By Darin The Gift of Gridiron: Unwrapping Over a Century of Football History on Christmas Day
Christmas Day is typically reserved for family, carols, and unwrapping gifts. For over a century, December 25th has also been a surprisingly fertile and often unexpected field for groundbreaking moments in football history. From the first intersectional college showdown in 1894—a monumental meeting between legends Walter Camp and Amos Alonzo Stagg—to experimental games that led to the crucial forward-pass rule changes in 1905, this holiday has been a day of innovation. It also gave us some of the NFL’s most iconic, record-breaking battles. These include the longest game ever played, which gifted the world with Hall of Fame talents like Ken Stabler and Larry Csonka. Dive into the archives to unwrap the most significant and unforgettable moments that solidified Christmas Day’s unique and fiercely competitive place in the gridiron legacy.
December 25 Football History Timeline
- December 25, 1894 – San Francisco, California – The first intersectional college football game was played as the University of Chicago played Stanford University. The game was most likely established by the two coaches, who had been together at Yale University over a decade earlier. Stanford’s coach was the Father of Football, Walter Camp, who coached the University of Chicago’s Head Coach, Amos Alonzo Stagg, as shared by the SwannGalleries website. Stagg and the Maroons traveled well and put it to the Cardinal 24-4. Stay tuned for the December 29 rematch, though.
- December 25, 1905 – Wichita, Kansas – An experimental game was played using never-before-used rules as Fairmont entertained Washburn College. After the legendary October 9, 1905, conference between President Teddy Roosevelt and a braintrust of college legends, including Walter Camp, Arthur T. Hildebrand, and William Reid, among others, to reform football following over 18 deaths on the field during the 1905 season. According to the Kansas.com story on the subject, several rule changes, including 10 yards for a first down and legalizing the forward pass, had long been talked about but not acted upon, but now with Roosevelt’s mandate, these were among the innovations needed to keep the game going by making it safer for players. Allegedly, this Christmas Day game in Wichita was a laboratory to test what these revisions could do for safety. The details are a bit murky per the article, but the first forward pass may have occurred in this contest. It has long been thought that Paul Veeder of Yale to Bob Forbes in 1906, or Louis quarterback Bradbury Robinson, completed the first legal pass on September 5, 1906, when he threw 20 yards to Jack Schneider, as the first completions of a pass, but that might not be the case. The Kansas article goes on to say that though the Christmas Day game in Kansas was documented by a December 26, 1905, Wichita Daily Eagle write-up, it didn’t really account for who or what team threw the pass first, and it may not have made the “official” record list because, after all, the game was an experimental exhibition. Even so, the fact that it was played with the new rules is monumental to Gridiron history! Some 45 years after the game, Bliss Isely, who was one of the Fairmount College players in that game, wrote in his 1956 article for “This Week: The National Sunday Magazine,” that Roosevelt didn’t want to wait for the 1906 season and that he wanted them tried out as soon as possible. The article goes on to say Isley wrote, “when no big-league teams accepted the challenge,” Fairmount team manager and left guard Roy Kirk booked a game with Washburn and wired Roosevelt, telling the President that the game would be played under experimental rules. As to who legally tossed the ball forward first, Mr. Isley may have the answer, as he said in his description of the play that Davis was running right, avoiding a tackle, and throwing a two-hand underhand pass to Solter, who had broken right toward the sideline. “Solter grabbed it easily and crashed ahead for a first down.” Postscript: Jan. 12, 1906, in New York, sweeping rules changes were approved. Many were the same ones used in the Washburn-Fairmount game, and the rest is history!
- December 25, 1971 – The Miami Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs played in a very memorable game on Christmas Day in the AFC Divisional contest. It ended up being the longest NFL game ever, as it went to 2 overtime sessions before Miami Kicker Garo Yepremian booted a 37-yarder to send the Dolphins to a 27-24 thriller! Kansas City’s Ed Podolak recorded an amazing 350 all-purpose yards in the losing effort. (source)
- December 25, 1989 – Chris Doleman registered 3 sacks of the Bengals quarterback, and Kicker Rich Karlis nailed five first-half field goals to propel the Minnesota Vikings to a 29-21 victory over Cincinnati to secure the NFC Central Division and shut the door on the Bengals’ playoff chances. (source)
- December 25, 1993 – The final weekend of the season saw the Houston Oilers matched up against the San Francisco 49ers. These two offenses were the top-scoring units in the League on the season, but it was the defenses that stood tall that day as the Oilers escaped with a 10-7 victory! (source)
- December 25, 2004 – KC return specialist Dante Hall set the table with a 49-yard kickoff return so that Kicker Lawrence Tynes could knock through the game-winning FG with 22 seconds left to lift the Chiefs to a 31-30 win over the Raiders. Tynes had missed two earlier kicks in the game. (source)
- December 25, 2002 – Las Vegas, Nevada – History was made at the Las Vegas Bowl game between New Mexico and UCLA. Katie Hnida of the Lobos became the first woman to play in a Division I-A bowl game, kicking an extra point attempt that was blocked. Ms. Hnida, in the next season on August 30, 2003, became the first young lady to score at the Division I-A level.
- December 25, 2006 – The New York Jets win 13-10 over the Miami Dolphins during a torrential rain storm. Fourth-quarter touchdowns by both teams during a break in the weather provided most of the scoring, and a 30-yard field goal by Kicker Mike Nugent with 10 ticks of the clock remaining sealed the win for the Jets, as told by an article on the Pro Football Hall of Fame site.
- December 25, 2010 – According to the Profootballhof.com website, Arizona Cardinals defensive playmakers Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Greg Toler each had a pick-six to lead the Cards to a 27-26 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
- December 25, 2011 – Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers tosses 5 touchdown passes to prevent the Chicago Bears from earning a Wildcard spot in the playoffs in a Packers 35-21 victory per a Pro Football HOF story.
- December 25, 2016 – The AFC North title was on the line as the Ravens led late. But with seconds left, Steelers’ Antonio Brown caught a pass at the one-yard line, evaded defenders, and stretched the ball just across the goal line to secure a 31-27 victory for Pittsburgh. This one might have made our top ten Steelers Plays of all time.
December 25 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays
- Larry Csonka
Conclusion
From the chilly fields of San Francisco in 1894 to the torrential rain in Miami and the thrilling “Immaculate Extension” touchdown in Pittsburgh, Christmas Day has consistently delivered high-stakes, unforgettable football drama. Whether witnessing the inception of the forward pass, celebrating the barrier-breaking moment when Katie Hnida became the first woman to play in a Division I-A bowl game, or honoring the birthdays of gridiron legends like “The Snake” and “Zonk,” December 25th is more than just a holiday—it’s a sacred, compelling date in gridiron lore. These historical moments, blending festive spirit with brutal competition and lasting innovation, ensure that the history of American football is forever intertwined with the magic of Christmas.
Additional sources include Pro-Football-Reference.com. ProFootball HOF.com, and Newspapers.com
