99 Reasons to Love the NFL
September 1st 2011 03:39
99. Dan Hampton anchoring the 1985 Chicago Bears.
98. Yards in “The Drive.”
97. Sure-fire HOFer Tony Gonzalez was drafted in the 1997 NFL draft.
96. Art Modell oversees his “new” Baltimore Ravens franchise after the slime-ball forced his way out of Cleveland.
95. That clip of Bill Cowher chewing out ultra-intense Steeler OLB Greg Lloyd (#95).
94. FOX takes over the NFC broadcasts from CBS and Steve Young gets the “monkey off his back!”
93. Dwight Freeney!
92. Instant reply is repealed this year, after starting in 1986; it returned in 1996.
91. Drafted 33rd overall, some guy from Southern Miss named Brett Favre was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons.
90. It can only be Wide Right, the Super Bowl game that concluded the 1990 season.
89. The NFL draft’s 1st five selections: Troy Aikman, Tony Mandarich, Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas and Deion Sanders. Four HOFers and one colossal bust.
88. Argue this: Irvin, Swann or Marvin Harrison. Lots of great 88s!
87. Take your pick: The strike (remember the Chicago Spare Bears or the San Francisco Phoney Niners), the debut of Sunday Night football on ESPN or the retirement of Walter Payton.
86. Hines Ward wins Dancing With the Stars.
85. The 1985 Bears sing “The Super Bowl Shuffle.” Badly. But they played a brand of defense never before seen!
84. Dan Marino played in his only Super Bowl. Amazing to think that #13 played in only 1 Super Bowl!
83. The mythical 1983 NFL Draft becomes known as the Quarterback Class: Elway, Todd Blackledge, Jim Kelly, Tony Eason, Ken O’Brien & Dan Marino.
82. On January 10, 1982, a game-winning TD takes its place among the “THE” pantheon of great NFL plays when Montana connects with Dwight Clark to beat the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game. The play becomes known as The Catch.
81. No less than 3 “named games” were played in the 1981 playoffs: The Epic in Miami (Kellen Winslow game), The Freezer Bowl (in Cincinnati played in sub-zero wind chills) and The Catch.
80. Jerry Rice.
79. The Steelers cap off their 70s dynasty with their 4th Super Bowl title.
78. The league enacted the “Mel Blount rule” allowing the chucking of wide receivers only within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage.
77. Dallas’ Doomsday Defense beats Denver’s Orange Crush to win their then-NFL best 3rd Super Bowl title.
76. Two expansion teams join the league, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers promptly lose all 14 games they played. When asked about his team’s execution, Tampa head coach famously quips “Personally, I’m in favor of it.”
75. Joe Greene or Deacon Jones. Two of the most feared defensive tackles. Ever.
74. The Minnesota Vikings lose their 4th Super Bowl in 4 appearances.
73. O. J. Simpson becomes the first NFL player to rush for 2,000 yards.
72. 17-0 including the playoffs. Miami’s fully undefeated season still the only one in the Super Bowl era.
71. The Boston Patriots rename to the New England Patriots when they move to the stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
70. The year that the NFL and AFL combined ending the war between the two leagues. Better? The debut of ABC’s Monday Night Football!
69. The NFL celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1969.
68. Broadway Joe Namath guarantees a Jets win in Super Bowl III…and delivers, beating the heavily favored Baltimore Colts. The win did more to force the merger of the NFL and AFL than anything else.
67. Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers and Tom Landry’s Dallas Cowboys meet for the second year in a row in the NFL Championship Game. The game becomes known simply as The Ice Bowl to the extreme cold. The Packers (oh by the way) went on to win their second straight Super Bowl, too.
66. Super Bowl I is played as part of the AFL-NFL merger agreement.
65. 65 Toss Power Trap. The signature play of the Kansas City Chief’s win in Super Bowl IV over the favored Minnesota Vikings. Facing a 3rd-and-goal from the 5, coach Hank Stramm calls for it, and it works.
64. The Cleveland Browns, led by the incomparable Jim Brown, secure the NFL Championship. To the lasting pain of all Cleveland fans, it remains the last major sports championship any Cleveland team has won.
63. Tom Dempsey kicks a record 63-yard field goal, a record which still stands to this day (though tied). Notably, Dempsey has half a foot.
62. Number of 300-yard games Brett Favre threw. 2nd place by (currently) 1 game – Peyton Manning is tied with Dan Marino at 63.
61. Bill George.
60. The American Football League forms. The first 8 teams includes the Boston Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Houston Oilers, New York Titans, Dallas Texans, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers and Oakland Raiders.
59. The last season of the Chicago Cardinals, who moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1960.
58. Jack Lambert or “The Greatest Game Ever Played.” Hmmm…
57. The year that the current oldest (and arguably the most famous) NFL stadium opened: Lambeau Field.
56. Lawrence Taylor.
55. Points that the Broncos allowed (or the Niners scored, depending on your point of view) in a Super Bowl.
54. Length of Steve Christie’s FG in Super Bowl 28, currently the longest FG in a Super Bowl.
53. The Baltimore Colts join the NFL.
52. Ray Lewis.
51. The DuMont Television Network paid $75,000 to broadcast the NFL Championship game nationally.
50. Mike Singletary.
49. Points Steve Young’s 49ers score defeating the San Diego Chargers.
48. “Share” that the current players earn in the new CBA revenue sharing.
47. Mel Blount.
46. The famed defense the 1985 Bears made famous.
45. Points the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos scored in the first half of Super Bowl XXII.
44. Super Bowl that the one-time “Aints” won, unleashing a months-long party in New Orleans.
43. The 1-year…thing…called the Phil-Pitt or more widely, the Steagles, played in 1943. Thankfully, for 1 year only.
42. Ronnie Lott.
41. In 1941, Commission Elmer Layden fined two players $25 each for fighting, ushering in the age where the Commission of football can levy fines.
40. The NFL Championship was decided by the final score of 73-0, with the Chicago Bears beating the Washington Redskins. It still stands as the one-sided victory in NFL history, let alone championship games.
39.Larry Csonka
38.Rushing attempts made by John Riggins (a Super Bowl record) in Super Bowl XVII.
37. “Slinging” Sammy Baugh leads the NFL with 1,127 yards passing and leads the NFL with 874 yards rushing in 11 games.
36. Despite winning home field advantage for the championship game, the Boston Redskins elected to play the NFL Championship game at the Polo Grounds in New York. The reason given was poor attendance.
35. Fewest combined passing yards in a Super Bowl, Denver vs Dallas XII
34. Sweetness Walter Payton.
33. Pennsylvania joins the NFL, as both Pittsburgh (Pirates) and Philadelphia (Eagles) join in 1933.
32. Jim Brown.
31. Number of NFL stadiums.
30. Safety Rodney Harrison creates the 30-30 club (30 career interceptions with 30 career sacks).
29. Eric Dickerson
28. Marshall Faulk
27. Due to the Depression, the NFL opts to cut 10 financially weaker teams prior to the start of the 1927 season.
26. Rod Woodson.
25. The NFL Championship Controversy. The Pottsville Maroons sported a league-best .846 winning percentage, but were warned by NFL president not to play the University of Notre Dame All-Starts in Philadelphia. They did anyway (claiming in a phone call president Joe Carr okayed it) but the NFL awarded the NFL Championship to the Chicago Cardinals after stripping the Maroons of their rights.
24. In 4 games, Pittsburgh WR John Stallworth averages 24.4 yards per catch, a Super Bowl record.
23. The Canton Bulldogs win the NFL Championship with an 11-0-1 record.
22. Emmitt Smith “debacled” the competition.
21. LaDanian Tomlinson or Deion Sanders?
20. Barry Sanders.
19. Johnny Unitas.
18. Peyton Manning.
17. Most punts in a career in the Super Bowl. A dubious record, don’t you think?
16. Joe Montana
15. Bart Starr
14. Dan Fouts
13. Number of NFL Championships and Super Bowls the Green Bay Packers have won.
12. Terry Bradshaw, Bob Griese or Roger Staubach?
11. Larry Fitzgerald
10. 1st and 10
9.Jim Bakken attempts 9 FGs on 9/24/1967.
8. Most Super Bowl appearances, Dallas (5-3) and Pittsburgh (6-2)
7. John Elway.
6. Lombardi trophies resting comfortably in Heinz Field.
5. Lombardi’s resting in Dallas and San Francisco.
4. Brett Favre
3. 3rd down and goal to go.
2. 2 point conversion
1. We’re Number One!!!
98. Yards in “The Drive.”
97. Sure-fire HOFer Tony Gonzalez was drafted in the 1997 NFL draft.
96. Art Modell oversees his “new” Baltimore Ravens franchise after the slime-ball forced his way out of Cleveland.
95. That clip of Bill Cowher chewing out ultra-intense Steeler OLB Greg Lloyd (#95).
94. FOX takes over the NFC broadcasts from CBS and Steve Young gets the “monkey off his back!”
93. Dwight Freeney!
92. Instant reply is repealed this year, after starting in 1986; it returned in 1996.
91. Drafted 33rd overall, some guy from Southern Miss named Brett Favre was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons.
90. It can only be Wide Right, the Super Bowl game that concluded the 1990 season.
89. The NFL draft’s 1st five selections: Troy Aikman, Tony Mandarich, Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas and Deion Sanders. Four HOFers and one colossal bust.
88. Argue this: Irvin, Swann or Marvin Harrison. Lots of great 88s!
87. Take your pick: The strike (remember the Chicago Spare Bears or the San Francisco Phoney Niners), the debut of Sunday Night football on ESPN or the retirement of Walter Payton.
86. Hines Ward wins Dancing With the Stars.
85. The 1985 Bears sing “The Super Bowl Shuffle.” Badly. But they played a brand of defense never before seen!
84. Dan Marino played in his only Super Bowl. Amazing to think that #13 played in only 1 Super Bowl!
83. The mythical 1983 NFL Draft becomes known as the Quarterback Class: Elway, Todd Blackledge, Jim Kelly, Tony Eason, Ken O’Brien & Dan Marino.
82. On January 10, 1982, a game-winning TD takes its place among the “THE” pantheon of great NFL plays when Montana connects with Dwight Clark to beat the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game. The play becomes known as The Catch.
81. No less than 3 “named games” were played in the 1981 playoffs: The Epic in Miami (Kellen Winslow game), The Freezer Bowl (in Cincinnati played in sub-zero wind chills) and The Catch.
80. Jerry Rice.
79. The Steelers cap off their 70s dynasty with their 4th Super Bowl title.
78. The league enacted the “Mel Blount rule” allowing the chucking of wide receivers only within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage.
77. Dallas’ Doomsday Defense beats Denver’s Orange Crush to win their then-NFL best 3rd Super Bowl title.
76. Two expansion teams join the league, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers promptly lose all 14 games they played. When asked about his team’s execution, Tampa head coach famously quips “Personally, I’m in favor of it.”
75. Joe Greene or Deacon Jones. Two of the most feared defensive tackles. Ever.
74. The Minnesota Vikings lose their 4th Super Bowl in 4 appearances.
73. O. J. Simpson becomes the first NFL player to rush for 2,000 yards.
72. 17-0 including the playoffs. Miami’s fully undefeated season still the only one in the Super Bowl era.
71. The Boston Patriots rename to the New England Patriots when they move to the stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
70. The year that the NFL and AFL combined ending the war between the two leagues. Better? The debut of ABC’s Monday Night Football!
69. The NFL celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1969.
68. Broadway Joe Namath guarantees a Jets win in Super Bowl III…and delivers, beating the heavily favored Baltimore Colts. The win did more to force the merger of the NFL and AFL than anything else.
67. Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers and Tom Landry’s Dallas Cowboys meet for the second year in a row in the NFL Championship Game. The game becomes known simply as The Ice Bowl to the extreme cold. The Packers (oh by the way) went on to win their second straight Super Bowl, too.
66. Super Bowl I is played as part of the AFL-NFL merger agreement.
65. 65 Toss Power Trap. The signature play of the Kansas City Chief’s win in Super Bowl IV over the favored Minnesota Vikings. Facing a 3rd-and-goal from the 5, coach Hank Stramm calls for it, and it works.
64. The Cleveland Browns, led by the incomparable Jim Brown, secure the NFL Championship. To the lasting pain of all Cleveland fans, it remains the last major sports championship any Cleveland team has won.
63. Tom Dempsey kicks a record 63-yard field goal, a record which still stands to this day (though tied). Notably, Dempsey has half a foot.
62. Number of 300-yard games Brett Favre threw. 2nd place by (currently) 1 game – Peyton Manning is tied with Dan Marino at 63.
61. Bill George.
60. The American Football League forms. The first 8 teams includes the Boston Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Houston Oilers, New York Titans, Dallas Texans, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers and Oakland Raiders.
59. The last season of the Chicago Cardinals, who moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1960.
58. Jack Lambert or “The Greatest Game Ever Played.” Hmmm…
57. The year that the current oldest (and arguably the most famous) NFL stadium opened: Lambeau Field.
56. Lawrence Taylor.
55. Points that the Broncos allowed (or the Niners scored, depending on your point of view) in a Super Bowl.
54. Length of Steve Christie’s FG in Super Bowl 28, currently the longest FG in a Super Bowl.
53. The Baltimore Colts join the NFL.
52. Ray Lewis.
51. The DuMont Television Network paid $75,000 to broadcast the NFL Championship game nationally.
50. Mike Singletary.
49. Points Steve Young’s 49ers score defeating the San Diego Chargers.
48. “Share” that the current players earn in the new CBA revenue sharing.
47. Mel Blount.
46. The famed defense the 1985 Bears made famous.
45. Points the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos scored in the first half of Super Bowl XXII.
44. Super Bowl that the one-time “Aints” won, unleashing a months-long party in New Orleans.
43. The 1-year…thing…called the Phil-Pitt or more widely, the Steagles, played in 1943. Thankfully, for 1 year only.
42. Ronnie Lott.
41. In 1941, Commission Elmer Layden fined two players $25 each for fighting, ushering in the age where the Commission of football can levy fines.
40. The NFL Championship was decided by the final score of 73-0, with the Chicago Bears beating the Washington Redskins. It still stands as the one-sided victory in NFL history, let alone championship games.
39.Larry Csonka
38.Rushing attempts made by John Riggins (a Super Bowl record) in Super Bowl XVII.
37. “Slinging” Sammy Baugh leads the NFL with 1,127 yards passing and leads the NFL with 874 yards rushing in 11 games.
36. Despite winning home field advantage for the championship game, the Boston Redskins elected to play the NFL Championship game at the Polo Grounds in New York. The reason given was poor attendance.
35. Fewest combined passing yards in a Super Bowl, Denver vs Dallas XII
34. Sweetness Walter Payton.
33. Pennsylvania joins the NFL, as both Pittsburgh (Pirates) and Philadelphia (Eagles) join in 1933.
32. Jim Brown.
31. Number of NFL stadiums.
30. Safety Rodney Harrison creates the 30-30 club (30 career interceptions with 30 career sacks).
29. Eric Dickerson
28. Marshall Faulk
27. Due to the Depression, the NFL opts to cut 10 financially weaker teams prior to the start of the 1927 season.
26. Rod Woodson.
25. The NFL Championship Controversy. The Pottsville Maroons sported a league-best .846 winning percentage, but were warned by NFL president not to play the University of Notre Dame All-Starts in Philadelphia. They did anyway (claiming in a phone call president Joe Carr okayed it) but the NFL awarded the NFL Championship to the Chicago Cardinals after stripping the Maroons of their rights.
24. In 4 games, Pittsburgh WR John Stallworth averages 24.4 yards per catch, a Super Bowl record.
23. The Canton Bulldogs win the NFL Championship with an 11-0-1 record.
22. Emmitt Smith “debacled” the competition.
21. LaDanian Tomlinson or Deion Sanders?
20. Barry Sanders.
19. Johnny Unitas.
18. Peyton Manning.
17. Most punts in a career in the Super Bowl. A dubious record, don’t you think?
16. Joe Montana
15. Bart Starr
14. Dan Fouts
13. Number of NFL Championships and Super Bowls the Green Bay Packers have won.
12. Terry Bradshaw, Bob Griese or Roger Staubach?
11. Larry Fitzgerald
10. 1st and 10
9.Jim Bakken attempts 9 FGs on 9/24/1967.
8. Most Super Bowl appearances, Dallas (5-3) and Pittsburgh (6-2)
7. John Elway.
6. Lombardi trophies resting comfortably in Heinz Field.
5. Lombardi’s resting in Dallas and San Francisco.
4. Brett Favre
3. 3rd down and goal to go.
2. 2 point conversion
1. We’re Number One!!!
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