Football History of May 22

May 22 has reshaped the sports world, from Deion Sanders’ showdown with Carlton Fisk to the NFL’s vote launching the Panthers and Jaguars. It unites explosive personalities, decisive moments, and birthdays of gridiron giants, exemplifying the drama and transformation of American sports.

May 22 American Football History Timeline

Our Newspapers.com Football History Headline of the Day is from the May 23, 1990 edition of the New York Daily News: “Fisk Objects to Prime Time.” The headline refers to an incident that occurred during the Chicago White Sox’s visit to the New York Yankees on May 22, 1990.

• May 22, 1990 – NFL Hall of Fame player Deion Sanders, who also played in MLB, clashed with Chicago White Sox catcher Carlton Fisk.

This is one of the most infamous incidents of Sanders’ baseball career. The backstory comes from an article on Undefeated.com. Fisk, known as “The Commander” or “Pudge,” was entering his fourth decade as a player. Because he spent the first part of his career with the Boston Red Sox, he loathed playing against the Yankees. Sanders, on the other hand, attracted significant media attention. The fifth pick in the 1989 NFL draft signed a 4-year, $4 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons, made the Yankees’ Opening Day roster in 1990, and became one of the first in the majors to wear his own brand. The Daily News reports that Fisk became furious when Sanders, before stepping into the batter’s box, drew dollar signs in the dirt by home plate before the first pitch of the fifth inning. Deion insists he wasn’t drawing dollar signs, but was only performing a dust-scribble ritual before entering the box, something he has done since he was young. Sanders continued joking with reporters after the Yankees won 5-2. Fisk, still upset, yelled at the media as he entered the post-game shower.

• May 22, 1991 – The NFL agrees to expand by two teams by the start of the 1994 season. The two expansion teams later became the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars.

The May 23, 1991, edition of the Charlotte Observer stated that the resolution barely received the 21 votes of the then 28 franchises it needed to carry. The Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, and Phoenix Cardinals voted against the expansion, while the Los Angeles Raiders and Indianapolis Colts abstained. The NFL bylaws require a ¾ majority to pass on such a change. There were multiple reasons teams did not like the expansion arrangement, including splitting TV revenues, the lack of a collective bargaining agreement at the time, and a slowing U.S. economy. Bills owner Ralph Wilson said, “I was in the Navy, and they always said…, ‘If you’re going to land the troops on the beach, you better clear the land mines first.”

NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue left the meeting and spoke to the press. He stated that, financially, the expansion would be a wash for current teams at worst. Concerns would be offset by franchise fees from new teams. Additional revenue would also come from bringing the League to 30 teams. The two expansion teams later became the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars.

May 22 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays

Happy Birthday to these outstanding gridiron legends! Organized in order of birth, here is the list for May 22:

• Paul Schwegler [1907] A dominant tackle for the Washington Huskies, “Schweg” Schwegler was a lone bright spot on a struggling program, earning first-team All-America honors in 1931 and being selected to 43 collegiate all-star teams. His physical prowess and defensive excellence earned him an induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1967.
• Dave Rimington [1960] One of the greatest interior linemen in college football history, Rimington anchors the Nebraska Cornhuskers’ legacy as a two-time All-American, Lombardi Award winner, and the only back-to-back recipient of the Outland Trophy. His name is so synonymous with elite line play that college football’s premier award for centers—the Rimington Trophy—was created in his honor.
• Dré Bly [1977] A ball-hawking cornerback for North Carolina, Bly stands as the only player in ACC history to be named a First-Team All-American three times, setting a conference record with 20 career interceptions. He translated that collegiate dominance into an 11-year NFL career, making two Pro Bowls and helping the St. Louis Rams win Super Bowl XXXIV.

More gridiron figures born on May 22, organized in order of birth:

• Graham Harrell [1985]An absolute gunslinger at Texas Tech under Mike Leach, Harrell rewrote the NCAA record books, throwing for 15,793 career yards and 134 touchdowns. The 2008 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner led the Red Raiders to an unforgettable #2 national ranking during his senior season before transitioning into a prominent college football offensive coordinator and coach.
• Julian Edelman [1986]A former college quarterback turned elite slot receiver, Edelman became one of the most clutch postseason performers in NFL history during his 12-year career with the New England Patriots. A three-time Super Bowl champion and the MVP of Super Bowl LIII, he ranks third all-time in postseason receiving yards and famously made one of the most acrobatic catches in Super Bowl history against the Falcons.

Conclusion

The events of May 22nd highlight the fascinating intersection of individual ego and institutional growth. Deion Sanders’ confrontation with Carlton Fisk remains a definitive moment in the “two-sport star” era, while the NFL’s 1991 expansion vote serves as a reminder that the league’s dominance was never a historical accident—it was a hard-fought battle of economics and vision. Between these milestones and the Hall of Fame legacies of players like Rimington and Bly, May 22nd stands as a testament to the grit and glamour that define American sports history.