By Darin Hayes From Record Sacks to Historic Feats: Why September 29th is an NFL Power Day
The calendar date September 29th might look like any other autumn day, but in American football history, it’s a powerhouse. This single date is packed with pivotal moments that shaped the NFL record books and marked significant franchise milestones. From the Los Angeles Rams’ very first game to the night the legendary Jerry Rice cemented his status as the NFL’s All-Time Leader in yards from scrimmage, September 29th has delivered jaw-dropping performances. It was a day of extremes, witnessing both a punishing 12-sack record against Warren Moon and a breathtaking 5-touchdown half by Shaun Alexander. Ready to dive into the historic openings, broken records, and legendary birthdays that make this one of the most remarkable dates on the gridiron calendar? Let’s explore the epic history of September 29.
September 29 Football History Headlines
September 29, 1946 – The Rams franchise plays its very first game representing the city of Los Angeles. Before 1946, the Rams called Cleveland their home.
September 29, 1968 – A new single-game NFL punting return record was established as the St. Louis Cardinals ‘ Chuck Latourette set the NFL record 47.7 yards per return in a game against the New Orleans Saints on 3 returns!
September 29, 1985 – Houston Oilers quarterback Warren Moon is sacked an NFL record 12 times by an aggressive Dallas Cowboys defense.
September 29, 2002 – Jerry Rice, a member of the Oakland Raiders, surpassed Walter Payton’s 21,281 all-purpose yards to become the NFL’s All-Time Leader in yards from scrimmage.
September 29, 2002 – Running back Shaun Alexander of the Seattle Seahawks sets an NFL record for most touchdowns in a half with 5 in 1st half of a 48-23 win over the Minnesota Vikings at Seahawks Stadium. The stalwart running back also tacked on an 80-yard reception to his stats in the game.
September 29, 2003 – The newly renovated Soldier Field, now improved and enhanced, opened in Chicago, Illinois, with an attendance of 61,500 fans. Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers scored 17 unanswered points, defeating the Chicago Bears 38-23 on Monday Night Football.
September 29 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays
We celebrate the history of football by also remembering the significant people who have birthdays on September 29. Here are some members of the Pro and College Football halls of fame born this day. Edwin Horrell, Pete Elliott, Dave Wilcox, Paul Giel, and Megatron, Calvin Johnson.
[…] The prolific receiver holds 36 NFL records and has rings from 3 Super Bowl Championships. You can read about one of those records in our September 29th post of the Football History Headlines. […]