By Darin From the humble birth of a sports media giant to milestones that forced the hand of a U.S. President, September 7 stands as one of the most transformative calendar days in football history. Imagine a single date when ESPN launched its first broadcast from a rented office, Dan Marino became the fastest quarterback to reach 100 touchdown passes, and the NFL initiated its first-ever official instant replay review. Dive into the archives as we explore these unforgettable moments alongside the birthdays of gridiron legends such as the visionary Paul Brown and the “Ruston Rifle” himself, Bert Jones.
Nothing like a nostalgic football newspaper cartoon from 1916 to get you going….
September 7 American Football History Timeline
We’ll be recapping all the events, anniversaries, and birthdays related to American football on September 7. The history of this football day starts 👍
- September 7, 1979 – Media giant, ESPN had its very first day of broadcasting the entertainment and sports programming network started in a rented office space in Plainville, Connecticut according to the ESPN website The company is now owned by the American Broadcasting Company a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company With an 80% share and the other 20% is owned by Hearst The ESPN complex is located in Bristol, Connecticut now with a sprawling 1.2 million square foot campus and companies 18 different buildings ESPN incorporated now owns the rights to over 50 different business entities Its connection to football is very deep and it’s a home of NFL’s Monday night football Numerous college games Thursday through Saturday during the season and many talk shows centered on the sport of football Let’s jump the time loop a couple years and head to Cleveland Ohio as the Cleveland Browns quarterback Brian Sipes sets a team record with 57 passing attempts in one game as the Browns fall at home to the San Diego Chargers 44 to 14
- September 7, 1986 – The Cleveland Browns also make history on this day when they are the first team in NFL history to formally have a play Reviewed by officials with video instant replay as they played at Soldier Field against the Chicago Bears On the third play of the game the defending Super Bowl champion Bears had an errant snap go into their own end zone That Cleveland safety Al Gross jumped on there was indecision from the on-field officiating crew But after review the Browns were awarded the score the Bears came back though and won the week one game 41 to 31.
- September 7, 1986 – Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino became the fastest person to throw 100 touchdowns in the NFL. Marino tossed three scores on a day, two of them to Mark Clayton. Unfortunately for Miami, that was not enough, as the home team, the San Diego Chargers, scored some of their own in a 50-28 drubbing of the Dolphins.
- September 7, 1991 – In the college ranks BYU quarterback Ty Detmer goes past the NCAA career record of 11,606 yards on the state Detmer won the Heisman Trophy after the 1990 season and showed the UCLA Bruins that day that his game was still as sharp as it was a year before In this exciting early season matchup the Bruins held on to win the game at home 2723 but not before Ty Detmer surpasses the throwing milestone.
September 7 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays
We’re gonna switch gears now and go to our segment where we celebrate the Anniversaries of the birth of our legends and Hall of Famers, and we’re gonna go right to it.
Happy Birthday to these iconic football figures! Here is the list for September 7, organized chronologically by their year of birth:
- Robert “Tiny” Maxwell [1884] A massive 240-pound guard for Chicago and Swarthmore, Maxwell inadvertently became the catalyst for modern football rules when a horrific photo of his bruised, bloodied face after a 1905 game outraged President Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt’s subsequent ultimatum to reform or abolish the sport directly led to the 1906 legalization of the forward pass and the creation of the 10-yard first down.
- Mort Kaer [1902] A multi-sport phenomenon, this former US Olympian placed fifth in the 1924 pentathlon before becoming an All-American halfback for USC. He set a Trojan single-season record with 19 touchdowns in 1925—a mark that stood for 43 years until O.J. Simpson broke it—before playing one season with the Frankford Yellow Jackets and enjoying a legendary 28-year high school coaching career.
- Paul Brown [1908] One of the most influential innovators in football history, Brown revolutionized the sport by introducing full-time coaching staffs, film study, intelligence testing, and the radio-helmet transmitter. The Hall of Fame icon won four AAFC titles and three NFL championships as the leader of the Cleveland Browns before founding, owning, and coaching the Cincinnati Bengals.
- Bert Jones [1951] Nicknamed “The Ruston Rifle,” Jones cemented his legacy at LSU with a legendary, clock-controversy touchdown pass to beat Ole Miss in 1972 before setting the school’s all-time passing records. Selected second overall in the 1973 NFL Draft, he succeeded Johnny Unitas as the quarterback of the Baltimore Colts, winning the 1976 NFL MVP award and leading the franchise to three straight AFC East titles.
Conclusion
The historical tapestry of September 7 perfectly captures the rapid evolution of football, bridging its rugged origins with modern technical brilliance. Whether it is the legacy of Robert “Tiny” Maxwell—whose brutal 1905 injuries famously prompted President Theodore Roosevelt to demand safety reforms—or Ty Detmer shattering NCAA passing records, this date is a masterclass in gridiron greatness. These milestones remind us how safety adjustments, media expansion, and technological innovations like instant replay worked in tandem to build the sports landscape we enjoy today.