Many notable facts are well-known among NFL fans. For example, it is not difficult to determine which club won the Super Bowl last season (Green Bay). How about which team is commonly connected with the “Spygate” scandal from a few years ago? How about this: which state presently has the most NFL franchises? Finally, most fans probably didn’t have to think too hard to figure out who the first black professional football player in NFL history was.
Don’t worry, this article will show you this truth, as well as many additional NFL facts that even the most casual NFL fan may not know.
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Winning Isn’t Everything, It’s the Only Thing!
This is commonly referred to as Vince Lombardi’s statement. Although there is no disputing it, Lombardi did not coin this phrase. College Football Hall of Fame head coach Henry Russell “Red” Sanders originated the phrase in Sports Illustrated a few years before him.
Super Bowl
Although the media referred to the first two AFL-NFL championship games as “Super Bowls,” the word was not applied to the big game until the third Super Bowl, when the AFL’s New York Jets defeated the NFL’s Baltimore Colts in the two leagues’ championship game.
This is also the game known as “Namath’s Guarantee,” since Jets QB Joe Namath assures that the Jets will beat the Colts before the game.
First Black Professional Football Player
Jackie Robinson is well-known for being the first black athlete to participate in the Major League Baseball (MLB) in 1945. Charles Follis, on the other hand, was the first black professional football player in 1904!!
Canton, Ohio
Why is the Pro Football Hall of Fame located in Canton, Ohio?
Between 1921 and 1923, a team called the Canton Bulldogs went 25 games without losing (22 victories, 3 ties) and won two NFL championships (1922,1923).
In fact, NFL icon Jim Thorpe was a member of their team at the time.
Their current unbeaten streak is the longest in NFL history!
As a result of their early success, the NFL chose to establish the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
Title Town
Under Vince Lombardi and Bart Starr, Green Bay was noted for their early championship victories versus the AFL in championship games. Furthermore, the New York Giants were well-known for their championship campaigns under Phil Simms and Lawrence Taylor. Green Bay and the New York Giants, on the other hand, are the only teams in NFL history to win the Super Bowl in three distinct decades!
Undefeated Regular Season
Contrary to common perception, the 1972 Miami Dolphins were NOT the only team to go undefeated during the regular season. In reality, three previous teams have accomplished this feat: the 1934 Chicago Bears, the 1942 Chicago Bears, and the 2007 New England Patriots. The sole difference is that the Dolphins are the only club to go unbeaten not only throughout the regular season but also in the postseason.
Winless Regular Season
Six teams have gone winless in a season since 1944, the most recent being the Detroit Lions in 2008. In fact, the Lions are the only NFL club to have lost 16 games in a single season. However, the 1944 NFL season was the only one in which two teams went winless. They were the “Carpets,” a fusion of the Chicago Cards and the Pittsburgh Steelers, as well as the Brooklyn Tigers.
Losing Streak
The 1976-1977 Tampa Bay Buccaneers had the longest losing run in NFL history, with 26 games. The longest away losing streak, though, is held by the Detroit Lions from 2007 to 2010. Unfortunately, the Dallas Cowboys lost 14 consecutive home games from 1988 through 1990. So much for “sweet home”.
Northern Super Bowl City
Miami, Tampa, Los Angeles, and New Orleans are four of the most popular southern Super Bowl locations. However, many people lament that the northern cities are rarely given the opportunity to do so. There were three prior occasions before Indianapolis hosted the 2012 Super Bowl. In reality, Detroit hosted the first Super Bowl in a northern city in 1982.
Back-to-Back Super Bowl Champions
There have only been eight occasions in NFL history when a club has won back-to-back titles. In fact, the most recent example was the New England Patriots, who won the 2004 and 2005 Super Bowls. However, the Pittsburgh Steelers are the only NFL team to have accomplished this feat twice.