From record-setting interceptions to legendary quarterbacks dueling under the lights, September 24th has a unique place in football history. It’s the date that witnessed everything from the very first NFL night game in 1930 to Deion Sanders’ two-sport escapades and a massive player protest in 2017. Join us as we explore how this single day became etched in the gridiron’s memory, celebrating the Hall of Famers, college upsets, and unforgettable moments that shaped the game we know today.
Published by the athletic departments of the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Institute of Technology. Charles “Chick” Kenny illustrated the cover
September 24 American Football History Timeline
- September 24, 1930 – The very first NFL game under portable electric lights was played in Portsmouth, Ohio, as the Portsmouth Spartans faced the Brooklyn Dodgers in a night game. The first official NFL night game under the lights took place on November 6, 1929, in Kinsley Park Stadium in Providence, RI. Reflecting on the game in Ohio in 1930, though the Spartans defeated the Dodgers by the score of 12-0 at University Stadium, which is reported to still stand to this day and is now aptly called Spartan Municipal Stadium.
- September 24, 1983 – Franklin College’s quarterback Pat Brennan is intercepted a record nine times by a stingy Saginaw Valley State defense. Saginaw Valley’s great day in the secondary led them to a 40-21 victory over the opponent. Interestingly enough, Pat Brennan, eleven days earlier, was selected as the NAIA National Player of the Week for throwing for 392 yards and six touchdowns against opponent Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the 56-28 Grizzlies win on September 10, 1983.
- September 24, 1991 – Two-sport phenom Deion Sanders returned to the MLB’s Atlanta Braves, as he had been with the Atlanta Falcons through training camp and the start of the season since July 31 of that year. Sanders had a special clause in his NFL contract that allowed him to leave the Falcons to play in the Braves’ postseason. Since the Falcons had a bye week, Sanders contributed to their baseball team’s stretch run.
- September 24, 2009 – The University of South Carolina upsets the 4th-ranked Ole Miss 16-10. The heavily favored Rebels entered the contest averaging 48 points per game, but the stingy Game-Cocks defense and head coach Steve Spurrier had something else in mind as they stymied Ole Miss for much of the afternoon.
- September 24, 2017 – The NFL players responded, many in protest to President Donald Trump’s comments on them and their actions during the National Anthem before games. Teams and players responded by kneeling, locking arms, or staying in the locker room during the anthem.
September 24 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays
We wouldn’t have a memorable football September 24 without celebrating some very significant gridiron legends born on this day.
- John Mackey [1941] – A revolutionary Baltimore Colts tight end who redefined the position with breakaway speed and punishing tackle-breaking power, Mackey famously hauled in a deflected 75-yard touchdown pass in Super Bowl V. Enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992, the Syracuse product also served as the first post-merger NFLPA president, leading the historic antitrust lawsuit (Mackey v. NFL) that struck down the Rozelle Rule and paved the way for modern free agency.
- Mean Joe Greene [1946] – The cornerstone defensive tackle and fierce emotional leader of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ legendary “Steel Curtain” defense, Greene was Chuck Noll’s foundational draft pick in 1969. A two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, four-time Super Bowl champion, and 1987 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee, his disruptive “tilted nose” alignment revolutionized interior line play and anchored Pittsburgh’s 1970s dynasty.
- Joe Washington [1953] – Famous for his electrifying agility and signature silver shoes, Washington was a two-time First-Team All-American at the University of Oklahoma who finished third in the 1974 Heisman Trophy voting. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005, he became one of the NFL’s premier dual-threat backs with the Colts and Redskins, earning a Pro Bowl selection in 1979 and hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XVII.
- Eddie George [1973] – A relentless, punishing workhorse out of Ohio State, George captured the 1995 Heisman Trophy before serving as the offensive identity of the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans. The 1996 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and 2011 College Football Hall of Fame inductee racked up 10,441 career rushing yards and 78 total touchdowns, famously powering Tennessee to the doorstep of a title in Super Bowl XXXIV.
