Upsets happen every week in the NFL. But, for the league as a whole, the New York Jets upsetting the Baltimore Colts marked a significant moment in history. Even though the NFL and AFL merged in 1966, the NFL was seen as vastly superior with the two sides playing separate schedules. It wasn't until the third Super Bowl, where the Jets entered as 19.5-point underdogs that an AFL team won the Big Game. Joe Namath (in picture) was the star of the show, delivering on his promise to the fanbase, as they won 16-7. A year later, the two leagues merged, and the NFL became the league it is today in 1970.
If it weren't for one press conference, who knows what the GOAT coach discussion might look like. When Bill Belichick looked poised to take over from longtime friend and mentor Bill Parcels as the New York Jets' head coach, no one batted an eye. However, the infamous napkin, with "I resign as HC of the NYJ" written on it, flipped the script of NFL history. Soon, Belichick was goin back to the Jets' divisional rivals in the New England Patriots. In exchange, the Jets got a first-round pick, which didn't help any of their seven head coaches, barring the one year of Al Groh, from posting a winning record. In the same timeframe, Belichick went to 9 Super Bowls and won 6 of them, cementing the greatest dynasty in football and his position as the game's greatest HC.
To think that the greatest quarterback to ever live was an injury replacement. A four-time Pro Bowler with a $103 million contract to his name went down thanks to a hard hit by Jets linebacker Mo Lewis in the second game of the 2001 season. A 100th overall pick riding the bench came onto the field, and the rest was history. Tom Brady took over from Drew Bledsoe, won the Super Bowl, and then proceeded to win 6 more. But had it not been for Bill Belichick's bold decision upon Bledsoe's return, or one seemingly regular hard hit, the course of NFL history could have been impossibly different.
One of the more recent changes, the NFL introduced its International Series after NFL Europe closed in July 2007. Over time, the scope for the games have expanded. London (36 total games), Mexico City (5), Germany (4), and Brazil(1) have all become part of the equation. Next year, the plan is to spread to Madrid as well, with Australia next in consideration.
How many times have you heard someone complain about the Instant Replay system in today's game? The idea came into existence back in 1986, before the coaches challenge came 10 years later. Eventually, in 2014, the process became centrally coordinated, from the league's New York headquarters. In 2021, the league introduced “expedited” reviews, allowing an on-site replay official or staff at NFL headquarters to assist with on-field rulings. The league reported that delays have gone down by 30 seconds in the last two decades. Additionally, the rate of calls reversed has gone up from 29% in 1999 to 59% in 2022.
While it is primetime today, Monday Night Football didn't exist until 1970. Even though the league had matches occasionally on Monday, it was irregular showings, like CBS with two broadcasts in 1966 and 196, or NBC with two in 1968 and 1969. It wasn't until 1970, when ABC ditched its prime-time programming for early-week football, that the MNF we love today (including the historic theme song) came into existence. Suffice to say, the move worked, and today, Monday, Thursday, and Sunday night games have become part of the NFL lexicon.
While the NFL was drafting players from college for 40+ years, the day became an event in 1980 when it first made its way onto a broadcast. ESPN President Chet Simmons made the request to Commissioner Pete Rozelle, who despite apprehension about interest, gave the green light. Since then, it has expanded, moving to the Weekdays in1998, before becoming the 3-day extravaganza it is today in 2010. As for that interest Rozelle was worried about, this year's edition was watched by over 12 million people.
One of the most exciting times for an NFL fanbase only came into existence in 1993. After the NFL violated antitrust rules by refusing to grant players the opportunity to become free agents, the NFL and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) agreed to implement free agency in 1993. The following season, the salary cap came into existence. A TV rights deal put the initial number at $34.608 million. Last year, that was up to $255.4 million.
The NFL only saw brief stints from Black players during its first few decades. Some owners, like Washington's George Preston Marshall outright refused to sign them, but the racism was pervasive throughout the NFL. That trend started changing in 1946 when the Los Angeles Rams signed UCLA star Kenny Washington (in picture), even with certain terms and conditions. The Los Angeles Coliseum Commission had approved the Rams’ request to move to L.A. but stipulated that the club could not play in a publicly funded stadium as a segregated team. Woody Strode joined the team two months later. While the trickle down effect was slow, the first Black player was drafted in 1949. While they faced many challenges, including quotas limiting their numbers on teams, unfair contracts, etc., today Black players make up more than half the league.
