December 30

In this edition of the Football History Headlines, we discuss the career of NFL Executive Ron Wolf, the first team to make it to the Super Bowl in 3 consecutive years, an NFL season that saw 25 OT games as well as many more Legendary Gridiron stories.

As we flip the calendar page, we delve into another chapter of pigskin history. From legendary comebacks that defied the odds to record-breaking performances that left fans speechless, remarkable moments unfolded on this very date. So, buckle up and get ready to relive iconic plays, celebrate trailblazing athletes, and revisit the captivating stories that continue to shape the ever-evolving narrative of professional football. Let's lace up our cleats and journey back in time to witness the incredible feats that transpired on this historic day in the NFL!

December 30, 1956 - Yankee Stadium, New York - The NFL’s 1956 Championship game, New York Giants won the franchises fourth League title after they crushed the Chicago Bears, 47-7. The Pro-Football Reference.com site informs us that the Giants scoring was paced by two TD passes by QB Charlie Conerly while Alex Webster rushed for two others to aid in the New York victory. 

December 30, 1962 - Yankee Stadium, New York - The Giants also participated in the 1962 NFL Championship game per a Bleacher Report story. Their opponents were the Green Bay Packers who were playing in their third straight League finale. Kicker Jerry Kramer booted 3 successful field goals to fuel the scoring as Green Bay defeated the NY Giants, 16-7.Ray Nitschke of Packers was selected as the game’s Most Valuable Player.

December 30, 1973 - Miami Orange Bowl - The AFC Championship had the Dolphins hosting the Oakland Raiders. The Miami squad became the first team to play in 3 consecutive Super Bowls as they knocked off the Raiders, 27-10 powered by 3 touchdown runs by Larry Csonka according to a barstoolsports.com article.

December 30, 1973 - Texas Stadium, Irving - The NFC Championship game also had a final score of 27-10.  The Pro-Football-Reference.com site shows that Bobby Brown had a 63 yard scoop and score to help seal the Super Bowl invitation for the Minnesota Vikings as they beat the Dallas Cowboys to earn the right to play in the big game.

December 30, 2002 - A CBSSports.com story tells us that the 2002 Season concluded with an All Time NFL season record of 25 overtime games. 

Now for some Onthisday.com Quick hitter headlines:

December 30, 2008 - NFL head coach Mike Shanahan is fired by the Denver Broncos

December 30, 2013 - NFL head coach Mike Shanahan is fired by the Washington Redskins

December 30, 2016 - 83rd Orange Bowl: #10 Florida State beats #6 Michigan, 33-32

December 30, 2017 - 84th Orange Bowl: #6 Wisconsin beats #11 Miami (Florida), 34-24

December 30, 2018 - Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes during KC Chiefs' 35-3 win over Oakland Raiders became only the 2nd quarterback in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns. Both milestones were reached on a 3rd quarter 89-yard TD pass to Demarcus Robinson per the Onthisday.com website.

December 30, 1938 - The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s bio on Ron Wolf tells how he was born in New Freedom, Pennsylvania and attended the University of Oklahoma. Wolf has one of the top front office resumes in NFL history per a ProFootballHOF.com article. Ron helped to build the Oakland Raiders teams that went on to win nine divisional titles, played in 8 conference championships and 3 Super Bowls. He also took over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in  their inaugural season and was also responsible for the rebuilding of the Green Bay Packers of the 1990s and 200’s that went to back to back Super Bowls and won Super Bowl XXXI. Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Ron Wolf as a contributor in 2015’s class.

December 30, 1941 - Houston, Texas -  The super athletic running back of the Oregon Ducks Mel Renfro was born. Yes Mel was an offensive weapon in college and not roaming the secondary like he did on the other side of the ball as a pro in Dallas. We will get to that in a moment, but for now lets learn about his collegiate days. Renfro according to the footballfoundation.org website led Oregon in rushing and scoring throughout his three seasons of 1961  through 1963. After the 1962 season he was voted as a Consensus First Team All- America player. The College Football hall of Fame held the doors open wide to welcome Mel Renfro to their fold of legends in 1986. Renfro became the second pick of the 1964 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys who selected him to play defensive back. For the next 14 seasons Mel played either corner of safety on the Cowboys defense and also acted as a return man for much of his career as he accumulated over 2200 kick return yards over his tenure. Renfro made the Pro Bowl in each of his first ten seasons in the League.  Mel Renfro was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996.

December 30, 1953 - Oakridge, Tennessee - Chet Moeller the Safety from the US Naval Academy celebrated his birth. Chet was one of the most awarded Navy players of all time per the NFF. The Midshipman DB was a unanimous All-America in 1975 , was named an AP Player of the Week and received the Ernie Davis Award at the Coaches All-America Game. Moeller was a finalist for the NCAA Today's Top Five, earned a second team NCAA Academic All-America and he was given the Naval Academy’s Athletic Association Sword. He registered 275 tackles during his career at Navy. The National Football Foundation selected Chet Moeller into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

December 30, 1966 - Sharon, Pennsylvania - Westminster College’s famed Quarterback Joe Micchia was born. Footballfoundation.org says that Joe received second Team All-American honors in 1988 and then followed that up in 1989 as a First Team All America selection. Micchia led Westminster to back-to-back undefeated seasons en route to consecutive NAIA Division II national championships. His record as a starter with the Westminster Titans was an amazing 31-0 as he was the school's first-ever 4,000-yard passer and had 68 career TD passes with 32 of them occurring in one season. The NFF voters sent Joe Micchia into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

December 30, 1972 - Lebanon, Pennsylvania - The Great Nittany Lions QB Kerry Collins celebrates his birth. After the 1994 season Kerry received consensus First Team All-America honors and he broke nine single-season school records the year. The NFF states that Collins led the nation in passing efficiency in 1994 with a 172.9 rating which is the fourth best all-time. Kerry Collins had no trouble finding his way into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018. Collins became the Carolina Panthers, first-ever draft pick when they selected him as the fifth overall pick in the 1995 NFL Draft. The two-time Pro Bowl selection played 17 years in the NFL with the Panthers, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts. 

The photograph used in today's banner header is titled "Spectators at a football game played by the Maryland Terrapins vs. the North Carolina Tar Heels in College Park, Maryland" and was taken in 1957 by photographer Warren K. Leffler. Graciously the photo was donated to the US Library of Congress so that we could appreciate it. and we are thankful for that!