By Darin September 9 stands as a monumental date in gridiron history, marking the precise moment a brand-new football league challenged the status quo. On this day in 1960, the American Football League (AFL) officially kicked off its inaugural season, changing the landscape of professional sports forever. From that historic opening night in Boston to a legendary 21st-century Packers-Bears comeback thriller—and the birth of a pioneering “Point-a-Minute” college football icon—September 9 is packed with the milestones, rivalries, and legends that defined the game.
Let us take a moment to enjoy some good-humored football art from 1916.
September 9 American Football History Timeline
- September 9, 1960 – Boston University’s Nickerson Field hosts the very first AFL regular-season game, as the visiting Denver Broncos defeated the Boston Patriots 13-10. Boston’s kicker, Gino Capaletti, scored the very first points in the new league with his boot from 35 yards.
- September 9, 2018 – The Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears met to open the season in a thriller. The Packers overcame a 17-point deficit late in the game to come back and win 24-23. For more on the Packers-Bears rivalry, I suggest you check out the Football History Dudes podcast, titled the Packers-Bears Rivalry Podcast, right here on the Sports History Network, found at sportshistorynetwork.com.
September 9 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays
Happy Birthday to this legendary pioneer of the gridiron! Here is the entry for September 9, formatted for your archives:
- Willie Heston [1878] The unstoppable spearhead of Fielding Yost’s legendary “Point-a-Minute” teams at Michigan, Heston was a dynamic halfback who led the Wolverines to a staggering 43-0-1 record and two national championships, including a victory in the first-ever Rose Bowl. Later named to the all-time college football team for the sport’s first half-century and inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954, the track-star-fast runner also became famous as pro football’s very first “holdout” after sparking a pre-game bidding war between early Ohio rivals Massillon and Akron.
Conclusion
From the very first points kicked in AFL history to modern classic rivalries that keep fans on the edge of their seats, September 9th beautifully captures the evolution of football. Icons like Willie Heston laid the foundation of gridiron dominance at the turn of the 20th century, while iconic franchises like the Patriots, Broncos, Bears, and Packers continue to build on that legacy today. As we look back on these historic moments, it’s clear that early September will always hold a special place in the hearts of football fans everywhere.