From a newly minted franchise making its first splash to a dramatic rebellion that threw league ownership into temporary chaos, July 6 is a cornerstone date in gridiron history. Imagine a day that saw Green Bay icon Jim Taylor shock the football world by packing his bags for the expansion New Orleans Saints, or a secretive “Gang of 11” owners pulling a fast one in Chicago to block the coronation of a new NFL Commissioner. Throw in a birthday celebration for an All-American defensive end who set an untouchable NFL record before becoming a primetime TV star, and this edition of the history archives proves that the biggest football battles often happen off the field.
July 6 American Football History Timeline
- July 6, 1967 – Jim Taylor Marches into New Orleans (1967): In a monumental early milestone for the expansion New Orleans Saints, legendary fullback Jim Taylor officially signed with the first-year franchise on July 6, 1967. The rugged, future Hall of Famer left Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers to bring instant championship credibility and a bruising running style to the upstart squad in the Big Easy. (Source)
The Newspapers.com Football History Headline of the Day comes from the Philadelphia Daily News on July 7, 1989, with their headline of:
Gang of 11 Ensures it will Be Heard.
- July 6, 1989 – Replacing a Legend – This story is about how the NFL owners met in Chicago for the 1st vote on a successor to the soon-to-be-retiring Commissioner, Pete Rozelle. Saints President/General Manager Jim Finks was the only candidate presented, but his selection as Commish fell just short of the votes needed for election. The main reason why this occurred was that a block of 11 owners headed by Dallas’ Jerry Jones, Philly’s Norman Braman, Victor Kiam of New England, Seattle’s Ken Behring, and Pat Bowlen of Denver all abstained from voting, luring a few others with them, which prevented the necessary number of votes to pass the anointing of a new NFL Commissioner. The League went into what was described as chaos after the vote. Braman spoke to the media after the session and said, “The issue tonight was information… There was a sense among the 11 owners that we wanted more information… This was not an anti-Finks vote. It really wasn’t, and we expressed it that way. That’s why we abstained.”  The uncertainty of who the next head of the League would be was not settled until October 26, 1989, when Paul Tagliabue was announced. More from this saga in the coming months.
July Football Hall of Fame Birthdays
Happy Birthday to this gridiron legend turned primetime television star! Here is the entry for July 6, formatted and ready for your historical archives:
- Fred Dryer [1946] – An elite, high-speed defensive lineman out of San Diego State, Dryer was recruited by John Madden and coached by Don Coryell before earning Little All-America honors during an undefeated 1968 campaign. He transitioned his athletic prowess into a dominant 13-year NFL career with the Giants and Rams—becoming the only player in league history to score two safeties in a single game—before finding immense post-football fame as the star of the hit television series Hunter.
Conclusion
The milestones of July 6th showcase a sport constantly adjusting to massive growth and shifting power dynamics. Whether it was the Saints acquiring instant championship pedigree on the field with Jim Taylor or individual owners exercising their collective muscle to demand more transparency in the league’s front office, these moments directly paved the way for the modern NFL structure we know today. Coupled with the unique dual-career legacy of Hall of Famer Fred Dryer, this date stands as a testament to the complex, entertaining, and high-stakes nature of pro football history.