A WEEK IN HISTORY
Another week has passed us by and as Bobby Dylan once said, “times, they are a-changin.” Autumn, fall, pre-winter, whatever you want to call it, it’s in full swing now with the scent of pumpkin spice permeating the crisp, cool air and UGG boots as far as the eye can see. It’s also a time where the amorphous visage that is the NFL gets a little bit clearer with teams showcasing whether they are true contenders for the playoffs like the Packers and Chiefs or if they are spiraling towards getting the first spot in the draft such as the entirety of the NFC East. While that is the present, we are here to dive into the past, so join me as we take a look at some historic moments from the NFL that took place between 10/8-10/14. And here we go!
*Games not played in the fifth week of that season but between 10/8-10/14 as a result of the schedule changing over time.
#7* Oct. 8, 1995: Dan Marino passes Fran Tarkenton’s record for career completions. In a losing effort (27-24) against the Indianapolis Colts, Dan Marino broke the former Viking’s record of 3,686 completions for most in a career. Marino finished his career with 4,967 career completions. Out of the three major QBs from the 1983 draft, Marino was the best pure passer and was one of the best to ever play in the league, changing the way in which offenses were run. He paved the way for guys like Peyton Manning, Aaron Rogers and Drew Brees. Speaking of Brees, he holds the current record for career completions at 6,959 at the time of writing this article.
#6 Oct. 9, 1989: First MNF game coached by an African American coach. I touched on this last week when I talked about Art Shell becoming the first black coach of the modern era. He kicked his tenure off right by getting a win in his first game as head coach. His Los Angeles Raiders beat the New York Jets 14-7 on a historic edition of Monday Night Football. For more information on Art Shell, refer back to my week four’s “a week in history” article.
#5* Oct. 10, 1921: Decatur Staleys become the Chicago Staleys. Now called the Chicago Bears, the Decatur Staleys were one of the first teams in the entirety of the NFL. They are also one of two teams from the original formation of the league to still have a team. Along with Ed Sternaman, head coach and player, George Halas acquired the team from former eponymous owner A.E. Staley and moved them to Chicago. The name was changed via a contract between Staley and Halas, and the following year, the team became the Chicago Bears. In the 1921 season, however, the Staleys won their first title going 9-1-1 which was their best record to date. The team also produced a few hall of famers in Guy Chamberlain, George Tarcton, and of course, George Halas.
#4* Oct. 11, 1992: Deion Sanders becomes first person to appear at two professional sports in the same day. “Neon” Deion played for the Falcons in a 1:00 pm ET. losing effort to the Miami Dolphins (21-17) where he returned a few kicks and caught a 9-yard pass. Then, he traveled to Pittsburgh where he suited up to play with the Atlanta Braves. He never got on the field, but he was present in the Braves loss. Other players had played multiple sports such as Michel Jordan and some have even done it in the same year like Bo Jackson. However, none have ever done it in the same day like Sanders. In fact, Sanders is the only person to play in both the Superbowl and World Series, and he is the only person to hit a home run and score a touchdown in the same week. In some alternate dimension, Rick James probably wrote “Super Freak” about Sanders’ athletic prowess.
#3* Oct. 12, 1989: Dallas Cowboys trade Herschel Walker for five players and six future draft picks. In the biggest trade in NFL history in both numbers and lasting legacy, new owner Jerry Jones decided to shake things up by getting rid of one of their best players in Walker. Jones would use those picks to get players such as Darren Woodson, Alvin Harper, and some guy out of the University of Florida named Emmitt Smith. Ever heard of him? All three, especially Smith, would contribute to the reemergence of the Cowboys as a football dynasty. They went from one of the worst teams in the league with a 1-15 record to winning three Superbowl titles in the 1990s. However, since winning their last Superbowl in 1995, the Cowboys have never been back to a Superbowl and have only won four playoff games. This year (2020) doesn’t look like it is going to be any better, so unless Jones makes another radical move, it seems as if the Cowboys are destined to suffer the slings and arrows of mediocrity.
#2* Oct. 13, 1996: Nick Lowrey breaks Jan Stenerud’s career field goals record. In a game between the Ney York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars in a losing effort 21-17, Lowrey passed Stenerud by kicking his 374th field goal. Lowrey went on to finish his career with 383 field goals. Lowrey spent most of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs with the last three playing for the Jets. He was selected to the pro bowl three times and made first team all pro twice in his career. The current record for most field goals is held by Adam Vinatieri who has 582 at the time this article was written.
#1* Oct. 14, 1985: Jets retire Joe Namath’s #12 jersey. In a Monday Night Football game between the Ney York Jets and the Miami Dolphins, “Broadway Joe” Namath’s number was retired by the organization. He won Superbowl III after famously calling his shot. Much like Babe Ruth pointing to the stands before hitting a home run, Namath declared victory over Don Shula and his Dolphins before eventually getting the upset win 16-7 in 1969. The whole jersey retiring event was thus incredibly poignant because just like back in his Superbowl win, the Jets went on to win, outscoring the Dolphins in a 23-7 win. Namath was also inducted into the Pro Football hall of fame in the same year of his jersey retirement.
