[1892-1902]
1892 - The First Professional
Football Player
- On November 12, a rivalry between neighboring
Allegheny Athletic Association (AAA) and
the Pittsburgh Athletic Club (PAC) spurred
the making of the first professional football
player. William "Pudge" Heffelfinger, of
AAA, received $500 for his efforts against
PAC. The signing proved instrumental for
AAA as Heffelfinger returned a fumble recovery
35 yards for a touchdown. AAA won, 4-0.
1893 - The First Known Football
Contract is Signed
- While many players had played for money
previous to him, halfback Grant Dibert was
credited as being the first football player
to sign a pro football contract. Dibert inked
a deal with the Pittsburgh Athletic Club
(PAC).
[1903-1913]
1904 - The First Black Football
Player Emerges
- Charles Follis was the first known African-American
football player to sign a professional contract.
The halfback joined the Shelby (Ohio) AC.
1912 - Touchdown!
- Fourteen years after its last scoring change,
the rules committee agreed to award a touchdown
six points; it was previously worth five.

Olympian Jim Thorpe |
- In 1912, Jim Thorpe, a former high school
phenom from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, participated
in the Olympics, winning two gold medals.
A year later, Thorpe embarked on a professional
football career with the Pine Village Pros
of Indiana. In 1915, Thorpe signed a contract
with Canton worth $250 a game. With Thorpe
leading the way, Canton won the Ohio League
Championship with a 9-0-1 record in 1916.
[1914-1924]
1919 - The Green Bay Packers
are Born
- Spearheaded by Earl "Curly" Lambeau and
George Calhoun, the Green Bay Packers were
created. The Indian Packing Company, Lambeau's
employer, funded the initial budget for the
team, providing $500 for equipment, while
allowing the team to practice on the company
field.
In their inaugural season, the Packers went
10-1. Lambeau, who doubled as the team's
starting halfback from 1919-1929, coached
Green Bay until 1949, compiling 212 wins
including six World Championships. He is
credited with pioneering the forward pass
in professional football. In 1963, Lambeau
was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of
Fame.
1922 - The Birth of the
NFL
- On June 24, The American Football Association
renamed itself the National Football League.
The Chicago Staley's also in the renaming
business, changed their name to the Chicago
Bears.
[1925-1935]
1925 - The NFL Gets a Dosage
of "Red"
- Fighting financial woes, the NFL made,
perhaps, its greatest coup of all time by
gaining the services of All-America Harold "Red" Grange.
Following the completion of the college football
season, Grange, a local standout at the University
of Illinois, signed with the Chicago Bears.
An NFL record 36,000 fans turned out to watch
the Bears battle the Chicago Cardinals on
Thanksgiving Day. The teams played to a scoreless
tie, but word spread about the remarkable
feats of "Red" Grange.
Soon thereafter, 73,000 spectators turned
out to watch Grange and the Bears play against
the New York Giants. Less than two weeks
later, 75,000 fans gathered to see "Red" and
the Bears clash with the Los Angeles Tigers.
1932 - Stats Become Official
-
In 1932, the NFL began keeping official
statistics.
1933 - New Rules for the
NFL
- The NFL, which in the past had followed
the lead of the college game when it came
to governing playing rules, changed a number
of rules. Among them were inbounds lines,
hash marks, goalposts, and goal lines. The
forward pass became legal from anywhere behind
the line of scrimmage.
Two divisions now separated the NFL. The
champions of each division were scheduled
to meet annually following each regular season.
The Western Division Champion Chicago Bears
beat the Eastern Division champion New York
Giants, 23-21, in the first NFL Championship
game.
- On October 8, Cliff Battles of the Boston
Redskins became the first player to top 200
yards in a game? The running back galloped
for 215 yards as the Redskins defeated the
New York Giants, 21-20.
[1936-1946]
1939 - The NFL Hits the
T.V. Screen
- NBC was the first to televise an NFL game,
broadcasting a game between the Brooklyn
Dodgers and the Philadelphia Eagles. The
game took place at Ebbets Field and was broadcast
to nearly 1,000 television sets throughout
New York City. For the first time, the NFL
surpassed 1 million in season attendance.
1941 - Layden Named Commissioner
- On March 1, Elmer Layden was named the
first commissioner of the NFL. Also for the
first time, an Official NFL Record Manual
was published. NFL headquarters were moved
to Chicago.
1943 - Did You Know?
- In 1943, Sammy Baugh of the Washington
Redskins led the league in passing, punting,
and interceptions?
Baugh also helped lead the Redskins to a
tie with the Giants for the Eastern Division
title. Baugh sparked a 28-0 defeat of the
Giants in the divisional playoff game. Washington
eventually fell to the Chicago Bears 41-21
in the NFL Championship game.
[1947-1957]
1949 - Running Wild
- For the first time in its history, the
NFL had two 1,000-yard rushers in the same
season. Steve Van Buren accomplished the
feat for the Philadelphia Eagles, while Green
Bay's Tony Canadeo hit the milestone for
the Packers.
1950 - Flying Cardinal
- On October 2, Bob Shaw set an NFL record
with five touchdown catches as the Chicago
Cardinals defeated the Baltimore Colts 55-13.
The mark has since been tied by Kellen Winslow
in 1981 and Jerry Rice in 1990.
1951 - Broadcasting Coast-to-Coast
- On December 23, the NFL Championship game
was televised coast-to-coast for the first
time. The Rams stymied the Browns, 24-27.
1953 - Death of a Legend

Jim Thorpe |
- Star halfback Jim Thorpe died at age 64.
Thorpe played well past his prime until age
41, retiring in 1928. Excelling at nearly
every sport he played, Thorpe is one of two
men in history who played for both the New
York football (running back) and the baseball
(outfielder) Giants. In a 2003 auction, a
worn Thorpe jersey from the early 1900s yielded
a winning bid of $210,000.
1955 - Galloping Rookie
- On October 1, Baltimore Colts' running
back Alan Ameche became the first rookie
league history to surpass 100 yards rushing
in his first two games? Ameche ran for 194
against Chicago then gained 153 yards the
next week against Detroit.
1957 - Historic Draft Class
- In one of the deepest drafts in league
history, eight players eventually found themselves
in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Paul Hornung,
QB/HB, drafted 1st overall by the Green Bay
Packers; Len Dawson, QB, drafted 5th by the
Pittsburgh Steelers; Jim Brown, RB, drafted
6th by the Cleveland Browns; Jim Parkers,
OL, drafted 8th by the Baltimore Colts; Tommy
McDonald, WR, drafted 31st by the Philadelphia
Eagles; Sonny Jurgensen, QB, drafted 43rd
by the Philadelphia Eagles; Henry Jordan,
DT, drafted 53rd by the Cleveland Browns;
Don Maynard, WR/HB, drafted 109th by the
New York Giants.
[1958-1968]
1958 - Jim Brown
- Running back Jim Brown of Cleveland gallops
for 1,527 rushing yard to set an NFL record
for most yards rushing in a season.
1959 - Lombardi & the
Packers
- In 1959, the Green Bay Packers hired former
New York Giant assistant Vince Lombardi to
a five-year contract. Lombardi, an assistant
under Jim Lee Howell with the Giants, was
45-years old and some what of an unknown
at the time of his hire but the hire changed
the fortunes of the Packers. In Lombardi's
third season the Packers defeated the Giants
37-0 to win the NFL Championship. The Packers
won six division titles, five NFL Championships
and two Super Bowls under Lombardi who compiled
a record of 98-30-4.

Vince Lombardi |
- After a brief retirement as coach, Lombardi
returned to the coaching ranks as the top
man with the Washington Redskins. Lombardi's
efforts immediately paid dividends for the
Redskins as he led them to their first winning
season in 14 years. Lombardi never got the
opportunity to lead Washington to the Super
Bowl as he was diagnosed with intestinal
cancer. Lombardi, who once said, "there is
only one way to succeed in anything, and
that is to give it everything," died Sept.
3, 1970. More than 3,500 people attended
his funeral.
During his 11-year head coaching tenure,
Lombardi never had a losing season. To honor
Lombardi's achievements as a man and coach,
one week after his death the NFL renamed
its Super Bowl Trophy the Vince Lombardi
Super Bowl Trophy.
1961 - Canton and the Pro
Football Hall of Fame
- The NFL went back to its roots, choosing
Canton, Ohio, where the league that became
the NFL was formed in 1920, as the site of
the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Dick McCann,
a former Redskins executive, was named executive
director.
1963 - Welcome to Canton,
Ohio
- The doors of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
were officially opened in Canton, Ohio. The
19,000-square-foot, two-building structure
enshrined a class of 17 former stars: Sammy
Baugh, Bert Bell, Joe Carr, Dutch Clark,
Harold "Red" Grange, George Halas, Mel Hein,
Wilbur "Pete" Henry, Cal Hubbard, Don Hutson,
Curly Lambeau, Tim Mara, George Preston Marshall,
John "Blood" McNally, Bronko Nagurski, Ernie
Nevers, and Jim Thorpe.
1964 - Fumble!
- On November 15, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback
Len Dawson fumbled a record seven times against
San Diego.
1966 - All the Way Auer
- On September 2, Miami Dolphins' kick-returner
Joe Auer returned the opening kickoff 95
yards for a Miami touchdown in the Dolphins'
first regular-season game.
On November 27, the Washington Redskins
beat the New York Giants 72-41 in the highest-scoring
game in league history. The Redskins' also
established a new record for points by one
team in a regular season game.
1967 - Super Bowl I
- On January 15, in front of nearly 62,000
spectators, the Packers defeated the Chiefs
35-10 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
in the first game between AFL and NFL teams.
1968 - Heidi
- On November 17, the final 1:05 of the Jets-Raiders
game was cut off the air with New York leading
32-29 to permit the children's special "Heidi" to
air on time? Oakland scored twice in the
final 42 seconds to pull out a 43-32 victory.
[1969-1979]
1969 - Broadway Joe and
His Prediction

Super Bowl Trophy |
- The AFL, 0-2 since the two leagues decided
to have their champions play each other in
the Super Bowl, received a firm backing from
New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath. Prior
to Super Bowl III, which pitted Namath's
underdog Jets against the NFL's Baltimore
Colts, Namath proclaimed, "The Jets will
beat the Colts, I guarantee it."
Namath proved to be a prophet as the New
York Jets defeated Baltimore, 16-7, at Miami,
in Super Bowl III. 1969 also marked the first
time the title of "Super Bowl" was recognized
by the NFL.
- 1969 was also the year that Monday Night
Football was signed up for broadcasts beginning
in 1970. ABC acquired the rights to televise
13 NFL regular-season Monday night games
in 1970, 1971, and 1972.
1970 - Are You Ready For
Some Football?
- The NFL reached four-year television contracts
with CBS and NBC. CBS agreed to televise
all NFC games, while NBC signed a deal to
broadcast all AFC games (except Monday night
games). The two reached an agreement to divide
televising the Super Bowl and AFC-NFC Pro
Bowl games. On Sept. 21, ABC aired the first
regular season Monday Night Football game.
The Cleveland Browns defeated the New York
Jets 31-21 in front of 85,703 fans at Cleveland's
Municipal Stadium.
- On November 8, Tom Dempsey, born without
a complete foot, booted a 63-yard field goal
for the New Orleans Saints. The previous
record was 56 yards, held by Baltimore's
Bert Rechichar.

Johnny Unitas |
1972 - The 'Immaculate Reception'
- Franco Harris's "Immaculate Reception" gave
the Pittsburgh Steelers their first postseason
win ever, 13-7 over the Raiders.
- On September 24, 1972, New York Jets' star
quarterback Joe Namath and Baltimore Colts
standout quarterback Johnny Unitas dueled
in record fashion as Namath threw for 496
yards and six touchdowns and Unitas passed
for 376 yards. The New York Jets defeated
Baltimore 44-34, but the teams combined for
a record 872 passing yards.
1973 - A Farewell to Yankee
Stadium
- On September 23, 1973, the final NFL game
at Yankee Stadium was played on . The New
York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles played
to a 23-23 tie. New York played its remaining
home games at the Yale Bowl in New Haven,
Conn.
- On October 21, Fred Dryer, a defensive
ends for the Los Angeles Rams, became the
first player to record two safeties in one
game in the Rams' 24-7 victory over the Green
Bay Packers.
1976 - Madden Wins Super
Bowl
- After a 13-1 regular season, the Oakland
Raiders, coached by John Madden, won Super
Bowl XI. Madden would retire after the 1978
season; he accumulated 103 victories during
his 10-year tenure as the Raiders head coach.
Madden's .750 winning percentage is the highest
in NFL history. Madden soon found success
as a television football analyst. He is currently
an analyst for ABC's Monday Night Football.
[1980-1990]
1980 - Steel Curtain
- On January 20, 1980, the Pittsburgh Steelers
defeated the Los Angeles Rams 31-19 in Super
Bowl XIV at Pasadena to become the first
team to win four Super Bowls.
- On October 26, Baltimore Colts' quarterback
Bert Jones was sacked a record 12 times against
St. Louis. Warren Moon, of the Houston Oilers
would equal the mark on September 29, 1985
at Dallas.
1981 - Wildcard Raiders
- After an 11-5 regular season campaign,
the Raiders became the first wildcard team
to win a Super Bowl, defeating the Philadelphia
Eagles, 27-10. The Eagles were also a wildcard
team having finished second in the NFC East
to Dallas.
- While watching an indoor soccer game at
Madison Square Garden, James Foster conceived
the idea of indoor "arena" football. Foster
drew the outline of a miniature football
field over the hockey rink on an envelope
and wrote notes on what would evolve into
Arena Football. Foster's idea took America's
favorite sport, the NFL, and transformed
it into a high-flying game played with eight
players with drop kicks and rebound nets
all on a 50-yard field. After a test game
in 1986 and a showcase early in 1987, the
Arena Football League made its national debut
in June 1987.
The AFL fielded four teams in the 1987 season:
Chicago Bruisers, Denver Dynamite, Pittsburgh
Gladiators and Washington Commandos. The
Dynamite, led by quarterback Whit Taylor,
defeated the Gladiators, 45-16, to become
champions of Arena Bowl I before 13,232 fans
in Pittsburgh's Civic Arena and a live ESPN
audience. The average attendance in that
inaugural season was 11,279.
1982 - Players Strike
- A 57-day players' strike shortened the
1982 season from a 16-game schedule to nine.
Following a game between the Green Bay Packers
and New York Giants a strike was called by
the NFLPA at midnight on Sept. 20. Play resumed
Nov. 21 following ratification of the Collective
Bargaining Agreement by NFL owners, Nov.
17 in New York.
- On May 11, David Dixon, a New Orleans art
and antique dealer, announced the creation
of the United States Football League in New
York City. The USFL was a professional league
made up of 12 teams in major cities across
the country that would play its games during
the spring and summer months. These markets
included New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles,
Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Tampa, Oakland,
Denver, Washington, Philadelphia, Birmingham,
and San Diego. ESPN's Chet Simmons was named
the league's first commissioner.
1983 - Historic Draft Class
- The 1983 college draft was often referred
to as the "Year of the Quarterback," because
of the six signal-callers chosen in Round
1 - John Elway (No. 1, Baltimore Colts, later
traded to Denver), Todd Blackledge (7, Kansas
City), Jim Kelly (14, Buffalo), Tony Eason
(15, New England), Ken O'Brien (24, New York
Jets) and Dan Marino (27, Miami). The '83
draft was not limited to just quarterbacks
as, of the 28 players drafted in the first
round, 15 made at least one Pro Bowl.
Among the non-quarterbacks drafted in the
first round were: Eric Dickerson (drafted
No. 2 behind Elway to the Rams) Curt Warner
(3, RB, Seahawks), Billy Ray Smith (5, LB,
Chargers), Bruce Matthews (9, OG, Oilers),
Willie Gualt (18, WR, Bears), Jim Jeffcoat
(23, DE, Cowboys), Darrell Green (28, CB,
Redskins). Other standouts from the draft
included: Henry Ellard (2nd round), Roger
Craig (2nd round), Leonard Marshall (2nd
round), Darryl Talley (2nd round), Charles
Mann (3rd round), Greg Townshed (4th round),
Reggie Roby (6th round), Richard Dent (8th
round), Mark Clayton (8th round), Karl Mecklenburg
(12th round).
Elway and Kelly made a combined nine Super
Bowl starts. Meanwhile, Marino became the
first rookie to start a Super Bowl in 1984.
Until Elway broke through with two victories
in 1997 and 1998, the famed class had been
0-9 in Super Bowls.
- The USFL made its debut with a dozen teams
and a television contract with ESPN and ABC.
Georgia phenom and Heisman Trophy winner,
Herschel Walker was the league's top signee.
Walker left Georgia a year early to sign
a deal with the upstart league. Despite Walker's
presence on the New Jersey Generals, the
Michigan Panthers and Philadelphia Stars
played in the 1983 USFL championship game.
In 1984, six more franchises joined the league.
Heisman winner Mike Rozier and a host of
other top college stars signed contracts
with the league. Those standouts included:
Miami quarterback Jim Kelley, Tennessee defensive
end Reggie White, and BYU quarterback Steve
Young.

Dan Marino |
1984 - Records Fall
- Four NFL records were shattered in 1984.
Dan Marino set the league mark for passing
yards in a season with 5,084 and 48 touchdowns.
Eric Dickerson, in just his second season,
broke OJ Simpson's rushing record by gaining
2,105 yards. Washington wide receiver Art
Monk set the standard for pass receptions
in a season with 106, while Chicago Bears
running back Walter Payton broke Jim Brown's
career rushing mark, finishing the season
with 13,309.
1985 - Buffalo Bruce
- With the top pick in the 1985 NFL draft
the Buffalo Bills selected Virginia Tech
defensive end Bruce Smith. Smith would play
15 seasons for the Bills helping them to
four consecutive Super Bowl appearances in
the early 1990s. In 2003, as a member of
the Washington Redskins, Smith set the NFL
record for most sacks in a career with 200.
- The USFL announced that it would switch
to a fall schedule to challenge the NFL and
filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL.
The change of playing season crippled the
USFL as many cities faced competition with
NFL teams in its city. Also Boston College
quarterback Doug Flutie became the third
consecutive Heisman winner to sign with the
USFL instead NFL.
1986 - Tony Eason's Infamous
Super Bowl Performance
- Tony Eason quarterbacked the New England
Patriots to Super Bowl XX. In Super Bowl
XX Eason failed to complete a pass against
the famed 1985 Chicago Bears defense. Eason,
who was pulled in the second quarter in favor
of Steve Grogan, was 0-for-6 with a fumble
and was sacked three times.

Eric Dickerson |
1987 - Trading Spaces
- On October 31, Los Angeles Rams record-setting
running back Eric Dickerson was just one
player in a three-team deal involving 10
players and/or draft choices. Dickerson was
sent to the Indianapolis Colts for six draft
choices and two players. Buffalo obtained
the rights to linebacker Cornelius Bennett
from Indianapolis, sending Greg Bell and
three draft choices to the Rams. The Colts
added Owen Gill and three draft choices of
their own to complete the deal with the Rams.
1988 - Johnny Grier makes
History
- On September 4, Johnny Grier became the
first African-American referee in NFL history.
1989 - Commissioner Rozelle
out, Jerry Jones in
- On March 22, Commissioner Pete Rozelle
announced his retirement, pending the naming
of a successor, at the NFL annual meeting
in Palm Desert, California. Paul Tagliabue
was later named commissioner.
- On April 18, Jerry Jones purchased a majority
interest in the Dallas Cowboys from H.R.
(Bum) Bright. Jones would soon hire Jimmy
Johnson, a move that helped propel the Cowboys
to three Super Bowls in four years.
- On October 3, former Raider Art Shell was
named head coach of the Los Angeles Raiders
making him the NFL's first black head coach
since Fritz Pollard coached the Akron Pros
in 1921.
1990 - Super Joe
- On January 28, San Francisco defeated Denver
55-10 in Super Bowl XXIV at the Louisiana
Superdome, joining Pittsburgh as the NFL's
only teams to win four Super Bowls. The victory
over the Broncos gave Joe Montana his fourth
Super Bowl ring.
- To start the 1990-91 season, every NFL
club won at least one of its first four games,
a first since 1957.
- All-Pro quarterback Warren Moon, of the
Houston Oilers, passed for 369 yards in a
48-17 victory of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Moon became the first quarterback to throw
for more than 20,000 yards in two different
leagues as he passed for 21,228 yards in
the Canadian Football League. Moon finished
his NFL career with 49,235 passing yards.
- On November 11, Derrick Thomas, a linebacker
for the Kansas City Chiefs, established an
NFL record with seven quarterback sacks.
[1991-2001]
1991 - Wide Right
- On January 27, in perhaps the most exciting
Super Bowl ever, Buffalo Bills kicker Scott
Norwood missed a 47-yard field goal with
eight seconds remaining as the New York Giants
defeat the Buffalo Bills 20-19 in Super Bowl
XXV. Norwood's kick was the closet the Bills
ever got to a Super Bowl win as Buffalo was
crushed three straight times. Norwood did
not return to the Bills after 1991, never
caught on with another team, and retired.
1994 - Dan the Man
- On September 4, Miami quarterback Dan Marino
established a record by throwing five touchdown
pass in the Dolphins'39-35 victory over New
England. It is Marino's 18th game of four-or-more
touchdown passes. One day later Jerry Rice,
a San Francisco wide receiver, catches two
touchdown passes and ran for another score
in a 44-14 victory over the Raiders to surpass
Jim Brown as the NFL's career touchdowns
leader with 127.

Jerry Rice |
1995 - San Francisco Treat
- On January 29, led by Steve Young's 325
passing yards and six touchdowns and Jerry
Rice's 10 catches for 149 yards and three
scores, the San Francisco 49ers became the
first team to win five Super Bowls with a
48-26 triumph over the San Diego Chargers
in Super Bowl XXIX.
- The 1995-1996 season was a historic one
as many records were eclipsed: Miami Dolphins'
quarterback Dan Marino surpassed Hall of
Famer Fran Tarkenton in four major passing
categories - attempts, completions, yards,
and touchdowns - to become the NFL's all-time
career leader. San Francisco 49er star wide
receiver Jerry Rice became the all-time reception
and receiving-yardage leader with career
totals of 942 catches and 15,123 yards. Dallas
Cowboys' running sensation Emmitt Smith scored
25 touchdowns, breaking the season record
of 24 set by Washington's John Riggins in
1983.
- On April 10, the NFL became the first major
U.S. sports league to establish a site on
the Internet.
1997 - Say Cheese
- On January 26, led by All-Pro quarterback
Brett Favre, the Green Bay Packers ended
a 29-year Super Bowl drought by beating the
New England Patriots 35-21 in Super Bowl
XXXI. Favre finished with 246 passing yards,
two touchdowns, and no interceptions.
- April 6 was a sad day for the NFL as it
lost one of its most respected owners. Washington
Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke died at his
home in Washington, D.C. Cooke, who helped
guide Washington to three Super Bowls victories,
became majority owner of the Redskins in
1974.
- On September 14, Detroit Lions halfback
Barry Sanders ran for 161 yards in the Lions'
32-7 win over Chicago to begin his record
streak of 14 straight 100-yard rushing games.
1998 - Elway all the Way
-
For the first time in four tries John Elway
left the NFL's biggest stage with a Vince
Lombardi Trophy. Elway, who from 1987-1990
led the Denver Broncos to three Super Bowl
appearances only to see his team falter,
finally got his championship as Denver overpowered
Green Bay 31-14.
Elway enjoyed a Hall of Fame career with
the Broncos from 1983-1998. He was the first
overall selection in the 1983 draft out of
Stanford. Elway set league marks for wins
by a quarterback with 148; tied the NFL record
for most seasons with 3,000 yards passing
with 12; was the oldest player to score a
touchdown in a Super Bowl at age 37; the
only quarterback in league history to start
five Super Bowls, winning two; named the
NFL's MVP in 1987 and the AFC's Offensive
Player of the Year in 1993; set a NFL record
with 41 fourth-quarter game-saving drives;
and holds 53 Denver Broncos records.
In 2004 Elway, along with former Detroit
Lion's star running back Barry Sanders, tackle
Bon Brown and defensive end Carl Eller, were
inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Walter Payton |
1999 - Thank You and Goodbye
Sweetness
- On November 1, legendary Chicago Bears'
running back and NFL all-time leading rusher
Walter Payton died at age 45 of liver cancer.
The former Jackson State star played for
the Bears from 1975-1987 and rushed for a
then-NFL record 16,726 yards. As one of the
elite running backs in league history, Payton
set many NFL records. His 3,838 carries set
an NFL record.
Other milestones Payton established are 10
seasons with 1,000 rushing yards or more
(tied), four consecutive seasons leading
the NFL in rushing (tied), and 77 games with
100 yards or more rushing. Following the
1985-86 season, Payton won his only Super
Bowl ring as the Bears defeated the New England
Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX.
- Also in 1999, after a four-year hiatus
from the league, the Cleveland Browns return
to the field for the first time since 1995.
Two-weeks later on Aug. 21, Cleveland Browns
Stadium opened in Cleveland, Ohio before
a crowd of 71,398 as the Minnesota Vikings
defeated the Browns in a preseason game,
24-17
- On January 31, the Denver Broncos won their
second consecutive Super Bowl by defeating
the upstart Atlanta Falcons 34-19 in Super
Bowl XXXIII. Denver quarterback John Elway
was named MVP after passing for 336 yards
and a touchdown. Three months later, on May
2, 1999, 16 years to the day he was acquired
by the Broncos, Elway retired.
2000 - Did You Know?
- On December 17, San Francisco 49ers' wide
receiver Terrell Owens established a new
single-game receiving record with 20 receptions
(283 yards) against the Chicago Bears? Former
Los Angles Rams standout Tom Fears held the
old mark with 18 catches.
[2002-Present]
2002 - Boston Tee Party
- The heavy underdog New England Patriots
won their first Super Bowl, 20-17, over the
St. Louis Rams. On the final play of the
game, Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri connected
on a 48-yard field to give New England the
victory.
- On September 11, Hall of Fame quarterback
Johnny Unitas died of a heart attack at the
age of 69. Unitas was drafted by the Pittsburg
Steelers following a solid college career
at the University of Louisville, but was
cut prior to the start of the season. In
1956, Unitas surfaced in Baltimore, leading
the Colts to the 1958 NFL title. In that
1958 championship game, the Colts defeated
the New York Giants in the first sudden death
overtime game in NFL history.
Many experts claim that it was the greatest
game ever played and is credited with sparking
the rise of the NFL. During his 18-year career,
Unitas earned two MVP awards, played in 10
Pro Bowls, and won three championships for
the Colts, including Super Bowl V. He became
the first quarterback to pass for 40,000
yards in a career and in 1974 retired with
22 NFL records; including most passing yards
(40,239), most completions (2,830) and most
touchdown passes (290).
- On September 29, Oakland Raiders wide receiver
Jerry Rice had 151 yards from scrimmage,
bringing his total to 21,281 to pass Walter
Payton as the all-time leader. Rice finished
the 2002 season with 22,242 yards from scrimmage.
- On October 27, Dallas Cowboys' tailback
Emmitt Smith became the NFL's all-time rushing
leader, eclipsing former Bears' great Walter
Payton.
2003 - Rookie Initiation
- In the first game of his professional career,
Arizona rookie wide receiver Anquan Boldin
caught 10 passes for an NFL-debut record
217 yards. Boldin would finish the season
with 101 catches, breaking the previous mark
of 90 set by New England's Terry Glenn in
1996. Boldin's 1,377 receiving yards were
the most by a rookie in 43 years.
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