January 11, 1946 - The NFL announces that Bert Bell had become the second Commissioner in League history. The Pro Football Researchers Association in their 1996 Volume 18 edition of the Coffin Corner Magazine shared a story from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The long time inaugural commissioner, Elmer Layden’s tenure was over due to an instance where Brooklyn owner Dan Topping withdrew his team from the league to join the new All-America Football Conference (AAFC). The remaining owners agreed not to renew Layden's League contract because he was soft and not forceful enough to prevent the Brooklyn departure. The AAFC right after World War II was a definite competitor to the NFL as the AAFC had some deep pockets as well as some star power. The NFL franchise owners then unanimously picked one of their own, fellow owner, Bert Bell of the Pittsburgh Steelers co-owners to take the position of the League Commissioner. For the first two decades of the NFL’s existence, they had a president of the League. Jim Thorpe served as the President in 1920, followed by Joe Carr who served as the head man for 19 seasons, and then Carl Storck was the final President serving for two years. In 1941 Layden was the first Commissioner as the group moved away from the President title. Bell was one of the best the NFL had ever seen, he dealt immediately with a gambling scandal, wouldn’t back down or sign truces with a rival AAFC and even instituted the two -Minute Warning and signed a TV deal. Bell’s staunch position of not giving into the AAFC eventually paid dividends as he basically made the fledgling league to go belly up and then Bell swept in to grab the AAFC’s three best teams to merge into the NFL. Bell really put the NFL in a better place to compete with the popular college game.
January 11, 1959 - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum - The 9th NFL Pro Bowl was played as the Eastern Conference got the better of the Western Conference in a final score of 28-21. According to the American Football Database website, New York Giants halfback, Frank Gifford and Doug Atkins, the Defensive End from the Chicago Bears were the game’s Most Valuable Players.
January 11, 1970 - Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana - Super Bowl IV had the Minnesota Vikings taking on Kansas City for the right to win the Lombardi Trophy according to the Pro-Football-Reference.com. The Chiefs jumped out to a 16-0 half time lead based on three Jan Stenerud field goals and a rushing TD by Running Back Mike Garrett. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the third quarter on a Vikings Dave Osborn plunge and KC Len Dawson pass connection to Otis Taylor for a 46 yard touchdown. The Chiefs captured the NFL title by knocking off the Minnesota Vikings, 23-7. The game’s Most Valuable Player was Quarterback Len Dawson.
January 11, 1981 - AFC Championship was played at San Diego’s Jack Murphy Stadium. The AFC West dominated the American Conference of the NFL when the Chargers hosted the Oakland Raiders. The Oakland Raiders defeated the San Diego Chargers, 34-27 per Onthisday.com.
January 11, 1981 - Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia - The NFC Championship Philadelphia Eagles beat Dallas Cowboys, 20-7 per Onthisday.com.
January 11, 1987 - Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey - The Largest crowd which was 76,633 at the Giant Stadium witnessed the G-men blanking Washington 17-0, for the NFC Championship title per Onthisday.com.
January 11, 1987 - Cleveland Municipal Stadium - AFC Championship will forever go down in the annals of sports history as “the Drive.” According to SBNation.com Cleveland fans were on an emotional high as the Browns scored a touchdown with less than 6 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter on a 48 pass from Bernie Kosar to receiver Brian Brennan, who with a spin move escaped would be tacklers to find the endzone. Things looked even better for the Browns as Denver bobbled the ensuing kick off and found themselves with possession at thor own two yard line. The Broncos had not mustered a drive of any length all day against a stingy Cleveland defense and that just added fever pitch to the home crowd. But the cool calm and collected John Elway had other things in mind. Elway and company drove the entire 98 yards of the field including some third and long conversions to tie the game and silence the crowd. The Broncos took the game to Overtime where a Rich Karlis Field Goal defeated the Cleveland Browns Super Bowl plans 23-20.
January 11, 1995 - The Canadian Football League tried some experimental U.S. expansion by announcing Alabama’s Birmingham Barracudas were granted CFL franchise. Birmingham lasted only one season though per Onthisday.com as the States did not support the Canadian style of play.
January 11, 1998 - AFC Championship Game had Bill Cowher’s Steelers up against a Denver Broncos team with wiley veteran John Elway under center. Terrell Davis started the scoring with an 8 yard scamper according to the Pro-Football-Reference.com. Pittsburgh countered with a TD by their big back Jerome Bettis. The Steelers defense shut Elway and company down in the second half and made it interesting down the stretch but could not overcome 3 Kordell Stewart interceptions as the Denver Broncos went on to beat Pittsburgh 24-21 to advance into the big game.
January 11, 1998 - 3Com Park, San Francisco - The NFC Championship game was won by the Green Bay Packers as they outlasted the San Francisco 49ers, 23-10 to advance to the Super Bowl per Onthisday.com.
January 11, 1999 - Marty Schottenheimer resigned as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs after 10 seasons. Schottenheimer had great success as an NFL head coach not only with the Chiefs but also with the Cleveland Browns a decade earlier. CBSNews.com tells how Marty’s teams played well in the regular season but his failures in the playoffs led to many disappointments to Chiefs and Browns fans. It’s a shame that he is remembered for his failures and not for the tremendous success his teams had. His 145 victories had him at the time ranked 10th in NFL history.
January 11, 2004 - The Philadelphia Eagles faced "4th and 26", as they trailed the Green Bay Packers by 3 in NFC Divisional Playoff Game. An ESPN.com story informs that it was the final drive for the Eagles and the game all came down to this one play with 1:12 remaining. Eagles Quarterback Donovan McNabb launched a remarkable 28 yard strike to Freddie Mitchell to move the sticks and keep Philly’s chances alive. The Eagles would go onto score on a David Akers field goal to tie the game at 17 and send the game to an extra sudden death session. The Packers had their chance in OT as they had the ball but an errant pass by Brett Favre was picked off by ball hawking safety Brian Dwkins to set up the game ending field goal by Akers in a 20-17 Eagles win. McNabb set a post season quarterback rushing record with his 107 yards on the ground.
January 11, 2016 - University of Phoenix Stadium - The second College Football Playoff National Championship game had the top teams in college football face each other as the Crimson Tide of Alabama challenged the Clemson Tigers. The College Football Playoff website covers the game’s storyline well. Clemson’s signal caller the phenomenal Deshaun Watson set a Championship game record of 478 total yards but the Tide countered with offensive production by Derrick Henry who trudged for 158 yards on the ground and O.J. Howard caught 208 yards of passes on just 5 receptions with two scores. It was a game for the ages as #2 Alabama outlasted #1 Clemson, 45-40. The Tide’s O.J. Howard was the Offensive Player of the Game while Bama’s Eddie Jackson was the Defensive Player of the Game.
