By Darin 
🦃 Thanksgiving Records and Last-Second Heartbreak: Unforgettable Moments on November 22
The date November 22 is packed with football history, ranging from record-shattering holiday performances to the birth of a major league. Imagine this: On Thanksgiving Day, 1945, Cleveland Rams end Jim Benton torched the Detroit Lions defense for an NFL-record 303 receiving yards, a mark that stood for an incredible 40 years! This powerhouse performance helped the Rams secure a critical 28-21 win. That same calendar day also saw the AFL hold its first Draft in 1959, effectively marking the beginnings of the New York Titans (Jets), Los Angeles Chargers, and Boston Patriots franchises. From a historic NFL record to the birth of a rival league, November 22 is truly a day of significant milestones. (source)
November 22 Football History Headlines
November 22, 1941 – (feature image) The Pitt Panthers defeated the Penn State Nittany Lions 14-6 in their annual rivalry game on November 22, 1941. This victory gave Pitt a winning record for the season, while the Nittany Lions finished their year with a narrow loss.
November 22, 1945 – Briggs Stadium, Detroit, Michigan – The fans of the Cleveland Rams had plenty to be thankful for on this day. Jim Benton, the dependable Cleveland Rams end, gained an NFL record 303 yards against the Detroit Lions during this Thanksgiving Day game. The mark of 303 yards remained the NFL record for 40 years and was tested only once in 1950 by Cloyce Box of the Lions, who gained 302 yards in one game. It wasn’t until the 1985 season that the record was shattered by Stephone Paige of the Kansas City Chiefs, 1985, with 309, and in 1989, when Flipper Anderson of the LA version of the Rams chalked up a remarkable 336 yards! It was a critical game per the fs64sports website, as the Rams entered the contest with a 7-1 mark, while the host Lions were no slouches, sporting a 6-2 record of their own. Benton and his team did just enough to escape the Motor City with an exciting 28-21 win.
On November 22, 1959, the AFL held its very first Draft, with 8 teams participating: the Dallas Texans, Houston Oilers, Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills, New York Titans, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, and Boston Patriots. Patriots fans often refer to this date as the birth of their franchise, according to the remembertheAFL.com website. Just for the record, the very first pick of this inaugural AFL Draft was the NY Titans’ selection of Notre Dame quarterback George Izo. (source)
November 22, 1966 – The 32nd Heisman Trophy winner was announced, with Quarterback Steve Spurrier from Florida taking home the hardware. Many people around football know Steve Spurrier as the former Florida Gators Head Coach whose teams won seven SEC Championships and the 1996 National Championship. Spurrier’s Gator team also produced a Heisman Trophy winner under his coaching: Danny Wuerffel. We also know the Ole Football Coach as the man who piloted the Washington Redskins for a short time before spending a few years at the University of South Carolina. WE all forget that in 1966, Steve Spurrier was given the Heisman, the top player award in college football. According to the website Heisman.com, Spurrier earned the starting QB role at Florida in 1964. That first season, he got his feet wet by throwing for 943 yards and six TDs while leading Florida to a 7-3 record. In his junior year of 1965, he threw for another 1,893 yards and 14 touchdowns, and the Gators went 7-4. All the stars aligned in 1966, though, as the senior signal caller put up even bigger numbers to the tune of 2012 yards in the air and 16 touchdowns, and that, my friends, will get you a Heisman Trophy in 1966. It also earned Steve Spurrier the honor of being a unanimous All-American and the Walter Camp Award. The NFF placed Steve Spurrier into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
November 22, 1969 – The Famous ‘Ten Year War” was on full display when Coach Woody Hayes’ Ohio State Buckeyes renewed their rivalry with Bo Schembechler’s Michigan Wolverines in a thriller.
November 22, 1981 – Olympic Stadium, Montreal, Quebec – The Edmonton Eskimos won their 4th consecutive CFL Grey Cup. CBC.ca’s internet page gives us all the scoop on the game. Rough Rider Quarterback J.C. Watts brought his team out on fire as they stormed to an early 19-point lead. But the one loss, the Eskimos were not left out in the cold yet. The Edmonton team showed their grit that brought them to be CFL Champs the previous three years by performing what some have called the greatest comeback in Grey Cup history. It was Eskimo kicker Dave Cutler’s 27-yard field goal with six ticks on the clock that completed the comeback as Edmonton defeated the Ottawa Rough Riders, 26-23. J.C. Watts was the Offensive MVP, while John Glassford was the Defensive Most Valuable Player, and Neil Lumsden was voted as the Most Valuable Canadian. (source)
November 22, 1997 – Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, Alabama – It was a wild one in this long-time SEC matchup for the 62nd Iron Bowl. The Tigers were favorites to win the game, but Alabama sure didn’t make it easy, according to AL.com. The Crimson Tide shot out to a 17-6 lead in the game on the powerful running by Shawn Alexander. But the Tigers had a good back of their own in Fred Beasley, who pounded the ball in for a TD to close the gap. The Crimson Tide seemed to be in full control after Auburn punted with less than three minutes to play. Auburn burned its last timeout with 1:35 to play after three hard runs by Alexander. Alexander got a fourth carry on the ensuing play before it happened. It was third down with eight yards to go for a first down at the Bama 36. The Tide offense decided to run a screen pass. The play was a disaster as the Crimson Tides QB, Freddie Kitchens, looked right with a pump and then spun to his left, throwing a high pass to Ed Scissum, who had to leap high in the air to catch the ball. It was a moment later that Montavius Houston hit Scissum’s legs like a truck, and the ball popped loose onto the ground, where teammate Quinton Reese fell on it at the Alabama 33-yard line. The Tigers methodically moved the ball down to the 22-yard line, then, on third down, after being iced by an Alabama timeout, kicker Jaret Holmes trotted onto the field and knocked through a 39-yarder to give the Auburn Tigers a come-from-behind 18-17 victory! (source)
November 22, 1997 – Another great rivalry in college football is when the Florida State Seminoles and the Florida Gators meet. 1997 was capped by a clever scheme that the Old Football Coach Steve Spurrier had for his cross-state rivals.
November 22, 1998 – Winnipeg Stadium – The Grey Cup Championship for the CFL was played. It was a tight one as the Calgary Stampeders outlasted the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a 26-24 thriller. Quarterback Jeff Garcia won the MVP honors. Garcia would later earn a spot in the NFL and play in 4 Pro Bowls. (source)
November 22, 2003– Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, Alabama – In the 68th Iron Bowl, it was another heart-pounding finish. ESPN.com tells us how Carnell Williams started the Tigers off on the right track with his 80-yard scamper for a touchdown early in the contest. Williams had a great night, rushing for 204 yards. With the Tigers up by the score of 18-2 at the half, the Crimson Tide came out of the locker room on a mission to win as Brandon Brooks ran the second half kick all the way for a 96-yard TD. The Tide scored a touchdown with 1:03 remaining, but it was not enough as Auburn survived the late Alabama charge by the score of 28-23. (source)
November 22 Football Hall of Fame Birthday
- Mel Long
Conclusion
November 22 encapsulates the full emotional spectrum of football greatness and drama. It celebrates the individual brilliance of Jim Benton’s 303-yard receiving record and the foundational growth of the professional game with the inaugural AFL Draft. It honors the collegiate legacy of Heisman winner Steve Spurrier before his coaching fame and the unprecedented college career of decorated Marine veteran Mel Long, whose Toledo teams went 35-0. However, the day is perhaps best remembered for nail-biting finishes: the 1981 Grey Cup’s most remarkable comeback by the Edmonton Eskimos and the perennial Iron Bowl heartbreaks of 1997 and 2003, ensuring November 22 will always be a date circled on the sports calendar.