143 Fun Facts About NFL

Roughly how many of the Coliseum's 94,000 seats went unsold for the first Super Bowl, the only one never to sell out?

About 33,000 seats went unsold: 61,946 attended in the 94,000-seat Coliseum, and the January 1967 game was blacked out on local television.

How many Super Bowl titles has Tom Brady won during his career?

Six came with his first team and one with the Buccaneers, more rings than any single franchise has won.

Which quarterback led the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowl victories in the 1980s?

Joe Montana led the 49ers to Super Bowl victories after the 1981, 1984, 1988, and 1989 seasons, earning three Super Bowl MVP awards.

Who holds the NFL record for most points scored in a single game, with 40 in 1929?

Ernie Nevers scored every one of the Chicago Cardinals' points in a 40–6 win over the Bears, with six rushing touchdowns, a mark unmatched until Alvin Kamara tied it on Christmas Day 2020.

Before the NFL's only perfect season, which team went unbeaten in the rival AAFC in 1948?

The Cleveland Browns went 14–0 in the 1948 All-America Football Conference and beat Buffalo 49–7 for the title; the NFL does not recognize AAFC records.

Which NFL team is known as 'America's Team'?

The Dallas Cowboys were dubbed 'America's Team' by NFL Films in 1978, a nickname that has stuck and reflects their massive nationwide fanbase.

Who holds the NFL record for most sacks in a single game, with seven in 1990?

Derrick Thomas sacked Dave Krieg seven times for Kansas City against Seattle on November 11, 1990, yet Krieg escaped an eighth and threw the winning touchdown to Paul Skansi as time expired.

Which coach has won the most Super Bowls?

Bill Belichick's twelve Super Bowl appearances are also a record: nine as head coach, once as assistant head coach and twice as Giants defensive coordinator.

A vice president of which company sketched the NFL championship trophy on a cocktail napkin in 1966?

Tiffany & Co. vice president Oscar Riedner sketched the trophy on a napkin at lunch with Pete Rozelle in 1966, and Tiffany has made every sterling-silver Lombardi Trophy since Super Bowl I.

Who set the NFL single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards in 1984?

Eric Dickerson ran for 2,105 yards for the Rams in 1984, passing O. J. Simpson's 2,003 from 1973, though he had 16 games to Simpson's 14; Adrian Peterson fell eight yards short in 2012.

What is a 'Hail Mary' in football?

A Hail Mary is a last-ditch heave downfield; Roger Staubach popularised the term after his 50-yard 1975 playoff winner to Drew Pearson: 'I closed my eyes and said a Hail Mary.'

Which Titan carried Frank Wycheck's lateral 75 yards for the winning score in the 'Music City Miracle'?

Dyson is also the man tackled one yard short as time expired in Super Bowl XXXIV a few weeks later, so he bookended one playoff run with two of the most replayed plays ever.

The league was founded at a meeting in a Jordan and Hupmobile auto showroom in which Ohio city?

Representatives of four Ohio clubs met there in August of the founding year; the Pro Football Hall of Fame later opened in the same city.

How many quarterbacks went in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, tying the 1983 record?

Six quarterbacks went in the 2024 first round, from Caleb Williams at No. 1 to Bo Nix at No. 12, matching the 1983 class that included John Elway, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino.

Which franchise, which began play in 2002, is the youngest in the NFL?

They filled the hole left when the Oilers moved to Tennessee in 1997, and their arrival is what pushed the league to 32 teams and its current eight-division layout.

Which NFL stadium is known as 'The Frozen Tundra'?

Lambeau Field earned the nickname from NFL Films' account of the 1967 Ice Bowl, when the Packers' new underground heating system failed and Dallas lost 21–17 in brutal sub-zero cold.

Who is the only player from a losing team ever to be named Super Bowl MVP?

Chuck Howley intercepted two passes in Dallas's 16–13 loss to Baltimore in Super Bowl V, making him the only MVP from a losing side and the first non-quarterback to win the award.

Which quarterback is known as 'The Sheriff'?

Peyton Manning got the nickname from Jon Gruden on Monday Night Football, for the way he policed the line of scrimmage with pre-snap audibles.

The 2024 NFL Draft drew a then-record crowd of more than 775,000 in which host city?

Detroit hosted the 2024 draft around Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza, drawing more than 775,000 fans over three days, the largest draft crowd to that point.

Super Bowl LVIII in February 2024 was the first played in which state?

Nevada's Allegiant Stadium is small, so its 61,629 sellout was the smallest unrestricted Super Bowl crowd ever, and the overtime game was the longest played, at just under 75 minutes.

Who is the all-time leading scorer in NFL history?

Adam Vinatieri scored 2,673 points over 24 seasons with New England and Indianapolis, passing Morten Andersen's 2,544; he also made a record 599 field goals.

On an American football field, the 'red zone' runs from the goal line out to which yard line?

The red zone is the area inside the opponent's 20-yard line; nothing on the field is actually red, and the term is a statistical label for scoring position.

Which player has the most career sacks in NFL history?

Bruce Smith recorded 200 career sacks over 19 seasons with Buffalo and Washington, the only player to reach 200; Reggie White finished second with 198.

Which offensive penalty costs 10 yards from the previous spot, with the down replayed?

Offensive holding is a 10-yard penalty with the down replayed; offside, false start and delay of game cost 5 yards, and a hold in the offense's own end zone is a safety.

Who was named Most Valuable Player of the first Super Bowl in January 1967?

Starr went 16 of 23 for 250 yards and two scores; hungover receiver Max McGee, who had not expected to play, caught seven passes for 138 yards.

What is Patrick Mahomes' jersey number?

Patrick Mahomes has worn No. 15 since the Chiefs drafted him 10th overall in 2017, after wearing No. 5 in college.

Which NFL team plays its home games at Arrowhead Stadium?

The Kansas City Chiefs have played at Arrowhead Stadium since it opened in 1972; in 2014 its crowd set a Guinness record for loudest outdoor stadium roar at 142.2 decibels.

A 'nickel' package puts how many defensive backs on the field?

The fifth back is the nickelback; a sixth makes it a 'dime' package, keeping the coin theme going.

Who caught the 'Helmet Catch' in Super Bowl XLII?

Tyree pinned the ball to his helmet with one hand while being dragged down, keeping alive the drive that ended an opponent's bid for a 19-0 season.

How long is an NFL field in total, including both end zones?

An NFL field is 120 yards long in total — 100 yards of playing field plus two 10-yard end zones. The playing field itself is 100 yards.

In 1998 the Colts drafted a Tennessee quarterback first overall instead of which Washington State passer, taken second?

Ryan Leaf of Washington State went second overall to San Diego after the Colts chose Peyton Manning; Leaf lasted four seasons and became the draft's most cited bust.

What is a 'safety' worth in points?

A safety is worth two points to the defence, awarded when the ball carrier is downed in his own end zone; the scored-on team must then free-kick the ball away.

Which quarterback threw for the most yards in a single NFL game?

Norm Van Brocklin threw for 554 yards for the Rams against the New York Yanks on September 28, 1951; Warren Moon and Matt Schaub each came within 27 yards with 527.

What are the two conferences in the NFL?

The AFC and NFC were created in the 1970 merger: all ten AFL clubs plus the Colts, Browns and Steelers formed the AFC, and the other thirteen NFL clubs the NFC.

Which coach won four Super Bowls in six 1970s seasons with the 'Steel Curtain' defense?

Chuck Noll went 4–0 in Super Bowls IX, X, XIII and XIV between the 1974 and 1979 seasons, the only coach to win four without a defeat in the game.

Who scored the NFL's first two-point conversion, running in a faked extra point in the opening week the rule arrived?

Tupa was his team's punter and holder, which is why the fake worked; the play came against Cincinnati in the first week the rule was in force.

Who was known as 'Sweetness'?

Walter Payton, the Bears' Hall of Fame running back, was nicknamed 'Sweetness' for his running style and personality; he retired in 1987 as the NFL's career rushing leader with 16,726 yards.

The 1978 rule limiting contact with receivers to 5 yards is nicknamed after which Hall of Fame cornerback?

Blount's physical coverage was exactly what the league wanted to outlaw after 1977's 17.2 points per game, the lowest average since 1942.

Which AFL owner first used the term 'Super Bowl' during the merger meetings of the mid-1960s?

Lamar Hunt, founder of the AFL and Kansas City Chiefs, wrote the term in a 1966 letter to Pete Rozelle; he said his children's Super Ball toy put the name in his head.

Who holds the single-season receiving yards record?

Calvin Johnson ('Megatron') caught 1,964 yards for the Lions in 2012, breaking Jerry Rice's 17-year-old record by 116 yards, and retired at 30 three seasons later.

How many players are on the field per team during a play?

Each team has 11 players on the field during a play, for a total of 22 players. Having 12 or more players on the field results in a penalty.

Which running back caught a Super Bowl-record 14 passes and scored the overtime winner in Super Bowl LI?

James White caught 14 passes, a Super Bowl record, and his 20 points (three touchdowns and a two-point conversion) were also a record; MVP Tom Brady said afterwards that White deserved the award.

If higher than the top-5 average, a franchise-tagged player's salary is set at what percentage of his previous pay?

A franchise-tagged player gets the greater of the top-five average at his position or 120 percent of his prior salary, fully guaranteed; the transition tag uses the top-ten average instead.

Which head coach holds the NFL record for career victories, with 347?

Don Shula won 347 games (328 regular season plus 19 playoff) with Baltimore and Miami from 1963 to 1995, and had only two losing years in 33 seasons.

Who holds the record for most career interceptions in NFL history?

Paul Krause holds the all-time record with 81 career interceptions, playing for the Washington Redskins and Minnesota Vikings from 1964 to 1979.

What is the 'play clock' duration in the NFL?

The play clock in the NFL is 40 seconds from the end of the previous play (or 25 seconds after certain stoppages). Failing to snap the ball before it expires results in a delay of game penalty.

Which two teams were tied for most Super Bowl wins, six each, entering the 2025 season?

The New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers each held six championships at the end of the 2024 season.

In what year was the league founded, under a different name, at a meeting in an Ohio auto showroom?

The league was founded on September 17, 1920, at a meeting in Ralph Hay's Hupmobile showroom; it adopted the National Football League name in June 1922.

Who holds the NFL record for the most career rushing yards?

Emmitt Smith finished with 18,355 rushing yards, passing Walter Payton on October 27, 2002, against Seattle and adding to the record over two final seasons in Arizona.

How long is the NFL-record field goal Cam Little kicked in November 2025?

Little's 68-yarder on November 2, 2025 broke Justin Tucker's 66-yard record from 2021.

Who was the first official Commissioner of the NFL (after the title changed from President)?

One of Notre Dame's Four Horsemen, Layden got the job in February 1941 after Chicago Tribune sportswriter Arch Ward turned it down and suggested him instead.

What was the original name of the organization that became the NFL?

The switch to the National Football League name came on June 24, 1922; the founding meeting had actually created an 'American Professional Football Conference' a month before settling on Association.

Who became the first quarterback to throw for 5,000 yards in a season, with 5,084 in 1984?

Dan Marino threw for 5,084 yards in 1984, only his second season with Miami; the mark stood until Drew Brees passed it with 5,476 in 2011.

Which NFL team has made the most Super Bowl appearances without ever winning the championship?

The Buffalo Bills lost four straight Super Bowls, XXV through XXVIII, after the 1990 to 1993 seasons; no other franchise has reached four in a row.

Which team did Joe Namath's Jets upset in Super Bowl III?

Joe Namath guaranteed victory, and the AFL's New York Jets beat the heavily favoured Baltimore Colts 16–7 in Super Bowl III on January 12, 1969, in Miami.

The NFL's best-known Defensive Player of the Year award is presented by which organisation, which also votes on the MVP?

The Associated Press has handed out the award since 1971; the same voters pick the MVP and Offensive Player of the Year.

Which team holds the record for most NFL championships, including pre-Super Bowl titles?

The Green Bay Packers hold the most overall NFL championships with thirteen, including nine titles before the Super Bowl era and four Super Bowls afterwards.

Who holds the NFL record for most career receiving yards?

Jerry Rice's 22,895 receiving yards sit 5,403 ahead of second-place Larry Fitzgerald's 17,492, a gap bigger than most receivers' entire careers.

The Super Bowl winner is awarded a prize named after which coach?

The Vince Lombardi Trophy honours the coach who won the first two Super Bowls; it was renamed for him after his death in 1970, and the George Halas Trophy goes to the NFC champion.

Which NFL team completed the only undefeated season, including the playoffs, in NFL history?

The 1972 Miami Dolphins went 17–0, winning all 14 regular-season games and three playoff games, finishing with a 14–7 win over Washington in Super Bowl VII.

Which fullback scooped up the deflected pass and scored on the 'Immaculate Reception'?

Terry Bradshaw's fourth-down throw was meant for John Fuqua; it caromed off Fuqua or Jack Tatum and Franco Harris grabbed it at his shoetops to beat Oakland 13–7 on December 23, 1972.

Who was the first African American starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl?

Williams led Washington to the Super Bowl XXII title in 1988, the first Black quarterback ever to start the game.

Which team was on the wrong end of the most lopsided Super Bowl ever, a 55–10 defeat in Super Bowl XXIV?

The Denver Broncos lost 55–10 to San Francisco in Super Bowl XXIV, their third Super Bowl defeat of the decade; the 49ers' eight touchdowns set a Super Bowl record.

How many points is a touchdown worth in American football?

It counts 6 on its own; the extra point or two-point conversion that follows is a separate scoring play.

After Super Bowl LX in 2026, which two cities were tied for most Super Bowls hosted?

Miami and New Orleans had each hosted eleven; add greater Los Angeles's eight and half of the first sixty Super Bowls were played in just three metro areas.

Which broadcaster cut from the 1968 Raiders–Jets game to a children's film, so viewers missed two late touchdowns?

NBC cut away from the Raiders–Jets game on November 17, 1968, to start 'Heidi' on time, and viewers missed Oakland's two touchdowns in the final minute; the Jets won the AFL title game weeks later.

Roughly what was the game-time temperature at Lambeau Field for the 1967 'Ice Bowl'?

Game-time temperature was about −15 °F, with wind chill near −48 °F; several Packers could not start their cars before Green Bay beat Dallas 21–17 on December 31, 1967.

Which team won the fog-shrouded 1988 'Fog Bowl' playoff game?

The Chicago Bears beat Philadelphia 20–12 on December 31, 1988; Randall Cunningham threw for 407 yards into fog that cut visibility to about 15 yards, but the Eagles never reached the end zone.

Which Raiders defender's hit on Tom Brady led to the tuck rule call in January 2002?

Charles Woodson's corner blitz knocked the ball loose; Greg Biekert recovered, the call was reversed under the tuck rule, and Adam Vinatieri kicked a 45-yarder through the snow to force overtime.

What was unusual about the man who cleared a spot for the winning kick in the 1982 'Snowplow Game'?

Mark Henderson, a convict on work release from a Massachusetts prison, drove the plow; his line was 'What are they gonna do, throw me in jail?' and the Patriots won 3–0 on December 12, 1982.

How many regular-season games did each team play in the strike-shortened 1982 season?

The 57-day walkout produced a one-off 16-team playoff tournament, won by Washington in Super Bowl XVII.

The 1987 season is remembered for games played by whom?

Replacement players filled rosters in weeks four to six of 1987 while the regulars struck; week three was cancelled outright, and the 24-day strike collapsed in mid-October.

Who in 1989 became the NFL's first Black head coach of the modern era, hired by Al Davis?

Art Shell, a Hall of Fame tackle, was named Raiders head coach in October 1989 and went 54–38 over six seasons before Al Davis fired him after 1994.

Which Rams receiver set the single-game receiving record with 336 yards against the Saints in 1989?

Flipper Anderson caught 15 passes for 336 yards for the Rams against New Orleans on November 26, 1989, adding the final yards in overtime.

Who set the single-season interception record with 14 as a rookie in 1952?

Dick 'Night Train' Lane intercepted 14 passes as a Rams rookie in 1952, when the schedule was only 12 games; no one matched it through the 2025 season.

How long was Steve O'Neal's record punt for the Jets against Denver in 1969?

It remains the longest punt in AFL and NFL history; O'Neal was a 13th-round pick.

How long, in game time, was the longest NFL game ever, the Dolphins-Chiefs playoff on Christmas 1971?

The game lasted 82 minutes 40 seconds, into a second overtime, until Garo Yepremian's 37-yard field goal gave Miami a 27–24 win at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium on December 25, 1971.

How old was George Blanda when he retired in 1976 as the NFL's oldest-ever player?

George Blanda was 48 when he retired before the 1976 season, having played 26 years as a quarterback and kicker for the Bears, Colts, Oilers and Raiders.

Which moving company's trucks carried the Colts out of Baltimore overnight in March 1984?

Fifteen Mayflower trucks arrived at the Colts' Owings Mills complex around 10 p.m. on March 28, 1984, and left for Indianapolis overnight as Maryland prepared an eminent-domain seizure.

Which two-way Eagles legend knocked Frank Gifford unconscious in 1960?

Chuck Bednarik, 'Concrete Charlie', was 35 and playing both centre and linebacker when he flattened Gifford in November 1960; the Eagles beat Lombardi's Packers 17–13 for that season's title.

Where did the Cleveland Rams move after winning the 1945 title, the first champions to relocate the next season?

The Rams moved to Los Angeles for 1946, and to use the publicly owned Coliseum they signed Kenny Washington and Woody Strode, reintegrating the NFL after a 12-year colour ban.

Which Patriots safety scooped up the 'Butt Fumble' on Thanksgiving 2012 and ran it in?

Mark Sanchez ran into lineman Brandon Moore's backside and fumbled; Steve Gregory returned it 32 yards for a score as the Jets gave up three touchdowns in 52 seconds of game time.

Which offensive coordinator designed the Rams' 'Greatest Show on Turf' in 1999?

Mike Martz, an Ernie Zampese disciple in the Coryell system, was Dick Vermeil's offensive coordinator for the 1999 title and became head coach in 2000; Marshall Faulk was Offensive Player of the Year three years running.

Under what name did the Chicago Bears begin play in 1920?

The Decatur Staleys, sponsored by the A. E. Staley starch company, moved to Chicago in 1921 and became the Bears in 1922 under George Halas.

Which franchise, founded in Chicago in 1898, is the NFL's oldest continuously run team?

It began as the Morgan Athletic Club and joined the NFL as a charter member in 1920.

Which two NFL teams merged for the 1943 season because of wartime player shortages?

Wartime player shortages forced the Steelers and Eagles to merge as the 'Steagles' for 1943; a Card-Pitt combine of the Cardinals and Steelers followed in 1944.

In what year did the Pro Football Hall of Fame open in Canton, Ohio?

The Pro Football Hall of Fame opened on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter enshrinees, a year after groundbreaking in August 1962.

Which network aired Monday Night Football from its 1970 debut until 2005?

ABC carried Monday Night Football for 36 seasons before it moved to ESPN in 2006; Howard Cosell broke the news of John Lennon's death on the December 8, 1980 broadcast.

In what year did the Detroit Lions play their first Thanksgiving Day game?

The Lions first played on Thanksgiving in 1934, their debut season in Detroit, when owner G. A. Richards used his radio station WJR to get NBC to broadcast the game nationally.

The Rooney Rule, requiring interviews of minority candidates for head coaching jobs, is named after which team's owner?

Dan Rooney, owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, chaired the league's diversity committee when the rule was adopted in 2003.

Who made 'The Catch' from Joe Montana to beat the Cowboys in the January 1982 NFC Championship?

Dwight Clark's leaping six-yard grab from Joe Montana capped an 89-yard drive with 58 seconds left, giving the 49ers a 28–27 win over Dallas on January 10, 1982.

Which Rams defensive end was the first pass rusher to use the head slap?

Deacon Jones, who also coined the term 'sack', used the head slap to get past tackles until the league banned the move in 1977.

Besides football, Jim Brown is considered one of the all-time greats of which sport?

The Premier Lacrosse League's MVP award is named after him.

Vince Lombardi played guard in the 'Seven Blocks of Granite' line at which university?

Vince Lombardi was a guard in Fordham's 'Seven Blocks of Granite' line in 1936 under coach Jim Crowley, one of Notre Dame's Four Horsemen.

Which commissioner oversaw the AFL–NFL merger and the creation of Monday Night Football?

Pete Rozelle, commissioner from 1960 to 1989, negotiated the 1966 AFL–NFL merger and launched Monday Night Football in 1970; the league grew from 12 to 28 teams on his watch.

Who is the only athlete to have played in both a Super Bowl and a World Series?

Deion Sanders won Super Bowls with the 49ers and Cowboys and batted .533 for Atlanta in the 1992 World Series against Toronto.

Which coach, nicknamed 'The Genius', popularized the West Coast offense with the 49ers?

Bill Walsh won three Super Bowls with the 49ers between the 1981 and 1988 seasons with his short-passing West Coast offense, then returned to coach Stanford for three seasons from 1992.

Which two teams played the first NFL International Series game at Wembley in 2007?

Wembley was the series' exclusive home from 2007 to 2015.

Tom Dempsey's record 63-yard field goal in 1970 stood for how many years?

Tom Dempsey's 63-yarder for the Saints on November 8, 1970, stood until Matt Prater's 64 in December 2013, 43 years later; Dempsey was born without toes on his kicking foot.

NFL Films was founded in 1962 by which father, later run by his son Steve?

Ed Sabol founded the company as Blair Motion Pictures, named after his daughter, and won the rights to film the 1962 NFL title game before it became NFL Films; his son Steve later ran it.

With which overall pick was Tom Brady selected in the 2000 draft?

Tom Brady went 199th overall, a compensatory sixth-round pick in 2000; six quarterbacks, including Chad Pennington and Giovanni Carmazzi, were taken ahead of him.

Before his Rams stardom, Kurt Warner stocked shelves at which grocery chain for $5.50 an hour?

Kurt Warner worked nights at a Hy-Vee in Cedar Falls, Iowa, for $5.50 an hour after going undrafted in 1994, then played three seasons for the Arena League's Iowa Barnstormers.

Which Raiders quarterback threw the 'Holy Roller' fumble that beat San Diego in 1978?

Ken Stabler deliberately fumbled forward with ten seconds left on September 10, 1978; Pete Banaszak and Dave Casper batted the ball on and Casper fell on it in the end zone for a 21–20 win.

The 1985 Bears' famed '46 defense' was named after which player's jersey number?

Buddy Ryan named the scheme after safety Doug Plank, who wore No. 46 and played in its early-1980s versions; the 1985 Bears rode it to a 46–10 win in Super Bowl XX.

How many touchdowns did LaDainian Tomlinson score in 2006, a single-season record?

LaDainian Tomlinson scored 31 touchdowns for San Diego in 2006, 28 rushing and three receiving, passing Shaun Alexander's 28 from 2005; he was league MVP that season.

How many yards short of Walter Payton's rushing record was Barry Sanders when he retired in 1999?

Barry Sanders retired with 15,269 yards, 1,457 short of Walter Payton's 16,726; he walked away at 31 after a 1,491-yard season in 1998.

Bo Jackson is the only athlete named an All-Star in two major American sports; which NFL team did he play for?

Bo Jackson played for the Los Angeles Raiders from 1987 to 1990 alongside his Kansas City Royals baseball career, until a hip injury in a January 1991 playoff game ended his football days.

The Baltimore Ravens take their name from a poem by which writer?

Poe is buried in Baltimore; the team was established in 1996.

The Tennessee Titans were originally which AFL franchise?

The Houston Oilers, founded by Bud Adams in 1959 as an AFL charter team, moved to Tennessee in 1997, played a season in Memphis, and became the Titans in 1999.

Which team's fans twice set the Guinness record for loudest crowd noise during the 2013 NFL season?

The Seattle Seahawks' crowd set the record at 136.6 decibels against San Francisco in September 2013 and raised it to 137.6 against New Orleans that December.

Which Pittsburgh broadcaster invented the Terrible Towel in 1975?

Myron Cope, the Steelers' radio colour man, came up with the Terrible Towel before a December 1975 playoff game; he later gave the rights to the Allegheny Valley School, which serves people with disabilities.

In 1943 Sammy Baugh led the NFL in passing, punting and which defensive statistic?

Sammy Baugh's 1943 season for Washington saw him lead the NFL in passing, punting average and interceptions, with 11 picks as a defensive back.

Which Illinois star known as 'the Galloping Ghost' joined the Bears for a 1925 barnstorming tour?

Red Grange signed with the Bears days after his last Illinois game in November 1925, and the 19-game, 67-day barnstorming tour that followed raised pro football's national profile.

Johnny Unitas threw a touchdown pass in how many consecutive games, a record that stood 52 years?

Johnny Unitas threw a touchdown pass in 47 straight games from 1956 to 1960, a record Drew Brees broke in 2012; Unitas had played semi-pro ball for $6 a game before the Colts signed him.

The 1958 'Greatest Game Ever Played' was the first NFL game decided by what?

The Colts beat the Giants 23–17 at Yankee Stadium on Alan Ameche's one-yard plunge in the first sudden-death overtime in NFL history.

Which offensive tackle gave Joe Namath the nickname 'Broadway Joe' in 1965?

Jets tackle Sherman Plunkett hung 'Broadway Joe' on the rookie after Namath appeared on a July 1965 Sports Illustrated cover headlined 'Football Goes Show Biz'.

Which team did John Madden's Raiders beat in Super Bowl XI?

John Madden's only title came in Super Bowl XI on January 9, 1977, a 32–14 win over the Minnesota Vikings at the Rose Bowl; Fred Biletnikoff was the game's MVP.

Whom did Jerry Jones fire immediately after buying the Cowboys in 1989?

Tom Landry had coached the Cowboys since their founding; Jones replaced him with his old Arkansas teammate Jimmy Johnson.

Which stadium has hosted the most Super Bowls, eight as of 2025?

The Superdome hosted its eighth Super Bowl, LIX, in February 2025; it also served as a shelter of last resort during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

On what date was the AFL–NFL merger announced?

The leagues kept separate schedules until fully merging before the 1970 season.

Who was the first player ever taken in an NFL draft, in 1936?

Jay Berwanger of Chicago, the first Heisman winner, went first to Philadelphia in 1936 but never played pro football after George Halas refused his $15,000 asking price.

How many games was Tom Brady suspended over Deflategate?

Tom Brady served a four-game suspension at the start of 2016 after the Deflategate ruling; the Patriots were also fined $1 million and lost first- and fourth-round draft picks.

How many career wins did 'Papa Bear' George Halas record as a coach?

George Halas won 324 games as Bears coach (318 regular season plus six playoff) over 40 seasons spread across four stints between 1920 and 1967.

How much does the Vince Lombardi Trophy weigh, roughly?

The Vince Lombardi Trophy weighs about seven pounds, stands 22 inches tall and is made entirely of sterling silver, with a regulation-size football atop a three-sided stand.

Which Giants linebacker was named NFL MVP in 1986 with 20.5 sacks?

Lawrence Taylor's 20.5 sacks in 1986 earned him the AP MVP award, making him the second defensive player after Alan Page in 1971 to win it.

How many consecutive regular-season starts did Brett Favre make, a league record?

Brett Favre started 297 straight regular-season games from September 1992 to December 2010; with playoffs the streak reached 321.

Patrick Mahomes played college football for which program?

Patrick Mahomes played at Texas Tech from 2014 to 2016, winning the Sammy Baugh Trophy as the nation's top passer as a junior before the Chiefs drafted him.

Who became the NFL's first African-American head coach, with the Akron Pros in 1921?

Fritz Pollard co-coached the Akron Pros in 1921 while still playing halfback; he and Bobby Marshall had been the league's first two Black players in 1920.

Which coach invented the draw play and helped develop the modern face mask?

Paul Brown, who founded the Browns in 1946 and the Bengals in 1968, is credited with the draw play, the first face-mask bar and sending in plays by messenger guard.

The 2012 'Fail Mary' game was officiated by whom?

Replacement officials ruled Golden Tate's disputed catch a touchdown on September 24, 2012; the NFL and its referees settled the lockout two days later.

Who threw the 61-yard 'Minneapolis Miracle' touchdown to Stefon Diggs in January 2018?

Case Keenum hit Stefon Diggs for 61 yards as time expired to beat New Orleans 29–24 on January 14, 2018, after Saints safety Marcus Williams whiffed on the tackle.

Which Eagle threw the 'Philly Special' touchdown pass to Nick Foles in Super Bowl LII?

Center Jason Kelce snapped directly to Clement, who pitched to Burton.

Which Saints head coach was suspended for the entire 2012 season over Bountygate?

Sean Payton sat out the whole 2012 season, the first head coach ever suspended by the league; defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was banned indefinitely for running the bounty pool.

Who was the first pro quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards in a season?

Joe Namath threw for 4,007 yards for the Jets in the 14-game 1967 AFL season; Dan Fouts became the first to do it in a 16-game schedule in 1979.

Which Redskins quarterback's leg was broken on a Monday Night sack by the Giants in 1985?

Joe Theismann's right leg was broken by Lawrence Taylor's sack on November 18, 1985, ending his career at 36.

In which year did the NFL adopt a 16-game regular season, a format it kept until 2021?

The NFL went from 14 games (the schedule since 1961) to 16 in 1978, and owners voted for the 17-game schedule in March 2021.

Who coached the Philadelphia Eagles to NFL championships in 1948 and 1949?

Earle 'Greasy' Neale's Eagles won the 1948 title 7–0 over the Chicago Cardinals in a snowstorm and the 1949 title 14–0 over the Rams.

Which team went 0–16 in 2008, the first winless season of the 16-game era?

The Detroit Lions went 0–16 in 2008, the first winless season since the schedule expanded to 16 games; Tampa Bay had gone 0–14 in 1976 and Cleveland matched 0–16 in 2017.

In which year did the NFL league office give up its tax-exempt nonprofit status?

The league office dropped its 501(c)(6) tax-exempt status in April 2015, with Roger Goodell calling it a 'distraction' amid public criticism.

In which year did Amazon Prime Video become the exclusive home of Thursday Night Football?

Amazon became Thursday Night Football's exclusive home in 2022 under an 11-year deal; before that it streamed games alongside Fox and NFL Network in a tri-cast.

Since the 2009 season, when has the Pro Bowl been held relative to the Super Bowl?

The Pro Bowl moved to the week before the Super Bowl starting with the January 2010 game to boost ratings, which is why players from the two Super Bowl teams sit it out.

Under the NFL's old blackout policy, ended after 2014, a home game was blacked out locally unless the stadium did what?

Clubs could lower the threshold to 85% by giving more ticket revenue to the visitors; only about 6% of games were ever blacked out.

Which quarterback threw for 414 yards in Super Bowl XXXIV?

Kurt Warner threw for 414 yards and two touchdowns in the Rams' 23–16 win over Tennessee in Super Bowl XXXIV, earning MVP in his first season as a starter.