The NFL is the most popular sport in the United States, with tens of thousands of devoted fans attending games every Sunday, Monday, and Thursday. People living outside the USA can also enjoy the playoffs US sports streaming popularity increasing yearly.
The league has a lengthy history, with several rule changes and club reorganizations.
Check out this list of 10 interesting NFL facts!
- In 1945, Jackie Robinson was the first black athlete to break the color barrier in Major League Baseball. However, Charles Follis was the first African-American professional football player in 1904!
- The Green Bay Packers have a very passionate fan base, as seen by the lengthy lines for tickets. Signing up for the season ticket waiting list now will likely result in a wait of close to a millennium.
- If you’ve ever wondered why the Pro Football Hall of Fame is in Canton, Ohio, it’s because, between 1921 and 1923, the Canton Bulldogs won 25 consecutive games. During this time, Jim Thorpe also played for the Bulldogs.
- The majority (41) of the 55 men in their 40s who have played in an NFL game all played special teams. After the 1920s, lineman Ray Brown of the Washington Redskins 2005 was the oldest position player.
- One of the strangest playoff games ever played occurred in 1979 between the Washington Redskins and the Chicago Bears. To make the postseason, Washington needs a win against Dallas. Even without this, keeping a 33-point lead over the Bears in their game against the Vikings would be enough. After the Chicago Bears stunned the Redskins, 42-6, in the first game of the day, the Skins had to win or go home. The Redskins now faced a win-or-go-home scenario, with the point differential no longer serving as a tiebreaker. With a 17-0 lead and a 34-21 advantage with 6:53 to play, Washington seemed to have clinched a playoff berth and effectively ended the Bears’ season. But Roger Staubach rallied his team, and in the last 39 seconds of the game, Grant Hill’s dad, Calvin Hill, caught a touchdown throw from Staubach. The Redskins did not make the cut, but the Bears did.
- There have been 11 teams with 10 or more wins since the playoffs expanded in 1990 that did not qualify. Even more surprisingly, 11 clubs have made the postseason while finishing below .500.
- The 1972 Miami Dolphins were not the only unbeaten team in the regular season, contrary to common perception. Actually, three other teams have accomplished this feat: the 1934 Chicago Bears, the 1942 Chicago Bears, and the 2007 New England Patriots. The sole distinction is that the Dolphins club remained unbeaten throughout both the regular season and playoffs.
- Almost everyone called the New England Patriots the Bay State Patriots or the BS Patriots. After relocating to Foxborough from Boston, the team’s owner decided a name more suitable for the town was in order. However, the NFL didn’t take kindly to his initials, so his nickname didn’t last long.
- Most NFL fans are aware that the Buffalo Bills failed to win the Super Bowl four times in a row in the 1990s. Nonetheless, they are not the first team to lose four Super Bowls. The Minnesota Vikings accomplished the same feat, although not consecutively but within eight years.
- Bill Belichick would have to have ten consecutive 12-win seasons without a losing season before he could overtake Don Shula on the all-time wins list for coaches. Belichick will be 75 years old in 2022.
Final Words
The Super Bowl is maybe the most renowned athletic event in human history. Every year, regardless of whether people know who is participating in the game or not, the globe is abuzz with anticipation for the biggest game of the year. Despite this, many individuals are unaware of the history of the major sport.
