.curbed.com, the Eagles called Shibe Park home, a steel-and-concrete stadium that seated 40,000. The French Renaissance-style stadium was the venue in 1948 of the NFL Championship during a blizzard, where the Eagles hosted and defeated the Chicago Cardinals to claim the League title.

April 14, 1960 - A team naming.  Back on March 20, the new Oakland AFL franchise kicked off its "Name Your Football Team" contest. Soon, the franchise announced that the nickname "Senors” was the most popular answer. On April 14, the team announced that the nickname was being changed to the "Raiders."  (source)

The 1969 NFL-AFL Draft (1969): Fifty-seven years ago today, the NFL and AFL were in the final stages of finalizing the details for their first post-merger season. This date was a deadline for several "inter-league" paperwork filings that officially consolidated the scouting reports for the upcoming 1970 transition.